Flirty Florals

Inspired by Plum Perfect from designer Kay Wright Handy for Animas Quilts

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

Machine quilter: Vicki Hoth of Handi Quilter

• 2⁄3 yard dark teal print (A blocks, inner border)
• 1⁄2 yard teal-and-green print (B blocks)
• 8--1⁄4-yard pieces assorted blue, teal, and green prints (B blocks)
• 1-1⁄2 yards white floral (A blocks, B blocks, outer border)
• 5⁄8 yard each white print and teal floral (A blocks, binding)
• 3-7⁄8 yards backing fabric
• 69" square batting

Finished quilt: 60-1⁄2 " square

Finished blocks: 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.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From dark teal print, cut:

• 6--2 ×42" strips for inner border
• 16--2-1⁄2 ×7" strips

From each assorted blue, teal, or green prints, cut:

• 1--7 ×8-1⁄2" rectangle
• 2--2-1⁄2 ×8-1⁄2" rectangles

From white floral, cut:

• 6--5 ×42" strips for outer border
• 8--8-1⁄2" squares
• 8--3-1⁄2" squares

From white print, cut:

• 4--5×42" strips

From teal-and-green print, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2 ×42" strips
• 16--3-1⁄2 ×5" rectangles

From teal floral, cut:

• 7--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips

1.    Sew together two dark teal print 2-1⁄2 ×7" strips and an assorted blue, teal, or green print 7×8-1⁄2" rectangle to make Strip Set B (Diagram 1). Repeat to make eight total of Strip Set B. Cut each strip set into two 2-1⁄2"-wide A segments for 16 total (eight matching pairs).

2.    Referring to Diagram 2, sew together two matching B segments; two matching blue, teal, or green print 2-1⁄2 ×8-1⁄2" rectangles; and one white floral 8-1⁄2" square in three rows. Join rows to make Block B. The block should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight B blocks total.

1.    Sew together two white print 5×42" strips and a teal-and-green print 3-1⁄2 ×42" strip to make Strip Set A (Diagram 3). Repeat to make a second Strip Set A. Cut each strip set into eight 5"-wide A segments for 16 total.

2.    Referring to Diagram 4, sew together two matching A segments, two teal-and-green print 3-1⁄2 ×5" rectangles, and one white floral 3-1⁄2" square in three rows. Join rows to make Block A. The block should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight A blocks total.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, alternate blocks B and A in four horizontal rows. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams toward B blocks. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 48-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2.    Cut and piece dark teal print 2 ×42" strips to make:

• 2--2 ×51-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--2 ×48-1⁄2" inner border strips

3.    Sew short dark teal print inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long dark teal print inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border. The quilt center should be 51-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4.    Cut and piece white floral 5 ×42" strips to make:

• 2--5 ×60-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--5 ×51-1⁄2" outer border strips

5.    Sew short white floral outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long white floral outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border. The quilt top should be 60-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

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

2.    Quilt as desired. In keeping with the floral theme, Handi Quilter Education Coordinator Vicki Hoth featured computerized flower designs from Wasatch Quilting in the blocks and outer border (Quilting Diagram). Vicki framed each quilted flower with channel quilting 1⁄2" inside the white print and white floral squares. Vicki's curved quilting in the A block rectangles and crosshatching in the B block rectangles added texture and keeps the eye moving across the quilt. Debbie Tribble machine-quilted medallion motifs in the blocks and an arc design in the border.

3.    Bind with teal floral binding strips.