Vive la Country French

*    7⁄8 yard solid yellow (border)

*    4--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted blue and yellow prints (border)

*    1-7⁄8 yards light blue floral (center rectangle)

*    1 yard blue floral (border)

*    3-1⁄8 yards backing fabric

Finished tablecloth: 54×78"

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

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From solid yellow, cut:

*    28--5-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 112 triangles total

From assorted blue and yellow prints, cut:

*    52--3-3⁄8" squares

From light blue floral, cut:

*    1--40-1⁄2×64-1⁄2" rectangle

From blue floral, cut:

*    11--2×42" strips

*    4--7-1⁄2" squares

1.    Join two solid yellow triangles to opposite edges of a blue or yellow print 3-3⁄8" square to make a border subunit (Diagram 1). Press seams toward yellow triangles. Repeat using yellow triangles and remaining assorted blue and yellow print 3-3⁄8" squares to make 52 border subunits total.

2.    Sew together 16 border subunits in a row. Press seams in one direction. Add a solid yellow triangle to each end of the row. Square off short edges, leaving a 1⁄4" seam allowance beyond end squares, to make a pieced long border strip (Diagram 2). The long border strip should be 4-1⁄2×64-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second pieced long border strip.

3.    Sew together 10 border subunits in a row. Press seams in one direction. Add a solid yellow triangle to each end of the row. Square off short edges, leaving a 1⁄4" seam allowance beyond end squares, to make a pieced short border strip. Short border strip should be 4-1⁄2×40-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second pieced short border strip.

4.    Cut and piece blue floral 2×42" strips to make:

*    4--2×64-1⁄2" border strips

*    4--2×40-1⁄2" border strips

5.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew long blue floral border strips to long edges of pieced long border strip to make long border unit. Press seams toward blue floral strips. Long border unit should be 7-1⁄2×64-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long border unit.

6.    Sew long border units to long edges of light blue floral 40-1⁄2×64-1⁄2" rectangle. Press seams toward border units.

7.    Sew short blue floral border strips to long edges of pieced short border strip to make short border unit. Press seams toward blue floral strips. Short border unit should be 7-1⁄2×40-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short border unit.

8.    Sew a blue floral 7-1⁄2" square to each end of short border units. Press seams away from squares. Join short border units to remaining edges of light blue floral rectangle to make tablecloth top. Press all seams toward border.

1.    Cut and piece backing fabric to make one 54-1⁄2×78-1⁄2" rectangle.

2.    Layer tablecloth top and backing, right sides together. Sew together, leaving a 6" opening on one side. Turn right side out through opening; stitch opening closed. Stitch in the ditch on the long edges of each border unit to complete tablecloth.