Funky Frame Wall Hanging

Inspired by Sea Stars from designer Marcia Harmening of Happy Stash Quilts

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 12--9×21" (fat eighths) assorted prints in brown, gray, orange, blue, red, and green (quilt center)
• 5⁄8 yard red print (inner and outer borders)
• 3⁄4 yard dark blue print
• 1-1⁄8 yard tan print
• 1⁄2 yard binding fabric
• 3 yards backing fabric
• 53×62" batting
• Acrylic ruler marked with 45° angle

Finished quilt: 45 ×54"

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.

From assorted prints, cut:

• 60--2-1⁄2 ×10-1⁄2" rectangles

From red border print, cut:

• 8--1-1⁄2 ×42" strips
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×36-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×25-1⁄2" inner border strips

From dark blue print, cut:

• 16--1-1⁄2 ×42" strips

From tan print, cut:

• 36--5-3⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 72 triangles total
• 4--5" squares

From binding fabric, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips

1.    Referring to Diagram 1, lay two assorted print 2-1⁄2 ×10-1⁄2" rectangles perpendicular to each other with one end atop the other. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on top strip. Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowance; press rectangles open. Add remaining assorted print 2-1⁄2 ×10-1⁄2" rectangles in same manner to make one continuous strip approximately 470" long.

2.    Cut the 470"-long strip into seventeen 27"-long segments (Diagram 2).

3.    Referring to Diagram 3, lay out the 27"-long segments, positioning them so seams are randomly offset. When you are pleased with the arrangement, join segments to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. Trim quilt center to 25-1⁄2×34-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew red print 1-1⁄2 ×25-1⁄2" inner border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add red print 1-1⁄2 ×36-1⁄2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border. The quilt center now should be 27-1⁄2 ×36-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Sew together two dark blue print 1-1⁄2 ×42" strips and a red print 1-1⁄2 ×42" strip to make a strip set (Diagram 4). Repeat to make eight strip sets total.

2.    Lay a strip set on cutting mat. Referring to Diagram 5, use an acrylic ruler to trim upper left-hand corner at a 45° angle. Measuring from trimmed edge, cut a 5"-wide Segment A. Using the rest of this strip set and additional strip sets, continue in same manner to cut 22 A segments total.

3.    Referring to Diagram 6, repeat Step 2 to trim lower left-hand corner of a remaining strip set at a 45° angle. Cut a 5"-wide Segment B. Using the rest of this strip set and remaining strip sets, continue in same manner to cut 14 B segments total.

4.    Referring to Diagram 7, sew together two tan print triangles and one A segment to make Unit A. The unit should be 5×9-1⁄4" including seam allowances. Repeat to make 22 A units total.

5.    Using B segments instead of A segments, repeat Step 4 to make 14 B units (Diagram 8).

6.    Referring to Diagram 9, lay out a tan print 5" square and two A units. Sew together pieces in left-hand row. Aligning top edges, add remaining A unit. Press seam open. Trim bottom edge even with right-hand A unit (Diagram 10). Trim 1⁄4" off left-hand edge to make a corner unit (Diagram 11). The unit should be 9-1⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

7.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together four A units and four B units to make a side outer border strip. Press seams open. The strip should be 9-1⁄4 ×36-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second side outer border strip.

8.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together two corner units, three B units, and three A units to make top outer border strip; note rotation of corner units. Press seams open. The strip should be 9-1⁄4 ×45" including seam allowances. Repeat to make bottom outer border strip.

9.    Sew side outer border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add top and bottom outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward inner border.

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

2.    Bind with binding strips.