Warm Welcome

Inspired by: Splash of Color from designer Charisma Horton

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

Finished quilt: 64-1/2" square

Finished blocks: 12" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 2-1/4 yards white print (A and B blocks)
• 3/4 yard gray print (A blocks)
• 1-1/3 yard total assorted prints in red, orange, yellow, green, purple, and brown (A blocks)
• 1 yard each black print and red plaid (B blocks, borders, binding)
• 4-1/8 yards backing fabric
• 73"-square batting

Cut pieces in the following order.

If you prefer to make triangle-squares larger than necessary and trim them to size, cut 5" squares instead of the 4-7/8" squares specified here.

From white print, cut:

• 6—2-1/4×42" strips
• 52—4-7/8" squares
• 48—4×5-1/2" rectangles

From gray print, cut:

• 26—4-7/8" squares

From assorted prints, cut:

• 26—4-7/8" squares (13 matching sets of two squares)
• 13—3-3/8" squares
• 26—2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 52 triangles total (13 sets of four matching triangles)

From black print, cut:

• 7—2-1/2×42" binding strips
• 6—2-1/4×42" strips

From red plaid, cut:

•  7—2-1/2×42" strips for border
• 12—5-1/2" squares

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.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each white print 4-7/8" square.

2. Layer a marked white print square atop a gray print 4-7/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two gray triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 52 gray triangle-squares total.

3. Using remaining marked white print squares and assorted print 4-7/8" squares, repeat Step 2 to make 52 triangle-squares (13 matching sets of four triangle-squares).

4. Gather one set of four matching print triangles and one nonmatching print 3-3/8" square. Referring to Diagram 2, sew triangles to opposite edges of square. Add remaining triangles to remaining edges of square to make a Square-in-a-Square unit. The unit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 13 Square-in-a-Square units total.

5. Referring to Diagram 3, for triangle-square orientation, lay out in three rows four gray triangle-squares, four matching assorted print triangle-squares, and one Square-in-a-Square unit in a contrasting color. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a Block A. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 13 A blocks total.

1. Sew together a black print 2-1/4×42" strip and a white print 2-1/4×42" strip to make a strip set (Diagram 4). Repeat to make six strip sets total. Cut strip sets into ninty-six 2-1/4"-wide segments.

2. Sew together two 2-1/4"-wide segments to make a Four-Patch unit (Diagram 5). The unit should be 4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 48 Four-Patch units total.

3. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out four Four-Patch units, four white print 4×5-1/2" rectangles, and one red plaid 5-1/2" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make Block B. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 B blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, alternate blocks in five rows. Sew together blocks in rows. Press seams toward B blocks. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 60-1/2" square including seam allowances.

2. Piece and cut red plaid 2-1/2×42" strips to make:

• 2—2-1/2×64-1/2" border strips
• 2—2-1/2×60-1/2" border strips

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

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

2. Quilt as desired. Handi Quilter Studio Educator Kristina Whitney used the DL Friendship Star 1 design from Wasatch Quilting to machine-stitch the A block centers (Quilting Diagram). For the rest of the quilt top she chose curvy designs—continuous curves in the dark gray and red squares and stippling in the light gray squares—to balance out the straight-line piecing. Kristina used two layers of batting, a Hobbs 80/20 topped by 100% wool, and Sew Fine Silver 408 thread by Superior Threads for the quilting.

3. Bind with black print 2-1/2×42" strips.