Stars & Scraps Forever

Designers: Jo Kramer and Kelli Hanken of Jo's Country Junction

Finished quilt: 96-1/2" square

(queen-size with 18" drop on sides and 16" drop at foot; king-size with 10" drop)

Finished blocks: 8" square

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

• 3 yards total assorted red prints (Sawtooth Star blocks)
• 5-3/8 yards total assorted light prints in white, cream, and tan (Sawtooth Star blocks and modified Log Cabin blocks)
• 4-1/8 yards total assorted blue prints (Sawtooth Star blocks and modified Log Cabin blocks)
• 1-1/2 yards solid red (modified Log Cabin blocks)
• 7/8 yard red tone-on-tone (binding)
• 8-3/4 yards backing fabric
• 105" square batting

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted red prints, cut:

• 72—4-1/2" squares
• 288—2-1/2" squares

From assorted light prints, cut:

• 72—2-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 216—2-1/2 ×4-1/2" rectangles
• 504—2-1/2" squares

From assorted blue prints, cut:

• 72—2-1/2×6-1/2" rectangles
• 216—2-1/2 ×4-1/2" rectangles
• 216—2-1/2" squares

From solid red, cut:

• 288—2-1/2" squares

From red tone-on-tone, 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. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each assorted red print 2-1/2" square and 288 assorted light print 2-1/2" squares.

2. Align a marked red print square with one end of a light print 2-1/2×4-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle. Add a second marked red print square to opposite end of rectangle to make a red Flying Geese unit. The unit should still be 4-1/2×2-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make 144 red Flying Geese units total.

3. Using marked light print squares and assorted blue print 2-1/2 ×4-1/2" rectangles, repeat Step 2 to make 144 blue Flying Geese units (Diagram 2).

4. Referring to Diagram 3, sew together four assorted light print 2-1/2" squares, four red Flying Geese units, and one red print 4-1/2" square in three rows. Join rows to make a red Sawtooth Star block. The block should be 8-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 36 red Sawtooth Star blocks total.

5. Using four blue print 2-1/2" squares, four blue Flying Geese units, and one red print 4-1/2" square, repeat Step 4 to make a blue Sawtooth Star block (Diagram 4). Repeat to make 36 blue Sawtooth Star blocks total.

1. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together one light print 2-1/2" square, two solid red 2-1/2" squares, and one blue print 2-1/2" square in pairs. Join pairs to make a Four-Patch unit. The unit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 72 Four-Patch units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out the following pieces in three vertical rows: one light print 2-1/2 ×6-1/2" rectangle, two solid red 2-1/2" squares, one light print 2-1/2 ×4-1/2" rectangle, one Four-Patch unit, one blue print 2-1/2×4-1/2" rectangle, and one blue print 2-1/2×6-1/2" rectangle. Sew together pieces in each row. Join rows to make a modified Log Cabin block. The block should be 8-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 72 modified Log Cabin blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out red and blue Sawtooth Star blocks and modified Log Cabin blocks in 12 rows of 12 blocks each, rotating blocks as shown. If you pressed blocks in directions indicated by arrows in diagrams, all pieces should nest together except for the center vertical and horizontal seams, where the blocks change orientation. In these seams there will be extra bulk so sew slowly.

2. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

3. Join rows to complete quilt top. Press seams in one direction.

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

2. Quilt as desired. Designer Jo Kramer machine-quilted a continuous curve in the Flying Geese units and the solid red squares (Quilting Diagram). She added a flower design in the center square of each Sawtooth Star block. She filled in the remaining areas with an allover stipple.

3. Bind with red tone-on-tone binding strips.