Half and Half

Designer: Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

• 8--3⁄8-yard pieces assorted light prints (blocks)
• 8--1⁄8-yard pieces assorted red prints (blocks)
• 8--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted green prints (blocks)
• 1-1⁄8 yards green tone-on-tone (inner and outer borders, binding)
• 2-1⁄8 yards green-and-red stripe (middle border)
• 3-1⁄2 yards backing fabric
• 63×78" batting

Finished quilt: 55×70"

Finished block: 7-1⁄2" 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. Cut middle border strips lengthwise (parallel to the selvages).

From each light print, cut:

• 12--3-3⁄4" squares
• 9--3-3⁄8" squares
• 6--3" squares

From each red print, cut:

• 6--3-3⁄4" squares
• 3--3-3⁄8" squares

From each green print, cut:

• 6--3-3⁄4" squares
• 6--3-3⁄8" squares
• 6--3" squares

From green tone-on-tone, cut:

• 7--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips
• 13--1-1⁄4×42" strips for inner and outer borders

From green-and-red stripe cut:

• 2--3-3⁄4×72" middle border strips
• 2--3-3⁄4×57" middle border strips

1. For a set of six matching star blocks, gather all pieces from one light print, all pieces from one red print, and all pieces from one green print.

2. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of six light print 3-3⁄4" squares.

3. Place each marked light print square atop a red print 3-3⁄4" square. Sew 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1).

4. Cut a pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam toward red print, to make two large red triangle-squares (Diagram 1). Each triangle-square should be 3-3⁄8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 large red triangle-squares total.

5. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line perpendicular to seam line on wrong side of six large red triangle-squares.

6. Layer a marked and an unmarked large red triangle-square with each light print triangle facing a red print triangle (Diagram 2). Sew pair together 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press each unit open, pressing seam in one direction, to make two red hourglass units. Each hourglass unit should be 3" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 red hourglass units total.

7. Using green print instead of red print, repeat steps 2–6 to make 12 green hourglass units total (Diagram 3).

8. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of light print 3-3⁄8" squares.

9. Using three marked light print 3-3⁄8" squares and three red print 3-3⁄8" squares, repeat steps 3 and 4 to make six small red triangle-squares (Diagram 4). Each triangle-square should be 3" square including seam allowances.

10. Using six marked light print 3-3⁄8" squares and six green print 3-3⁄8" squares, repeat steps 3 and 4 to make 12 small green triangle-squares (Diagram 5). Each triangle-square should be 3" square including seam allowances.

11. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out one light print 3" square, two red hourglass units, two small green triangle-squares, one small red triangle-square, two green hourglass units, and one green print 3" square in three rows.

12. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from hourglass units. Join rows to make a star block. Press seams toward center row. The block should be 8" square including seam allowances.

13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 to make six matching star blocks total.

14. Using remaining light, red, and green prints, repeat steps 1–13 to make 48 blocks total (eight sets of six matching blocks).

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out star blocks in eight rows, rotating blocks so that you get a diagonal light and a diagonal green pattern.

2. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams open, or press them in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

3. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams open or in one direction. The quilt center should be 45-1⁄2×60-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1. Cut and piece green tone-on-tone 1-1⁄4×42" strips to make:

• 4--1-1⁄4×72" inner and outer border strips
• 4--1-1⁄4×57" inner and outer border strips

2. Sew long inner and outer border strips to opposite edges of long green-and-red stripe middle border strip to make a long border unit. Press seams toward green tone-on-tone. The border unit should be 5-1⁄4×72" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long border unit.

3. Using short border strips and short green-and-red stripe middle border strips, repeat Step 2 to make two short border units. Each border unit should be 5-1⁄4×57" including seam allowances.

4. Beginning and ending seams 1⁄4" from corners of quilt center, sew long border units to opposite edges of quilt center. Add short border units to remaining edges, mitering corners, to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward border units.

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

2. Quilt as desired. To emphasize the diagonal lines formed by the star blocks, Sue Glorch machine-quilted continuous feathers in each light and green diamond pattern radiating out from the center square (Quilting Diagram). She stitched a wavy feather over the three borders, treating them as one.

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