Seaside Cottage

Designer: Judi Madsen of Green Fairy Quilts

• 1-1⁄2 yards white floral (inner and outer borders)
• 10--10" precut squares or 1-1⁄3 yards total assorted red, white, and blue prints (blocks)
• 60--2-1⁄2×44" precut strips or 4-3⁄4 yards total assorted red, white, and blue prints (blocks, binding)
• 3⁄4 yard red floral (middle border)
• 5-1⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 77×93" batting

Finished quilt: 70-1⁄2×86-1⁄2"

Quantities are for 2-1⁄2×44" precut strips, 10" precut squares, and 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the order that follows in each section. Because of the scrappy nature of the blocks, the cutting instructions for each block are with the unit and block assembly instructions. Keep all scraps for use in blocks.

From white floral, cut:

• 8--4-1⁄2×42" strips for outer border
• 7--1-1⁄2×42" strips for inner border

From red floral, cut:

• 7--2-1⁄2×42" strips for middle border

The following instructions make one center unit. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make 10 center units total.

From one assorted print 10" square, cut:

• 1--8-1⁄2" square

From one assorted print 21⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" strips
• 2--2-1⁄2×8-1⁄2" strips

Referring to Diagram 1, sew short strips to opposite edges of 8-1⁄2" square. Press seams toward strips. Join long strips to remaining edges to make a center unit. Press as before. The center unit should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

The following instructions make one A block. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make four A blocks total.

From one assorted print 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 14--2-1⁄2" squares

From a second 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 14--2-1⁄2" squares

From a third 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles

From a fourth 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles

1.    Sew together six 2-1⁄2" squares, alternating colors, to make a short row. Press seams in one direction. The short row should be 2-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short row.

2.    Repeat Step 1 using eight 2-1⁄2" squares to make two long rows. Each long row should be 2-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

3.    Join short rows to opposite edges of a center unit (Diagram 2). Join long rows to remaining edges. Press all seams toward center unit.

4.    Aligning short edges, sew together three 2-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles to make a 2-1⁄2×18-1⁄2" border unit, alternating colors as desired. Press seams in one direction. Repeat to make four border units total.

5.    Add border units to center unit using a partial seam technique. First sew a border unit to one side of center unit, stopping about 3" from raw edge of center unit (Diagram 3).

6.    Working in a clockwise direction, add remaining border units to remaining edges (Diagram 4). Press all seams toward border units. Complete stitching of first, or partial, seam to make block A. Block A should be 20-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

The following instructions make one B block. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make two B blocks total.

From one assorted print 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2" squares

From a second 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 6--1-1⁄2× 2-1⁄2" rectangles

From a third 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 6--1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles

From a fourth 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" strips

From a fifth 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" strips

From a sixth 2-1⁄2×44" strip, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" strips

1.    Referring to Diagram 5 for placement, lay out three 2-1⁄2" squares and six 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles in two colors in a row. Join pieces to make a short unit. Press seams in one direction. The short unit should be 2-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short unit.

2.    Add short units to side edges of a center unit (Diagram 6). Press seams toward center unit.

3.    Referring to Diagram 7 for placement, lay out one 2-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" strip and two 1-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" strips in two colors. Sew together pieces to make a long unit. Press seams in one direction. The long unit should be 4-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long unit.

4.    Sew long units to top and bottom edges of Step 2 center unit to make block B (Diagram 8). Press seams away from center unit. Block B should be 16-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

The following instructions make one C unit. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make six C units total.

From one color scrap, cut:

• 1--2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangle

From a second color scrap, cut:

• 4--1-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles

Referring to Diagram 9, sew two 1-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles to long edges of 2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangle. Join remaining 1-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles to top and bottom edges to make unit C. Press all seams away from center. Unit C should be 4-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

The following instructions make one C block. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make two C blocks total.

From one color scrap, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles

Sew together three C units and two 2-1⁄2×6-1⁄2" rectangles to make block C (Diagram 10). Press seams in one direction. Block C should be 6-1⁄2×16-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

The following instructions make one D block. Repeat cutting and assembly instructions to make four D blocks total.

From assorted scraps, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" strips

Referring to Diagram 11 for placement, sew together four assorted strips to make block D. Press seams in one direction. Block D should be 6-1⁄2×20-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

From assorted scraps, piece and cut:

• 4--2-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" rectangles

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out four A blocks, two B blocks, two C blocks, four D blocks, four remaining center units, and four assorted 2-1⁄2×12-1⁄2" rectangles in five horizontal rows.

2.    Sew together blocks and units in each row. Press seams toward A blocks and C blocks.

3.    Join rows to make quilt center. The quilt center should be 56-1⁄2×64-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

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

• 2--1-1⁄2×64-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×58-1⁄2" inner border strips

2.    Add long inner border strips to side edges of quilt center. Join short inner border strips to remaining edges. Press seams toward inner border.

From assorted scraps, cut:

• 58--2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles

1.    Aligning long edges, join 29 assorted 2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles to make a pieced border. Repeat to make a second pieced border. Each pieced border should be 4-1⁄2×58-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

2.    Sew pieced borders to top and bottom edges of quilt center. Press seams toward inner border.

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

• 2--2-1⁄2×74-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 2--2-1⁄2×62-1⁄2" middle border strips

2.    Add long middle border strips to side edges of quilt center. Join short middle border strips to top and bottom edges. Press seams toward middle border.

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

• 2--4-1⁄2×78-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--4-1⁄2×70-1⁄2" outer border strips

2.    Add long outer border strips to side edges of quilt center. Join short outer border strips to top and bottom edges to complete quilt top. Press seams toward outer border.

From remaining blue print scraps, cut:

• Enough 2-1⁄2"-wide strips to total 320" in length for binding

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

2.    Quilt as desired. Quilt designer Judi Madsen machine-quilted this project in an allover scroll design.

3.    Using diagonal seams, join assorted 2-1⁄2"-wide scraps to make one long binding strip. Bind with pieced binding strip.