Strip of Stars

Inspired by "Midnight Garden" from designer Jo Morton

Quiltmaker: Laura Boehnke

• 1/8 yard each navy print, burgundy print, and tan tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 3/8 yard burgundy tone-on-tone (inner border, binding)
• 2/3 yard navy floral (setting and corner triangles, outer border)
• 2/3 yard backing fabric
• 44x22" batting

Finished quilt: 39x16-1/2"

Finished block: 4" 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.

From navy print, cut:

• 3--2-1/2" squares
• 12--1-7/8" squares

From burgundy print, cut:

• 2--2-1/2" squares
• 8--1-7/8" squares

From tan tone-on-tone cut:

• 5--3-1/4" squares
• 20--1-1/2" squares

From burgundy tone-on-tone, cut:

• 3--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 2--1-1/2x29" inner border strips
• 2--1-1/2x8-1/2" inner border strips

From navy floral cut:

• 2--4-1/2x31" outer border strips
• 2--4-1/2x16-1/2" outer border strips
• 2--7-1/2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an x for 8 setting triangles total
• 2--4-1/4" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles total

1. Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each navy print 1-7/8" square.

2. Align marked navy print squares with opposite corners of a tan tone-on-tone 3-1/4" square. Referring to Diagram 1, sew 1/4" from drawn lines on both sides of lines. Cut apart on drawn lines to make two triangle units (Diagram 2); press seams toward small triangles.

3. Align a marked navy print square with remaining corner of a triangle unit. Sew 1/4" from drawn line on both sides of line (Diagram 3).

4. Cut apart on drawn line (Diagram 4); press seams toward small triangles to make two Flying Geese units. Each unit should be 1-1/2x2-1/2" including seam allowances.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining triangle unit to make four Flying Geese units total.

6. Sew together four tan tone-on-tone 1-1/2" squares, four Flying Geese units, and a navy print 2-1/2" square in rows (Diagram 5). Press seams toward squares in each row. Join rows to make a navy Evening Star block. The block should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances.

7. To reduce bulk, clip through both layers of seam allowances up to seam lines 1/4" on each side of seam intersections (clips will be 1/2" apart). Press center sections of seam allowances toward navy print square and outside sections of seam allowances toward tan tone-on-tone squares. Press intersections open to create tiny Four-Patches (Diagram 6).

8. Repeat steps 1–7 to make three navy Evening Star blocks total. Using burgundy print instead of navy print, repeat steps 1–7 to make two burgundy Evening Star blocks.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out the Evening Star blocks, navy floral setting triangles, and navy floral corner triangles in diagonal rows.

2. Add setting triangles to opposite edges of block in each diagonal row (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Triangle points will extend past adjacent edges of block. Press seams toward setting triangles.

3. Join diagonal rows. To reduce bulk, clip seam intersections as in Assemble Blocks, Step 7, and press seams toward setting triangles. (Setting and corner triangles are cut slightly larger than necessary to allow for trimming.)

4. Add corner triangles, centering blocks on triangles' long edges, to make quilt center. Press seams toward corner triangles. Trim quilt center to 29x6-1/2" including seam allowances; the Evening Star blocks should "float" slightly within the setting and corner triangles.

1. Sew long burgundy tone-on-tone inner border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add short burgundy tone-on-tone inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

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

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

2. Bind with burgundy tone-on-tone binding strips.