Midnight Blooms Quilt

Inspired by Late Bloomers from designer Kim Diehl

Quilt Tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1/2 yard dark gold print (star blocks)
• 1-5/8 yards total assorted red prints (star and hourglass blocks, flower and circle appliqués, outer border)
• 1-1/2 yards total assorted black prints (star and hourglass blocks, flower center appliqués, outer border)
• 1-1/3 yards total assorted green prints (hourglass blocks, stem and leaf appliqués, outer border)
• 1 yard total assorted gold prints (hourglass blocks, circle appliqués, outer border)
• 1-1/8 yards black floral (inner border, binding)
• 1-1/8 yards light gold tone-on-tone (inner border)
• 4-1/8 yards backing fabric
• 74" square batting
• Lightweight fusible web

Finished quilt: 65-1/2" square

Finished blocks: 9" 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. Click on "Download this Project" for patterns.

To use fusible web to prepare patterns for appliqué, complete the following steps.

1. Lay fusible web, paper side up, over patterns. Use a pencil to trace each pattern the number of times indicated in cutting instructions, leaving 1/2" between tracings. Cut out fusible-web shapes roughly 1/4" beyond drawn lines. From fusible web, also cut a 6x9" rectangle.

2. Following manufacturer's instructions, press each fusible-web shape onto wrong side of designated fabric; let cool. Cut out fabric shapes on drawn lines. Peel off paper backings.

3. Center and press fusible-web 6x9" rectangle onto wrong side of green print bias-cut 6-1/2x9-1/2" rectangle; let cool. Rotary-cut fused rectangle to make eight 3/8x8" stem appliqués and four 3/8x5" stem appliqués. Peel off paper backings.

From dark gold print, cut:

• 10--4-1/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 20 small triangles total
• 20--3-1/2" squares

From one red print, cut:

• 8--4-1/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 small triangles total
• 1--3-1/2" square

From assorted red prints, cut:

• 6 each of patterns B and B reversed

From one black print, cut:

• 2--4-1/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 small triangles total
• 4--3-1/2" squares

From assorted black prints, cut:

• 12 of Pattern C

From assorted green prints, cut:

• 1--6-1/2x9-1/2" rectangle, cut on the bias, for stem appliqués
• 12 each of patterns A and A reversed

From assorted gold prints and red, black, and green print scraps, cut:

• 88--6-1/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 176 large triangles total
• 16--5-3/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 32 medium triangles total
• 16 of Pattern D

From black floral, cut:

• 8--9-1/2" squares
• 7--2-1/2x42" binding strips

From light gold tone-on-tone, cut:

• 4--9-1/2x27-1/2" rectangles
• 4--9-1/2" squares

1. Sew together a dark gold print small triangle and a red print small triangle to make a small triangle-square (Diagram 1). Press seam toward darker fabric. The triangle-square should be 3-7/8" square including seam allowances. Cut triangle-square in half diagonally, cutting through seam line, to make two red small pieced triangles. Repeat to make 32 red small pieced triangles total.

2. Using black print small triangles and dark gold print small triangles, repeat Step 1 to make four small triangle-squares; cut them in half to make eight black small pieced triangles.

3. Sew together two red small pieced triangles to make a small red hourglass unit (Diagram 2). Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 red small hourglass units total.

4. Using black small pieced triangles, repeat Step 3 to make four black small hourglass units.

5. Sew together two assorted red, black, green, or green print medium triangles to make a medium triangle-square (Diagram 3). Press seam toward darker fabric. The medium triangle-square should be 5-3/8" square including seam allowances. Cut in half diagonally, cutting through seam line, to make two medium pieced triangles. Repeat to make 32 medium pieced triangles total.

6. Sew together two medium pieced triangles to make a medium hourglass unit (Diagram 4). Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 5" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 medium hourglass units total.

7. Using assorted print large triangles, repeat Step 5 to make a large triangle-square. It should be 5-7/8" square including seam allowances. Cut it into two large pieced triangles. Repeat to make 176 large pieced triangles total.

8. Using large pieced triangles, repeat Step 6 to make 88 large hourglass units. Each should be 5-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together four red small hourglass units, four dark gold print 3-1/2" squares, and a black print 3-1/2" square in three rows. Press seams toward squares. Join rows to make a red star block; press seams in one direction. The block should be 9-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four red star blocks total.

2. Using four black small hourglass units, four dark gold print 3-1/2" squares, and a red print 3-1/2" square, repeat Step 1 to make a black star block.

3. Referring to Diagram 6, sew together four medium hourglass units in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make an hourglass block; press seam in one direction. The block should be 9-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four hourglass blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together star blocks and hourglass blocks in three rows. Press seams toward star blocks.

2. Join rows to make quilt center; press seams toward middle row. The quilt center should be 27-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil or white dressmaker's pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each black floral 9-1/2" square.

2. Align a marked 9-1/2" square with one end of a light gold tone-on-tone 9-1/2 x27-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 7; note direction of marked line). Sew on drawn line. Trim excess, leaving 1/4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward black print. Repeat with opposite end of light gold tone-on-tone rectangle to make an inner border unit. Repeat to make four inner border units total.

3. Fold an inner border unit in half widthwise; press lightly to make a center placement line. Referring to top inner border unit in Quilt Assembly Diagram, arrange a short stem appliqué along placement line; bottom end of stem should align with raw edge of light gold tone-on-tone rectangle. Arrange a long stem appliqué in a gentle arc on each side of short stem. Fuse stems in place.

4. Referring to top inner border unit in Quilt Assembly Diagram, arrange three green print A leaves, three green print A reversed leaves, three red print B or B reversed flowers, three black print C flower centers, and four assorted print D circles along stem appliqués; overlap any raw edges of pieces by about 1/4". Fuse pieces in place following manufacturer's instructions.

5. Working from bottom layer to top, zigzag-stitch around stems and A–D pieces with black thread to make an appliquéd inner border unit.

6. Repeat steps 3–5 to make four appliquéd inner border units total.

7. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew two appliquéd inner border units to opposite edges of quilt center, stitching ends of stem appliqués into seam. Press seams toward quilt center.

8. Sew light gold tone-on-tone 9-1/2" squares to ends of remaining appliquéd inner border units to make long inner border units. Press seams toward squares. Join long inner border units to remaining edges of quilt center; press seams as before. The quilt center now should be 45-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 18 large hourglass units in two rows. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a short outer border unit. Press seam open. The unit should be 10-1/2x45-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short outer border unit.

2. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 26 large hourglass units in two rows. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a long outer border unit. Press seam open. The unit should be 10-1/2x65-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long outer border unit.

3. Sew short outer border units to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long outer border units to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward quilt center.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with black floral binding strips.