Neon Dreams

Designer: Erika Bea

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

• 7-1⁄4 yards solid white (blocks, sashing, setting squares)
• 5-1⁄2 yards solid pink (blocks, sashing, binding)
• 9-3⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 111"-square batting

Finished quilt: 102-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 12" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

From solid white, cut:

• 20--12-1⁄2" setting squares
• 25--7-1⁄4" squares
• 120--4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 240 triangles total
• 84--3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles
• 64--1-1⁄2×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 64--2-1⁄2" squares
• 64--1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles

From solid pink, cut:

• Enough 2-1⁄2"-wide bias strips to total 425" in length for binding
• 25--6-1⁄2" sashing squares
• 60--4-3⁄4" squares
• 100--3-7⁄8" squares
• 144--2-1⁄2" squares

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. Referring to Diagram 1, sew together a solid white 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangle and a solid pink 2-1⁄2" square. Add a solid white 1-1⁄2×3-1⁄2" rectangle to make a corner unit. The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 64 corner units total.

2. Alternate five solid pink 2-1⁄2" squares and four solid white 2-1⁄2" squares in three rows (Diagram 2). Sew together squares in rows. Join rows to make a Nine-Patch unit. The unit should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 Nine-Patch units total.

3. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out four corner units, four solid white 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles, and one Nine-Patch unit in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make an Irish Chain block. The block should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 Irish Chain blocks total.

1. Sew solid white triangles to opposite edges of a solid pink 4-3⁄4" square (Diagram 4). Add solid white triangles to remaining edges to make a Square-in-a-Square unit. The unit should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 60 Square-in-a-Square units total.

2. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid pink 3-7⁄8" square.

3. Referring to Diagram 5, align two marked solid pink squares with opposite corners of a solid white 7-1⁄4" square. Sew a scant 1⁄4" from drawn lines on both sides of lines. Cut apart on drawn lines to make two triangle units (Diagram 6); press open.

4. Referring to Diagram 7, align a marked solid pink square with solid white corner of a triangle unit. Sew a scant 1⁄4" from each side of drawn line. Cut apart on drawn line (Diagram 8). Press solid pink triangles open to make two Flying Geese units. Each unit should be 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat with remaining triangle unit to make two additional Flying Geese units for a total of four.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make 100 Flying Geese units total.

6. Referring to Diagram 9, sew together a solid white 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangle, Square-in-a-Square unit, and Flying Geese unit to make Sashing Unit A. The unit should be 6-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make 20 A sashing units total.

7. Referring to Diagram 10, join two Flying Geese units and one Square-in-a-Square unit to make Sashing Unit B. The unit should be 6-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make 40 B sashing units total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, alternate six solid white 12-1⁄2" setting squares and five A sashing units; sew together to make Row 1. Press seams away from sashing units. The row should be 12-1⁄2×102-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make Row 11.

2. To make Row 2, lay out two A sashing units, five solid pink 6-1⁄2" sashing squares, and four B sashing units (Quilt Assembly Diagram); join. Press seams away from sashing units. The row should be 6-1⁄2×102-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make rows 4, 6, 8, and 10.

3. To make Row 3, lay out two solid white 12-1⁄2" setting squares, five B sashing units, and four Irish Chain blocks (Quilt Assembly Diagram); join. Press seams away from sashing units. The row should be 12-1⁄2×102-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make rows 5, 7, and 9.

4. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram for orientation of rows 1 and 11, join rows to complete quilt top. Press seams in one direction.

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

2. Quilt as desired. Heather Cartwright machine-quilted a scallop design across the quilt top (Quilting Diagram).

3. Use a pencil to trace the curved edge of a plate or bowl at each quilt corner. Trim on marked lines.

4. Bind with solid pink 2-1⁄2"-wide bias strips.