Autumn Ambience

Designers: Alma Allen and Barb Adams of Blackbird Designs

• 1-1⁄2 yards red floral (blocks, appliqués, binding)
• 4-1⁄2-yard pieces of assorted red prints (blocks, appliqués)
• 1-3⁄4 yards tan print No. 1 (blocks, appliqués)
• 2⁄3 yard tan print No. 2 (blocks, appliqués)
• 3-1⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 58" square batting
• Freezer paper
• Fabric glue stick

Finished quilt: 51-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 12" square

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

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the order that follows. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

Designer Alma Allen uses a freezer-paper method for machine appliquéing. The instructions that follow are for this technique. (Patterns are provided for this method; if you're using another method, reverse patterns using a light box or sunny window.)

1.    Lay freezer paper, shiny side down, over patterns. Trace each pattern the number of times indicated in cutting instructions. Cut out freezer-paper shapes on drawn lines.

2.    Using a hot, dry iron, press freezer-paper shapes, shiny sides down, onto the designated fabrics' wrong sides; let cool. Cut out each shape, adding a 3⁄16" seam allowance to all edges. Cut seam allowances slightly narrower at tips of leaves; clip inner curves as necessary.

3.    On each appliqué shape, run a glue stick along seam allowance wrong side, then finger-press seam allowance to back of freezer paper; let dry.

From red floral, cut:

• 1--20" square, cutting it into enough 1"-wide bias strips to total 285" in length
• 10--6-1⁄2" squares
• 6--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips
• 80--2" squares

From assorted red prints, cut:

• 40--3-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 80 large triangles total (10 sets of eight matching triangles)
• 40--2-1⁄2" squares (10 sets of four matching squares)
• 9--1×3" strips
• 3 each of patterns C, D, E, F, and H
• 51 of Pattern B
• 23 of Pattern A
• 28 of Pattern K
• 18 of Pattern J
• 75 of Pattern G
• 6 of Pattern I

From tan print No. 1, cut:

• 2--18-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an × for 8 border triangles total
• 2--12-1⁄2" squares
• 2--9-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total
• 10--4-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an × for 40 small triangles total
• 40--2" squares
• 9--1×3" strips

From tan print No. 2, cut:

• 1--12-1⁄2" square
• 10--4-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an × for 40 small triangles total
• 40--2" squares

1.    Referring to Diagram 1, join a tan print No. 1 small triangle to an assorted red print 2-1⁄2" square. Note that a corner of the triangle will extend past the edge of the square. Press seam toward red print square.

2.    Join a second tan print No. 1 small triangle to the adjacent edge of the red print square to make a triangle unit. Press seam toward red print square.

3.    Referring to Diagram 2, sew two matching red print large triangles to the triangle unit to make a Flying Geese unit. Press all seams toward red print triangles. The  unit should be 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

4.    Repeat steps 1 through 3  to make four matching Flying Geese units total.

5.    Using tan print Nos. 1 or 2 small triangles, repeat steps 1 through 3  to make 10 sets total of four matching Flying Geese units.

6.    Referring to Diagram 3, join two red floral 2" squares and two tan print No. 1-2" squares in pairs. Press seams toward red floral squares. Join pairs to make a Four-Patch unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four matching Four-Patch units.

7.    Using red floral 2" squares and tan print Nos. 1 or 2-2" squares, repeat Step 6 to make 10 sets total of four matching Four-Patch units.

8.    Sew together four matching Four-Patch units, four matching Flying Geese units, and a red floral 6-1⁄2" square in rows (Diagram 4). Press seams away from Flying Geese units. Join rows to make a star block. Press seams in one direction. The block should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

9.    Repeat to make 10 star blocks total.

1.    Piece red floral 1"-wide bias strips to make one 285"-long strip. Fold strip in half lengthwise with wrong side inside; press. Sew together long edges (Diagram 5), stitching a scant 1⁄4" from the edges. Trim seam allowance to 1⁄8". Refold strip, centering seam in back; press.

2.    Cut prepared red floral strip into:

• 8--15"-long vine appliqués
• 4--12"-long vine appliqués
• 6--7-1⁄2"-long stem appliqués
• 6--5-1⁄2"-long stem appliqués
•  9--3-1⁄2"-long stem appliqués

3.    Fold one short edge of each stem appliqué back 1⁄4" (Diagram 6); press. Fold each stem appliqué in half lengthwise; press.

4.    Prepare nine assorted red print 1×3" strips in the same manner as Step 1 to make appliqué strips. (Three of these strips are used to make the snowflake style flower in each block.) Referring to Diagram 7, make a 3⁄8"-long cut in center of short edges of each red print appliqué strip.

1.    Fold each tan print 12-1⁄2" square in half diagonally twice. Lightly finger-press each fold to create three foundation squares with appliqué placement guidelines; unfold.

2.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out two red floral 7-1⁄2"-long stem appliqués, two red floral 5-1⁄2"-long stem appliqués, three red floral 3-1⁄2"-long stem appliqués, three red print 3"-long appliqué strips, and remaining appliqué pieces on each tan print foundation square; baste in place.

3.    Using red thread and working from bottom layer to top, machine-appliqué pieces in place to make three appliquéd blocks total.

4.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out one red floral 15"-long vine appliqué, two red print A leaves, five red print B leaves, and three red print K berries on a tan print No. 1 border triangle. Baste and machine-appliqué as before to make an appliquéd border triangle. Repeat to make eight appliquéd border triangles total.

5.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out one red floral 12"-long vine appliqué, one red print A leaf, two red print B leaves, and one red print K berry on a tan print No. 1 corner triangle. Baste and machine-appliqué as before to make an appliquéd corner triangle. Repeat to make four appliquéd corner triangles total.

6.    Soak appliquéd blocks, border triangles, and corner triangles in cold water to remove glue. Trim excess foundation fabric from behind appliqués, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowances. Peel away freezer paper and discard. Use dry towel to remove excess water, then air-dry; press blocks and triangles from wrong side.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out the 10 pieced blocks, three appliquéd blocks, eight appliquéd border triangles, and four appliquéd corner triangles in diagonal rows.

2.    Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to complete quilt top. Press seams in one direction.

1.    Layer quilt top, batting, and backing.

2.    Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Jeanne Zyck outline-quilted each appliqué piece in the blocks, border triangles, and corner triangles (Quilting Diagram). She added veins to the appliquéd leaves and decorative lines to the red print F flowers and red print H vases. She stitched a different leaf-and-vine design in the red floral center squares, red print 2-1⁄2" squares, and red print large triangles. She quilted an oval outline in each square of the Four-Patch units and in each light tan print small triangle of the Flying Geese units.

3.    Use red floral binding strips to bind quilt.