A Cut Above

Designer: Anita Grossman Solomon

Finished quilt: 96-1/2" square

Finished block: 24" square

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

Fabrics are from the Kona Cotton Solids collection by Robert Kaufman Fabrics (robertkaufman.com).

• 16—1/2-yard pieces assorted light and medium solids (blocks)
• 16—1/2-yard pieces assorted dark solids (blocks)
• 7/8 yard solid white (binding)
• 8-3/4 yards backing fabric
• 105"-square batting
• Acrylic rulers (optional): 4-1/2" wide and 12^1-1/2" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

From each assorted light, medium, and dark solid, cut:

• 2—15" squares

From solid white, cut:

• 10—2-1/2×42" binding strips

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.

1. Gather two 15" squares from one light or medium solid and two 15" squares from one dark solid. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each light or medium solid square.

2. Layer a marked light or medium solid square atop a dark solid 15" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two triangle-squares. Repeat to make four triangle-squares total.

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

4. Layer a marked triangle-square atop an unmarked triangle-square with dark solid triangles facing light or medium solid triangles (Diagram 2). Sew  1/4" on each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press open to make two hourglass units. Repeat to make four hourglass units total.

5. Position one hourglass unit on cutting surface with light or medium solid triangles at top and bottom. Referring to Diagram 3, measure 2-1/4" to left and right of center. Cut a 4-1/2"-wide strip from middle of hourglass unit to make two A units and one B unit.

6. Fold one A unit in half widthwise, finger-press to mark center, and unfold. Referring to Diagram 4, measure 2-1/4" to left and right of center. Cut to make two triangle-squares and one 4-1/2"-wide rectangle. Repeat with remaining A unit to make four triangle-squares and two rectangles total.

7. Referring to Diagram 5, lay out triangle-squares, rectangles, and Unit B in three rows. Sew together pieces in first and third rows. Fold each row in half widthwise, finger-press to mark center, and unfold. With center creases aligned, join rows to make a block unit. Center and trim block unit to 12-1/2" square including seam allowances (Diagram 6).

8. Repeat steps 5–7 to make four matching block units total.

9. Repeat steps 1–8 to make 64 block units total (16 sets of four matching units).

10. Referring to Diagram 7, sew together a set of block units in pairs. Join pairs to make a block. The block should be 24-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 blocks total.

11. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in four rows, rotating every other block 90° to alternate position of dark solids. Sew together blocks in rows. Press seams open. Join rows to complete quilt top. Press seams open.

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

2. Quilt as desired. Janice E. Petre machine-quilted a 1"-wide grid across the quilt top (Quilting Diagram).

3. Bind with solid white binding strips.