Country Winter

Quilt designer: Lynette Jensen of Thimbleberries

From American Patchwork & Quilting, December 1999

• 3-5/8 yards of red print No. 1 for blocks and binding
• 1-3/8 yards of gold print for blocks
• 2-1/8 yards of green print for blocks
• 2-1/8 yards of beige print for blocks
• 2-1/4 yards of red print No. 2 for border
• 7-2/3 yards of backing fabric
• 92x110" of quilt batting

Finished quilt top: 86x104"

Finished block: 6x8"

Quantities specified for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. All measurements include a 1/4" seam allowance. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the order that follows.

From red print No. 1, cut:

• 8--4-1/2x42" strips
• 10--2-3/4x42" binding strips
• 8--2-1/2x42" strips
• 56--4-1/2" squares

From gold print, cut:

• 16--2-1/2x42" strips

From green print, cut:

• 4--4-1/2x42" strips
• 20--2-1/2x42" strips

From beige print, cut:

• 7--4-1/2x42" strips
• 12--2-1/2x42" strips

From red print No. 2, cut:

• 11--6-1/2x42" strips for border

1. Aligning long edges, sew two gold print 2-1/2x42" strips to a red print 4-1/2x42" strip to make a Strip Set A (see Diagram 1). Press the seam allowances toward the red print strip. Repeat to make a total of eight of Strip Set A. Cut the strip sets into 4-1/2"-wide A segments for a total of 64.

2. Aligning long edges, sew two green print 2-1/2x42" strips to a beige print 4-1/2x42" strip to make a Strip Set B (see Diagram 2). Press the seam allowances toward the green print strips. Repeat to make a total of seven of Strip Set B. Cut the strip sets into 2-1/2"-wide B segments for a total of 112.

3. Aligning long edges, sew two red print 2-1/2x42" strips to a green print 4-1/2x42" strip to make a Strip Set C (see Diagram 3). Press the seam allowances toward the green print strip. Repeat to make a total of four of Strip Set C. Cut the strips sets into 2-1/2"-wide C segments for a total of 56.

4. Aligning long edges, sew together two beige print 2-1/2x42" strips and a green print 2-1/2x42" strip to make a Strip Set D (see Diagram 4). Press the seam allowances toward the beige print strips. Repeat to make a total of six of Strip Set D. Cut the strip sets into 4-1/2"-wide D segments for a total of 49.

5. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together two Strip Set B segments and one Strip Set C segment to make a block. Press the seam allowances toward the Strip Set C segment. The pieced block should measure 6-1/2x8-1/2", including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of 56 blocks.

1. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out eight Strip Set A segments and seven pieced blocks in a horizontal row. Sew together the pieces to make block row A. Press the seam allowances toward the Strip Set A segments. Pieced block row A should measure 8-1/2x74-1/2", including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of eight of block row A.

2. Referring to Diagram 7, lay out eight red print 4-1/2" squares and seven Strip Set D segments in a horizontal row. Sew together the pieces to make block row B. Press the seam allowances toward the Strip Set D segments. Pieced block row B should measure 4-1/2x74-1/2", including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of seven of block row B.

3. Referring to photograph, lay out block rows A and B, alternating placement. Sew together the rows to make the quilt center. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced quilt center should measure 74-1/2x92-1/2", including the seam allowances.

Add Border

1. Cut and piece the red print 6-1/2x42" strips to make the following:

• 2--6-1/2x104-1/2" border strips
• 2--6-1/2x74-1/2" border strips

2. Sew short border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add long border strips to remaining edges to completed quilt top. Press all seams toward border.

Complete the Quilt

1. Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing.

2. Quilt as desired. Designer Lynette Jensen had this project machine-quilted in an allover meandering pattern.

3. Use the red print 2-3/4x42" strips to bind the quilt.

Materials for Pillowcase

• 1-1/2 yards of flannel print

Assemble the Pillowcase

1. Measure the distance around the middle of your pillow. Add 1" to the measurement (to allow for a 1/2" seam allowance). Measure the length of your pillow. Add 13" to the measurement (to allow for a 1/2" seam allowance and the hem).

2. Cut a flannel print rectangle according to the measurements determined in Step 1.

3. Turn one long edge under 1/2"; press. Turn the same edge under 6"; press. Topstitch in place to hem.

4. Fold the hemmed rectangle in half. Sew together the raw edges, using a 1/2" seam allowance, to complete the pillowcase. Turn the pillowcase right side out.

Materials for Bedskirt

• 9 to 10 yards of 44/45"-wide tan ticking for skirt
• 2-1/2 to 3 yards of 90"-wide muslin for center panel
• 9 to 10 yards of 1/4"-wide cording

Finished bedskirt: fits a queen-size bed

Assemble Bedskirt

1. Measure the width and length of the bed's box spring. Add 1" to the width measurement and 2-3/4" to the length measurement to allow for seam allowances and hem. Cut a muslin rectangle to those dimensions to make the center panel.

2. Turn a short edge of the muslin center panel under 1/4"; press. Turn the same edge under another 2"; press. Topstitch the folded edge in place to hem the top edge of the center panel.

3. Measure around the center panel, starting at point A, and working alphabetically through D (see Diagram 8). Divide the resulting measurement by four and mark those points on the edges of the center panel.

4. Measure the distance from the top edge of the box spring to the floor. Add 2-1/2" to this measurement (to allow for seam allowances and a hem).

5. Multiply the previously determined A to D measurement by 2-3/4 or 3, depending on the fullness you want in the finished bedskirt and the weight of your fabric. (The heavier the fabric, the less width is needed.)

6. Cut and piece the tan ticking according to the measurements determined in steps 4 and 5 to make the skirt.

7. Turn a long edge of the tan ticking skirt under 1"; press. Turn the same edge under another 1"; press. Topstitch the folded edge in place to hem the skirt. Repeat with each short edge.

(For a bed with a footboard, make the skirt in three sections--two for the sides and one for the foot--to accommodate the legs.)

8. Position the cording 1/4" from the raw edge of the skirt. Firmly stitch across one end of the cord to secure it, then zigzag-stitch over the length of the cord, being careful not to sew through it (see Diagram 9).

9. Working along the skirt's raw edge, divide the length into fourths; mark.

10. Place the skirt on the center panel, matching marks and raw edges (see Diagram 10); pin. Pull the cord to gather the skirt into an even fit; pin in place. Join the pieces, using a 1/2" seam allowance, to complete the bedskirt.

Materials for Pillow

• 8-1/2" square of green print for pillow top
• 1 yard of green plaid for pillow top and pillow back
• 1/4 yard of red print No. 1 for pillow top
• 1 yard of red print No. 2 for ruffle
• 18"-square pillow form

Finished pillow (without ruffle): 18" square

Cut Fabrics

From green plaid, cut:

• 2--18-1/2x22" rectangles
• 4--4x8-1/2" rectangles
• 4--4" squares

From red print No. 1, cut:

• 2--2x18-1/2" rectangles
• 2--2x8-1/2" rectangles
• 4--2x4" rectangles

From red print No. 2, cut:

• 5--6-1/2x42" strips

Assemble the Pillow

1. Referring to the Pillow Top Assembly Diagram for placement, lay out the green print 8-1/2" square, the four green plaid 4x8-1/2" rectangles, the four green plaid 4" squares, the two red print 2x18-1/2" rectangles, the two red print 2x8-1/2" rectangles, and the four red print 2x4" rectangles in five horizontal rows.

2. Sew together the pieces in each row. Press the seam allowances toward the red print rectangles. Then join the rows to complete the pillow top. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced pillow top should measure 18-1/2" square, including the seam allowances.

3. Using bias seams, sew together the red print 6-1/2x42" strips to make one continuous ruffle strip. With the wrong side inside, fold the ruffle strip in half lengthwise; press. Divide the ruffle strip into four equal segments; mark with safety pins.

4. Position a heavyweight thread (or two strands of regular-weight sewing thread) 1/4" from the raw edge of the folded ruffle strip. (You'll need a length of thread at least three times the circumference of the pillow.) Stitch across one end of the thread to secure it. Then zigzag-stitch over the thread all the way around the ruffle, taking care not to sew through the thread (see Diagram 11).

5. Pin the ruffle to the right side of the pillow top, matching raw edges; match the ruffle's marks to the corners of the pillow. Pull the thread to gather the ruffle into an even fit; gather a little extra ruffle at each corner for a full look. Join the ruffle to the pillow top.

6. With wrong sides inside, fold each of the two green plaid 18-1/2x22" rectangles in half to form two 11x18-1/2" double-thick pillow back pieces.

7. Overlap the two folded edges by about 4" (see Diagram 12); stitch the pieces in place, sewing across the folds, to create a single pillow back.

8. Layer the pillow back and the pillow top with the ruffle inside; pin. Sew together to make the pillow cover. Trim the pillow back and corner seam allowances if needed. Turn the pillow cover right side out and fluff up the ruffle. Insert the pillow form through the back opening to complete the pillow.