Starry Square-in-a-Square Quilt

Inspired by Wrapped in Red by designer Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 3/8 yard red print (blocks, side units, corner units)
• 4--1/4-yard pieces assorted olive green prints (blocks, side units, corner units)
• 1-5/8 yards navy blue print No. 1 (blocks, side units, corner units, outer border, binding)
• 2--1/4-yard pieces assorted navy blue prints (blocks, side units, corner units)
• 5/8 yard cream floral (blocks, side units, corner units)
• 5--3/8-yard pieces assorted light prints (block backgrounds, side units, corner units)
• 1/4 yard light olive green print (blocks, side units, corner units)
• 1/3 yard red stripe (inner border)
• 3-5/8 yards backing fabric
• 64" square batting

Finished quilt: 55-3/4" square

Finished block: 16" square

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabric. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Quilt tester Laura Boehnke kept the color palette controlled in this color option, but used multiple fabrics within each color (four olive greens, three navy blues, and five light print backgrounds) to add interest to the quilt. To get this look, you must use a design wall to carefully plan fabric placement within each color. Cutting instructions result in the matching sets of pieces from each fabric required to achieve the featured quilt's look. If you want the planned look of the original, lay out all pieces on a design wall before making any units. (Otherwise, use assorted print pieces for all placements, resulting in a scrappy look.) Pick up pieces for one unit at a time, then return the finished unit to the design wall after it's completed.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From red print, cut:

• 64--2-1/2" squares

From each olive green print, cut:

• 32--2-1/2" squares

From navy blue print No. 1, cut:

• 6--4-1/2x42" strips for outer border
• 6--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 32--2-1/2" squares
• 2--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 small triangles total

From each navy blue print Nos. 2 and 3, cut:

• 3--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 6 small triangles total
• 28--2-1/2" squares

From cream floral, cut:

• 32--4-1/2" squares

From assorted light prints, cut 4 matching sets of:

• 4--4-1/2" squares
• 8--2-1/2x6-1/2" rectangles

From assorted light prints, cut 8 matching sets of:

• 1--4-7/8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for 2 large triangles total
• 1--4-1/2" square
• 4--2-1/2x6-1/2" rectangles

From light olive green print, cut:

• 2--4-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 large triangles total
• 5--4-1/2" squares
• 2--3-3/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total

From red stripe, cut:

• 5--1-1/2x42" strips for inner border

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of all red print 2-1/2" squares, all assorted olive green print 2-1/2" squares, and 64 assorted navy blue print 2-1/2" squares.

2. Align a marked red print square and a marked assorted olive green print square with opposite corners of a cream floral 4-1/2" square (Diagram 1; note direction of drawn lines). Sew on drawn lines; trim excess, leaving 1/4" seam allowances. Press open attached triangles.

3. Align a marked red print square and a marked assorted olive green print square with remaining corners of cream print square (note direction of drawn lines); sew, trim, and press as before to make a Square-in-a-Square unit. The unit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 32 Square-in-a-Square units total.

5. Align a marked assorted olive green print square and a marked navy blue print square with opposite ends of a light print 2-1/2x6-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 2; note direction of drawn lines). Sew on drawn lines to make a rectangle unit; trim excess, leaving 1/4" seam allowances. Press open attached triangles. Repeat to make 32 rectangle units total. Repeat to make 32 rectangle units with reversed color placement.

6. Sew together a rectangle unit and a reversed rectangle unit to make a rectangle pair (Diagram 3). Press seam open. Repeat to make 32 rectangle pairs total.

1. Referring to Diagram 4, sew together four Square-in-a-Square units, four light print 4-1/2" squares, and one light olive green print 4-1/2" square in three rows. Press seams toward light print and light olive green print 4-1/2" squares. Join rows to make block center. Press seams toward top and bottom rows. The block center should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances.

2. Referring to Diagram 5, sew rectangle pairs to top and bottom edges of block center. Press seams toward block center. Sew a navy blue print 2-1/2" square to each end of two rectangle pairs to make two pieced units. Press seams toward navy blue print squares. Add pieced units to opposite edges of block center to make a block (Diagram 5). The block should be 16-1/2" square including seam allowances.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make five blocks total.

1. Referring to Diagram 6, sew together two Square-in-a-Square units, one light print 4-1/2" square, two light print large triangles, and one light olive green print large triangle in three horizontal rows. Press seams away from Square-in-a-Square units. Join rows; press seams in one direction.

2. Add a small navy blue print triangle to one end of a rectangle pair. Press seam toward navy blue print small triangle. Join to side edge of Step 1 unit (Diagram 7). Press seam toward rectangle pair.

3. Join a navy blue print 2-1/2" square to one end of a rectangle pair and a navy blue print small triangle to other end. Press seams toward rectangle pair. Sew unit to bottom edge of Step 2 unit to make a side unit. Press seam toward rectangle pair.

4. Repeat steps 1-3 to make four side units total.

1. Referring to Diagram 8, sew together one rectangle pair, one Square-in-a-Square unit, two navy blue print small triangles, two light print large triangles, and one light olive green print corner triangle in three rows. Press seams toward triangles.

2. Join rows to make a corner unit. Press seams in one direction.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make four corner units total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together blocks and side units in three diagonal rows. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

2. Join rows; press seams in one direction. Add corner units to complete quilt center. Press seams toward corner units. The quilt center should be 45-3/4" square including seam allowances.

1. Cut and piece red stripe 1-1/2x42" strips to make:

• 2--1-1/2x47-3/4" inner border strips
• 2--1-1/2x45-3/4" inner border strips

2. Sew short inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

3. Cut and piece navy blue print 4-1/2x42" strips to make:

• 2--4-1/2x55-3/4" outer border strips
• 2--4-1/2x47-3/4" outer border strips

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

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

2. Bind with navy blue print No. 1 binding strips.