Block of the Month: Finishing Instructions

Designer: Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

Get fabric requirements for the entire Block of the Month quilt here.

Get patterns for Block 1 here, Block 2 here, Block 3 here, Block 4 here, Block 5 here, Block 6 here, Block 7 here, and Block 8 here.

Assorted light prints (Designer Monique Dillard used assorted cream and tan prints for the featured quilt): 

• 2--5⁄8-yard pieces
• 2--1⁄3-yard pieces
• 2--1⁄2 yard for middle border

Assorted medium prints (assorted red prints in featured quilt):

• 4 or 5--3⁄8-yard pieces
• 1-1⁄4 yards medium or dark print for outer border
• 5⁄8 yard medium or dark print for binding
• 3-5⁄8 yards backing fabric
• 64×82" batting

Finished quilt: 55-1⁄2×73-1⁄2"

Finished blocks: 9" square

Quantities are for 44⁄45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

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

Cut pieces in the following order.

From light print 1⁄2-yard piece, cut:

•  6--2×42" strips for middle border

From remaining assorted light prints, cut:

• 2--19-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 large setting triangles total (you will use 6)
• 2--9-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total
• 4--7-1⁄4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 small setting triangles total
• 32--4-1⁄4" squares

From assorted medium prints, cut:

• 12--7-1⁄4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 24 small setting triangles total
• 32--4-1⁄4" squares

From medium or dark print 1-1⁄4-yard piece, cut:

• 7--5-1⁄2×42" strips for outer border

From medium or dark print 5⁄8-yard piece, cut:

• 7--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

1.    Referring to Diagram 1, sew assorted light print small setting triangles to opposite edges of a block. Add assorted light print small setting triangles to remaining edges to make a light block unit. Press all seams toward setting triangles. The light block unit should be 13-1⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make two light block units total.

2.    Using assorted medium print small setting triangles instead of light print, repeat Step 1 to make six medium block units (Diagram 2).

3.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out light print large setting triangles, light block units, and medium block units in four diagonal rows.

4.    Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward large setting triangles and light block units. Join rows; press seams in one direction. Add light print corner triangles to make quilt center. Press seams toward corner triangles. The quilt center should be 36-1⁄2×54-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of assorted light print 4-1⁄4" squares.

2.    Place a marked light print 4-1⁄4" square atop a medium print 4-1⁄4" square. Sew 1⁄4" from each side of drawn line (Diagram 3). Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seams toward medium print, to make two triangle-squares. Each should be 37⁄8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 64 triangle-squares total.

3.    Mark a diagonal line perpendicular to seam line on wrong side of 32 triangle-squares.

4.    Layer a marked triangle-square atop an unmarked triangle-square with the light triangles opposite the medium triangles (Diagram 4). Sew 1⁄4" from each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press each unit open to make two hourglass units. Each unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 64 hourglass units total.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out 18 hourglass units in a row, rotating every other unit. Sew together hourglass units to make a long inner border strip. Press seams in one direction. The long inner border strip should be 3-1⁄2×54-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long inner border strip.

2.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, join 14 hourglass units, rotating every other unit, to make a short inner border strip. Press seams in one direction. The short inner border strip should be 3-1⁄2×42-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short inner border strip.

3.    Sew long inner border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add short inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward quilt center. The quilt center now should be 42-1⁄2×60-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Cut and piece light print 2×42" strips to make:

• 2--2×60-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 2--2×45-1⁄2" middle border strips

2.    Sew long middle border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add short middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward middle border. The quilt center now should be 45-1⁄2×63-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

3.    Cut and piece medium or dark print 5-1⁄2×42" strips to make:

• 2--5-1⁄2×63-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--5-1⁄2×55-1⁄2" outer border strips

4.    Sew long outer border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add short outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2.    Quilt as desired. LeAnne Olson machine-quilted tall, skinny loops and a double arc in each small setting triangle and an allover flower design in the large setting triangles. She custom-quilted each block with a variety of curved lines.

3.    Bind with medium or dark print binding strips.