In the Sky Wall Hanging

Inspired by Around the Square from designer Avis Shirer of Joined at the Hip

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 22--1⁄8"-yard blue star print (block, inner border, binding)
• 1⁄3 yard mottled red (block, middle border)
• 1⁄4 yard tan dot (block)
• 3⁄8 yard blue airplane print (block, outer border)
• 1⁄8 yard dark red tone-on-tone (block)
• 7⁄8 yard backing fabric
• 31" square batting

Finished quilt: 22-1⁄8" square

Finished block: 10-5⁄8" 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 blue star print, cut:

• 4--2-1⁄4x42" binding strips
• 2--2x10" strips
• 4--2" squares
• 2--1-1⁄2x13-1⁄8" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2x11-1⁄8" inner border strips
• 8--1-1⁄4" squares

From mottled red, cut:

• 1--2x10" strip
• 2--2x16-1⁄8" middle border strips
• 2--2x13-1⁄8" middle border strips
• 1--1-1⁄4x22" strip
• 4--1-1⁄4x3-1⁄4" rectangles

From tan dot, cut:

• 2--3-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 triangles total
• 4--1-1⁄2x2-1⁄4" rectangles
• 1--1-1⁄4x22" strip
• 16--1-1⁄4" squares

From blue airplane print, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2x22-1⁄8" outer border strips
• 2--3-1⁄2x16-1⁄8" outer border strips
• 1--3-1⁄4" square, with desired motif centered

From dark red tone-on-tone, cut:

• 4--1-1⁄4x6-1⁄2" rectangles

1. Referring to Diagram 1 lay out four blue star print 1-1⁄4" squares, four mottled red 1-1⁄4x3-1⁄4" rectangles, and the blue airplane print 3-1⁄4" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward mottled red rectangles. Join rows to make an uneven Nine-Patch unit. Press seams away from center. The unit should be 4-3⁄4" square including seam allowances.

2. Sew tan dot triangles to opposite edges of an uneven Nine-Patch unit (Diagram 2). Press seams toward triangles. Add tan dot triangles to remaining edges to make a Square-in-a-Square unit; press seams toward triangles. The unit should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out four blue star print 1-1⁄4" squares, four dark red tone-on-tone 1-1⁄4x6-1⁄2" rectangles, and Square-in-a-Square unit in three rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward dark red tone-on-tone. Join rows to make a block center. Press seams away from center row. The block center should be 8" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew together two blue star print 2x10" strips and mottled red 2x10" strip to make Strip Set A (Diagram 4). Press seams toward blue star print strips. Cut strip set into four 2"-wide A segments.

2. Join a tan dot 1-1⁄4x22" strip and a mottled red 1-1⁄4x22" strip to make Strip Set B (Diagram 5). Press seam toward mottled red strip. Cut strip set into sixteen 1-1⁄4"-wide B segments.

3. Referring to Diagram 6, join one A segment, two B segments, and two tan dot 1-1⁄4" squares into a long pieced row. Press seams toward A segment. Repeat to make four long pieced rows total.

4. Referring to Diagram 7, sew together a blue star print 2" square, two B segments, and two tan dot 1-1⁄4" squares to make a short pieced row. Press seams toward center. Repeat to make four short pieced rows total.

5. Aligning center seams, sew together a long pieced row and a short pieced row (Diagram 8). Press seam toward long pieced row. Add a tan dot 1-1⁄2x2-1⁄4" rectangle to top of short pieced row to make a corner unit. Press seam away from rectangle. Repeat to make four corner units total.

6. Sew corner units to opposite edges of block center (Diagram 9). Press seams toward block center. Add corner units to remaining edges to make a block; press seams toward block center. Referring to Diagram 10, trim block to 11-1⁄8" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew blue star print 1-1⁄2x11-1⁄8" inner border strips to opposite edges of block. Add blue star print 1-1⁄2x13-1⁄8" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

2. Sew mottled red 2x13-1⁄8" middle border strips to opposite edges of block. Add mottled red 2x16-1⁄8" middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward middle border.

3. Sew blue airplane print 3-1⁄2x16-1⁄8" outer border strips to opposite edges of block. Add blue novelty print 3-1⁄2x22-1⁄8" outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2. Bind with blue star print binding strips.