Country Windmills

Designer: Roseann Meehan Kermes

• 15--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted light prints (block backgrounds)
• 7--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted medium prints (blocks)
• 8--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted dark prints (blocks)
• 1/4 yard purple floral (sashing squares)
• 3 yards red polka dot (sashing, binding)
• 5-1/2 yards backing fabric
• 63×99" batting

Finished Quilt: 56-1/2x 92-1/2"

Finished Block: 16" square

Quantities are 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 pieces in the following order.

From each light print, cut:

• 4--4-1/2×8-1/2" rectangles
• 8--3-1/2" squares

From each medium and dark print, cut:

• 8-- 4-1/2" squares
• 8--3-1/2" squares

From purple floral, cut:

• 24--2-1/2" sashing squares

From red polka dot, cut:

• 8--2-1/2×42" binding strips
• 38--2-1/2×16-1/2" sashing strips

For ease in sewing, choose three prints for each block and store cut pieces in plastic bags. Make 15 piles, each with four 4-1/2" squares and eight 3-1/2" squares from one medium or dark print (print A). To each pile, add four 4-1/2" squares from a contrasting medium or dark print (print B), and four 4-1/2×8-1/2" rectangles and eight 3-1/2" squares from one light print.

These assembly instructions make one Columbian Puzzle block. Repeat with each set of pieces chosen above to make 15 blocks total.

1. Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of light print and A print 3-1/2" squares. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under squares.)

2. Align a marked light print 3-1/2" square with one corner of an A print 4-1/2" square (Diagram 1; note placement of marked line). Stitch on marked line; trim excess fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Press attached triangle open, pressing seam toward darker print, to make a pieced square A. The pieced square still should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four total of pieced square A.

For a head start on coordinating decor, sew the cut-off triangles from the pieced squares into triangle-squares -- save and use for the pillows.

3. Repeat Step 2 using B print 4-1/2" squares and remaining light print 3-1/2" squares to make four total of pieced square B.

4. Referring to Diagram 2, sew together the B pieced squares in pairs; press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make block center; press seam in one direction.

5. Align two marked A print 3-1/2" squares with corners of a light print 8-1/2×4-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 3; note placement of marked lines). Stitch on marked lines; trim and press as before to make a side unit.

The unit still should be 8-1/2×4-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four side units total.

6. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out A pieced squares, side units, and block center in rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward pieced squares and block center. Join rows to make a Columbian Puzzle block. Press seams toward center. The block should be 16-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Columbian Puzzle blocks, red polka dot 2-1/2×16-1/2" sashing strips, and purple floral 2-1/2" squares in 11 horizontal rows.

2. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward sashing strips.

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

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

2. Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Patti Trygg used an allover swirl pattern.

3. Bind with red polka dot binding strips.

Star pillow:

• Scraps of green, red, and purple prints
• Scraps of four assorted light prints
• 1/8 yard solid purple (inner border)
• 3/4 yard red polka dot (pillow back, outer border)
• 22" square each of muslin and batting
• 5 -- 3/4"-diameter buttons to cover
• 18"-square pillow form

Zigzag pillow:

• Scraps of orange, purple, and blue prints
• Scraps of three assorted light prints
• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) each of red, purple, and cream florals (pillowcase back, band, liner)
• 5 -- 5/8"-diameter buttons to cover
• 12x16" pillow form

From green print scraps, cut:

• 10 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 20 triangles total

From red print scraps, cut:

• 4 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 triangles total

From purple print scraps, cut:

• 4 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 triangles total

From each of three light prints, cut:

• 4 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 triangles total

From fourth light print, cut:

• 6 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total

From solid purple, cut:

• 2 -- 1-1/2×14-1/2" inner border strips
• 2 -- 1-1/2×12-1/2" inner border strips

From red polka dot, cut:

• 1 -- 18-1/2" square
• 2 -- 2-1/2×18-1/2" outer border strips
• 2 -- 2-1/2×14-1/2" outer border strips

1. Sew together a green print triangle and a light print No. 1 triangle to make a triangle-square (Diagram 5).

Press seam toward darker triangle. The triangle-square should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances.

2. Repeat Step 1 using appropriate triangles to make the following triangle-squares total:

• 8 green-and-light print No. 1
• 8 green-and-light print No. 2
• 8 red-and-light print No. 3
• 8 purple-and-light print No. 4
• 4 green-and-light print No. 4

3. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out triangle-squares in six rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make pillow center. Press seams in one direction.

4. Sew short solid purple inner border strips to opposite edges of pillow center. Add long solid purple inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

5. Sew short red polka dot outer border strips to opposite edges of pillow center. Add long red polka dot outer border strips to remaining edges to complete pillow top. Press all seams toward outer border.

6. Layer pillow top with batting and muslin 22" squares; baste. Quilt as desired. Trim batting and backing even with pillow top edges.

7. Layer quilted pillow top and red polka dot 18-1/2" square. Sew together along all edges, leaving an opening along one side. Turn right side out. Insert pillow form through opening; hand-stitch opening closed.

8. Following manufacturer's directions, cover five buttons with purple print scraps. Position buttons in pillow center and center of pinwheels; hand-stitch in place to complete star pillow.

From scraps of light print No. 1, cut:

• 6 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total
• 4 -- 2-1/2" squares

From scraps of light print No. 2, cut:

• 6 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total

From scraps of light print No. 3, cut:

• 6 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total
• 2 -- 2-1/2" squares

From each of orange, purple, and blue prints, cut:

• 6 -- 2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total

From red floral, cut:

• 1 -- 12-1/2×14-1/2" rectangle

From purple floral, cut:

• 2 -- 5-1/2×12-1/2" rectangles

From cream floral, cut:

• 1 -- 12-1/2×20" rectangle

1. Referring to Step 1 of Cut and Assemble Star Pillow, join appropriate triangles to make the following triangle-squares:

• 12 orange-and-light print No. 1
• 12 purple-and-light print No. 2
• 12 blue-and-light print No. 3

2. Lay out triangle-squares and assorted light print 2-1/2" squares in six rows (Diagram 7). Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make pillowcase top. Press seams in one direction. The pillowcase top should be 12-1/2×14-1/2" including seam allowances.

3. Sew together pillowcase top and red floral 12-1/2×14-1/2" rectangle along both long edges and the orange print short end to make pillowcase. Turn right side out; press.

4. Join short ends of purple floral 5-1/2×12-1/2" rectangles; press seams open. With wrong side inside, press in half lengthwise to make the band. Slip band over pillowcase, aligning raw edges; sew together. Press band away from pillowcase.

5. Cover five buttons with orange print scraps. Evenly space along seam between pillowcase top and band; hand-stitch in place.

6. With the right side inside, fold the cream floral 12-1/2×20" rectangle in half widthwise to make a 10×12-1/2" rectangle. Sew along short edges to make the pillowcase liner. Turn right side out and press. Zigzag-stitch along raw edge to prevent fraying.

7. Slide pillowcase liner over one end of pillow form, then slide pillowcase over other end.