Born to Be Wild

Inspired by Buried Treasure from designer April Rosenthal

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1⁄2 yard solid yellow and solid pink (blocks, inner border)
• 1⁄4 yard of white chick print (blocks)
• 1⁄3 yard each of solid green and white whale print (blocks)
• 1⁄4 yard each of blue bunny print, purple elephant print, pink lamb print, and pink bunny print (blocks)
• 3⁄8 yard solid pink (blocks)
• 2⁄3 yard stripe (outer border)
• 1⁄2 yard binding fabric
• 2-7⁄8 yards backing fabric
• 51" square batting

Finished quilt: 42-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 8" 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.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From solid yellow, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×34-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×32-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 36--2-1⁄2" squares

From white chick print, cut:

• 16--2-1⁄2" squares

From solid green, cut:

• 36--2-1⁄2" squares

From each of blue bunny print and purple elephant print, cut:

• 24--2-1⁄2" squares

From solid pink, cut:

• 56--2-1⁄2" squares

From each of pink lamb print and pink bunny print, cut:

• 8--4-1⁄2" squares

From white whale print, cut:

• 16--4-1⁄2" squares

From stripe, cut:

• 4--4-1⁄2×42" strips for outer border

From binding fabric, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

1.    Sew together one solid yellow, two white chick print, and one solid green 2-1⁄2" square in pairs (Diagram 1). Join pairs to make a Four-Patch unit. The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight white chick Four-Patch units total.

2.    Referring to Diagram 2, repeat Step 1 using one solid green, two blue bunny print, and one solid pink 2-1⁄2" square. Repeat to make 12 blue bunny Four-Patch units total.

3.    Referring to Diagram 3, repeat Step 1 using one solid yellow, two purple elephant print, and one solid pink 2-1⁄2" square. Repeat to make 12 purple elephant Four-Patch units total.

4.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each remaining solid 2-1⁄2" square.

5.    Align two marked solid green squares with opposite corners of a pink lamb print 4-1⁄2" square (Diagram 4; note direction of marked lines). Sew on marked lines; trim seam allowances to 1⁄4". Press open attached triangles to make a Floating Star unit. The unit still should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight pink lamb Floating Star units total.

6.    Referring to Diagram 5, repeat Step 5 using two marked solid pink squares and a white whale print 4-1⁄2" square. Repeat to make 16 white whale Floating Star units total.

7.    Referring to Diagram 6, repeat Step 5 using two marked solid yellow squares and a pink bunny print 4-1⁄2" square. Repeat to make eight pink bunny Floating Star units total.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in eight horizontal rows; note orientation of each block.

2.    Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to complete quilt center; press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 32-1⁄2" square.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew solid yellow 1-1⁄2×32-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add solid yellow 1-1⁄2×34-1⁄2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press seams toward inner border. The quilt center should now be 34-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

2.    Cut and piece stripe 4-1⁄2×42" strips to make:

• 2--4-1⁄2×42-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--4-1⁄2×34-1⁄2" outer border strips

3.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long outer border strips to remaining edges. Press seams toward inner border. The quilt center should now be 42-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired

2.    Bind with binding strips.