Candy Cane Quilt

Designer: Darlene Zimmerman

• 3⁄8 yard of large red check for blocks
• 3⁄8 yard of small red check for blocks
• 8--1⁄8-yard pieces of assorted white prints for blocks
• 1⁄2 yard of small red polka dot for inner border and sashing
• 1 yard of red-and-white stripe for middle border and binding
• 1-1⁄3 yards of large red polka dot for outer border
• 2-3⁄4 yards of backing fabric
• 49" square of quilt batting

Finished quilt top: 43" square

Finished block: 7-1⁄2" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the order that follows. Cut the outer border strips the length of the fabric (parallel to the selvage).

From large red check, cut:

• 16--3-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for a total of 32 triangles
• 32--1-3⁄4x3" rectangles

From small red check, cut:

• 16--3-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for a total of 32 triangles
• 32--1-3⁄4x3" rectangles

From each assorted white print, cut:

• 4--3-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for a total of 8 triangles
• 2--3" squares
• 8--1-3⁄4x3" rectangles

From one remaining white print scrap, cut:

• 9--1-1⁄2" squares for sashing

From small red polka dot, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2x35-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2x33-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 24--1-1⁄2x8" sashing rectangles

From red-and-white stripe, cut:

• 1--24" square, cutting it into enough 2-1⁄2"-wide bias strips to total 190" in length for binding
• 2--1-1⁄2x37-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2x35-1⁄2" middle border strips

From large red polka dot, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2x43-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--3-1⁄2x37-1⁄2" outer border strips

1. For one block you'll need one set of matching large or small red check pieces (four triangles and four 1-3⁄4x3" rectangles) and one set of matching white print pieces (four triangles, four 1-3⁄4x3" rectangles, and one 3" square).

2. Sew together one red check triangle and one white print triangle to make a triangle-square (Diagram 1). Press the seam allowance toward the red check triangle. The pieced triangle-square should measure 3" square, including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of four triangle-squares.

3. Sew together one red check rectangle and one white print rectangle to make a rectangle unit (Diagram 2). Press the seam allowance toward the red check rectangle. The pieced rectangle unit should measure 3" square, including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of four rectangle units.

4. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out the four triangle-squares, the four rectangle units, and the white print 3" square in three horizontal rows. Sew together the squares in each row. Press the seam allowances toward the rectangle units. Then join the rows to make a Churn Dash block. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced Churn Dash block should measure 8" square, including the seam allowances.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 to make a total of 16 Churn Dash blocks.

1. Referring to the photograph for placement, lay out the 16 Churn Dash blocks, the 24 small red polka-dot 1-1⁄2×8" sashing rectangles, and the nine white print 1-1⁄2" sashing squares.

2. Sew together the pieces in each row. Press the seam allowances toward the sashing rectangles.

3. Then join the rows to make the quilt center. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced quilt center should measure 33-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances.

1. Sew the small red polka-dot 1-1⁄2x33-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of the pieced quilt center. Then join the small red polka-dot 1-1⁄2x35-1⁄2" inner border strips to the remaining edges of the quilt center. Press all seam allowances toward the inner border.

2. Sew the red-and-white stripe 1-1⁄2x35-1⁄2" middle border strips to opposite edges of the pieced quilt center. Then join the red-and-white stripe 1-1⁄2x37-1⁄2" middle border strips to the remaining edges of the quilt center. Press all seam allowances toward the middle border.

3. Sew the large red polka-dot 3-1⁄2x37-1⁄2" outer border strips to opposite edges of the pieced quilt center. Then join the large red polka-dot 3-1⁄2x43-1⁄2" outer border strips to the remaining edges of the quilt center to complete the quilt top. Press all seam allowances toward the outer border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2. Quilt as desired. The featured quilt was machine-stitched in the ditch on both sides of the sashing. Each block was hand-quilted 1⁄4" from the seam lines, and a simple design was machine-quilted in the border.

3. Use red-and-white stripe bias strips to bind the quilt.

Download the optional size chart for directions for making this quilt for your bed.