A Square Affair

INSPIRED BY: Christmas Star from designers Jo Kramer and Kelli Hanken

QUILT TESTER: Diane Tomlinson

FABRICS are from the Vintage Farmhouse collection by McKenna Ryan for Hoffman California Fabrics.

FINISHED QUILT: 52-1⁄2" square

FINISHED BLOCK: 20" square

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

• 1-5⁄8 yards total assorted light batiks (blocks)
• 1 yard dark teal batik (blocks, inner border, outer border)
• 1⁄3 yard each dark green batik and light green batik (blocks)
• 1⁄4 yard each orange batik, purple batik, and light purple batik (blocks)
• 3⁄8 yard each teal batik and cream batik (blocks, middle border)
• 1⁄4 yard blue batik (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard binding fabric
• 3-1⁄3 yards backing fabric 
• 60"-square batting

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted light batiks, cut:

• 30—2-1⁄2×12" strips
• 20—2-1⁄2×9" strips
• 4—2-1⁄2" squares

From dark teal batik, cut:

• 9—2-1⁄2×42" strips
• 40—2-1⁄2" squares

From dark green batik, cut:

• 36—2-1⁄2" squares

From light green batik, cut:

• 40—2-1⁄2" squares

From orange batik, cut:

• 28—2-1⁄2" squares

From purple batik, cut:

• 28—2-1⁄2" squares

From light purple batik, cut:

• 20—2-1⁄2" squares

From teal batik, cut:

• 48—2-1⁄2" squares

From blue batik, cut:

• 12—2-1⁄2" squares

From cream batik, cut:

• 28—2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4—2-1⁄2" squares

From binding fabric, cut:

• 6—2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

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 open.

1. Sew together two assorted light batik 2-1⁄2×9" strips to make Strip Set A (Diagram 1). Repeat to make 10 A strip sets total. Cut strip sets into twenty-eight 2-1⁄2"-wide A segments total.

2. Sew together three assorted light batik 2-1⁄2×12" strips to make Strip Set B (Diagram 2). Repeat to make 10 B strip sets total. Cut strip sets into forty 2-1⁄2"-wide B segments total.

3. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out 10 B segments, seven A segments, and one assorted light batik 2-1⁄2" square in nine rows and the following 2-1⁄2" squares in 10 rows:

• 10 dark teal batik
• 9 dark green batik
• 8 light green batik
• 7 orange batik
• 6 purple batik
• 5 light purple batik
• 4 teal batik
• 3 blue batik
• 2 light green batik
• 1 purple batik

4. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block (Diagram 4). The block should be 20-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make four blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram for block orientation, lay out blocks in pairs. 

2. Sew together pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 40-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3. Piece and cut dark teal batik 2-1⁄2×42" strips to make:

• 2—2-1⁄2×52-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2—2-1⁄2×48-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2—2-1⁄2×44-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2—2-1⁄2×40-1⁄2" inner border strips

4. Sew short inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long inner border strips to remaining edges. Press seams toward inner border. The quilt center now should be 44-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

5. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together eight teal batik 2-1⁄2" squares and seven cream batik 2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles to make a short middle border strip. Press seams toward cream batik pieces. The strip should be 2-1⁄2×44-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short middle border strip.

6. Referring to Diagram 6, sew together two cream batik 2-1⁄2" squares, eight teal batik 2-1⁄2" squares, and seven cream batik 2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles to make a long middle border strip. Press seams toward cream batik pieces. The strip should be 2-1⁄2×48-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long middle border strip.

7. Sew short middle border strips to opposite edges of quilt center (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Add long middle border strips to remaining edges. Press seams toward inner border. The quilt center now should be 48-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

8. 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. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with binding strips.