Colorful Curves

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Inspired by Layered Look from designer Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1⁄2 yard mottled teal (blocks)

• 3⁄8 yard total each assorted orange prints and assorted green prints (blocks)

• 1⁄3 yard each mottled purple, purple print, light orange print, and mottled brown (blocks, inner border)

• 1⁄4 yard dark orange print (blocks)

• 5⁄8 yard black stripe (outer border)

• 3⁄8 yard binding fabric

• 2-1⁄2 yards backing fabric

• 44" square batting

• Water-soluble glue stick

Finished quilt: 36" square

Finished blocks: 9" square

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. Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces. Be sure to transfer dots and center marks to templates. When cutting out fabric pieces using templates, make a small clip in each curved seam allowance at the center mark.

From mottled teal, cut:

• 20 of Pattern B

From assorted orange prints, cut:

• 10 of Pattern A (5 matching sets of 2 each)

From assorted green prints, cut:

• 10 of Pattern A (5 matching sets of 2 each)

From mottled purple, cut:

• 2-1-1⁄2×29-1⁄2" inner border strips

• 2-1-1⁄2×27-1⁄2" inner border strips

• 5-1-1⁄4" squares

From purple print, cut:

• 16 of Pattern C

From light orange print, cut:

• 16 of Pattern D

From mottled brown, cut:

• 16-3-1⁄2" squares

From dark orange print, cut:

• 4-3-1⁄2" squares

From black stripe, cut:

• 2-3-3⁄4×36"outer border strips

• 2-3-3⁄4×29-1⁄2" outer border strips

From binding fabric, cut:

• 4-2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

The traditional technique for piecing curved seams is to heavily pin the curved edges. Designer Amy Ellis has updated this technique, using a fabric glue stick instead of pins. Instructions that follow incorporate the gluing technique.

1. With right sides together, match center clips of a mottled teal B piece and an assorted orange print A piece (Diagram 1); secure with a bit of glue. Working from center toward ends, ease pieces to fit and glue within seam allowances only. Sew together.

2. Add a second mottled teal B piece to remaining curved edge of assorted orange print A piece to make a half block unit (Diagram 2).

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a matching half block unit.

4. Repeat steps 1–3 to make five total sets of two matching half block units.

5. Sew two matching assorted green print A pieces to opposite edges of a mottled purple 1-1⁄4" square to make block center unit (Diagram 3). Repeat to make five block center units total.

6. Referring to Diagram 4, align seams of a half block unit with seams of a block center unit; glue-baste, then sew together. Repeat with the matching half block unit and the opposite curved edge of the block center unit to make a Flowering Snowball block. The block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make five Flowering Snowball blocks total.

1. Match center clips of a purple print C piece and a light orange print D piece; glue-baste. Sew together to make a corner unit (Diagram 5). Repeat to make 16 corner units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 6, sew together four corner units, four mottled brown 3-1⁄2" squares, and one dark orange 3-1⁄2" square in three rows. Join rows to make a button block. The block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four button blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in three horizontal rows. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams toward Flowering Snowball blocks.

2. Join rows to complete quilt center. Press seams in one direction.

3. Sew mottled purple 1-1⁄2×27-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add mottled purple 1-1⁄2×29-1⁄2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

4. Sew black stripe 3-3⁄4×29-1⁄2" outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add black stripe 3-3⁄4×36" outer border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2. Bind with binding strips.