Autumn Spice

Designer: Tara Lynn Darr

• 7⁄8 yard total assorted red prints (blocks)
• 3⁄4 yard total assorted black prints (blocks)
• 3⁄4 yard total assorted cream and light tan prints (blocks)
• 1-1⁄3 yards rust floral (setting squares, setting and corner triangles)
• 1-1⁄4 yards black floral (border, binding)
• 5⁄8 yard red paisley (border)
• 1-1⁄4 yards cream stripe (border)
• 3-1⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 57×66" batting

Finished quilt: 50-1⁄2×59-3⁄4"

Finished block: 6-1⁄2" square

Quantities are for 44⁄45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

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

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted red prints, cut: 

• 24--4-1⁄2" squares
• 48--2-1⁄2" squares (24 sets of two matching squares), cutting each in half diagonally for 96 triangles total

From assorted black prints, cut:

• 24--2-3⁄4" squares
• 96--2-1⁄8" squares (24 sets of four matching squares)

From assorted cream and light tan prints, cut:

• 96--2-1⁄2" squares (24 sets of four matching squares)

From rust floral, cut:

• 4--10-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 16 setting triangles total (you will use 14)
• 12--7" setting squares
• 2--5-1⁄2" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total

From black floral, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips
• 9--2-1⁄8×42" strips for border

From red paisley, cut:

• 9--1-3⁄4×42" strips for border

From cream stripe, cut:

• 5--1-1⁄4×42" strips for border

The following instructions are for making one star block. Repeat assembly instructions to make 24 star blocks total.

1.    Sew matching red print triangles to opposite edges of a black print 2-3⁄4" square. Sew red print triangles to remaining edges to make a Square-in-a-Square unit (Diagram 1). Press all seams toward triangles. The unit should be 3-3⁄4" square, including seam allowances.

2.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each assorted cream and light tan print 2-1⁄2" square.

3.    Align two matching marked cream or light tan print 2-1⁄2" squares with opposite corners of a red print 4-1⁄2" square (Diagram 2). Sew together 1⁄4" on each side of drawn lines.

4.    Cut apart on drawn lines to make two triangle units (Diagram 3); press open triangles on each unit.

5.    Align a matching marked cream or light tan print 2-1⁄2" square with remaining corner of one triangle unit, paying attention to direction of drawn line. Sew together 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 4).

6.    Cut apart on drawn line (Diagram 5); press open attached triangles to make two Flying Geese units. Each unit should be 2-1⁄8×3-3⁄4" including seam allowances.

7.    Repeat steps 5 and 6 with remaining triangle unit to make four matching Flying Geese units total.

8.    Lay out one Square-in-a-Square unit, four matching Flying Geese units, and four matching black print 2-1⁄8" squares in three rows (Diagram 6). Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward squares. Join rows to make a star block. Press seams toward center. The block should be 7" square including seam allowances.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out 20 star blocks, rust floral setting squares, and rust floral setting triangles in diagonal rows.

2.    Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward setting squares and triangles.

3.    Join rows; press seams in one direction. Add corner triangles to complete quilt center. Press seams toward corner triangles. The quilt center should be 37-1⁄2×46-3⁄4" including seam allowances.

4.    Cut and piece black floral 2-1⁄8×42" strips to make:

• 4--2-1⁄8×46-3⁄4" strips
• 4--2-1⁄8×37-1⁄2" strips

5.    Cut and piece red paisley 1-3⁄4×42" strips to make:

• 4--1-3⁄4×46-3⁄4" strips
• 4--1-3⁄4×37-1⁄2" strips

6.    Cut and piece cream stripe 1-1⁄4×42" strips to make:

• 2--1-1⁄4×46-3⁄4" strips
• 2--1-1⁄4×37-1⁄2" strips

7.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, join two black floral 2-1⁄8×46-3⁄4" strips, two red paisley 1-3⁄4×46-3⁄4" strips, and one cream stripe 1-1⁄4×46-3⁄4" strip to make a long border unit. Press seams in one direction. Repeat to make a second long border unit.

8.    In same manner, sew together two black floral 2-1⁄8×37-1⁄2" strips, two red paisley 1-3⁄4×37-1⁄2" strips, and one cream stripe 1-1⁄4×37-1⁄2" strip. Press seams in one direction. Add a star block to each end of pieced strips to make a short border unit. Press seams toward pieced strips. Repeat to make a second short border unit.

9.    Sew long border units to long edges of quilt center. Sew short border units to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward border.

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

2.    Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Nancy Mancke stitched a flower motif on the squares in each star block and on each setting square and setting and corner triangle. She stitched in the ditch on each star block, and outline-stitched each Flying Geese unit and the black floral print in the border. A leaf pattern accents the red print in the border (Quilting Diagram).

3.    Bind with black floral binding strips.