Here Comes The Sun

Inspired by Scraps All Around from quilt collectors Mary Elizabeth Kinch and Biz Storms

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 2 yards total assorted prints in white, gray, yellow, and black (blocks)
• 1-1⁄4 yards yellow batik (center unit, blocks, inner border, binding)
• 2⁄3 yard black-and-gold stripe (middle border)
• 7⁄8 yard gray-and-yellow print (outer border)
• 3-1⁄2 yards backing fabric
• 62" square batting

Finished quilt: 54" square

Finished blocks: Pinwheel, 4-1⁄4" square; Broken Dishes, 8-1⁄2" 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.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted white, gray, yellow, and black prints, cut:

• 240—3" squares

From yellow batik, cut:

• 2—3-1⁄2x40-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2—3-1⁄2x34-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 6—2-1⁄2x42" binding strips
• 1—9" square

From black-and-gold stripe, cut:

• 5—3-3⁄4x42" strips for middle border

From gray-and-yellow print, cut:

• 6—4x42" strips for outer border

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of 120 assorted white, gray, yellow, and black print 3" squares.

2. Layer a marked 3" square atop an unmarked assorted white, gray, yellow, or black print 3" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1). Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam toward darker print, to make two triangle-squares. Each should be 2-5⁄8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 240 triangle-squares total.

3. Sew together four triangle-squares in pairs (Diagram 2; note directions of triangle-square seams). Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Pinwheel block. Press seam in one direction. The block should be 4-3⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 Pinwheel blocks total.

4. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out 16 triangle-squares in four rows; again note seam directions. Sew together triangle-squares in each row. Press seams in directions indicated by arrows in diagram. Join rows to make a Broken Dishes block. Press seams toward bottom row. The block should be 9" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 Broken Dishes blocks total.

1. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out Pinwheel blocks and yellow batik 9" square in three horizontal rows. In the middle row, sew together Pinwheel blocks in pairs; press seams in one direction. Join pieces in each horizontal row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make center unit. Press seams as indicated with arrows, re-pressing Pinwheel block seams as necessary. The center unit should be 17-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Broken Dishes blocks and center unit in three horizontal rows, rotating every other block 180° so seams interlock. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in odd-numbered rows to the right and seams in even-numbered rows to the left. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 34-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew yellow batik 3-1⁄2x34-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add yellow batik 3-1⁄2x40-1⁄2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

2. Cut and piece black-and-gold stripe 3-3⁄4x42" strips to make:

• 2—3-3⁄4x47" middle border strips
• 2—3-3⁄4x40-1⁄2" middle border strips

3. Sew short middle border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward middle border.

4. Cut and piece gray-and-yellow print 4x42" strips to make:

• 2-4x54" outer border strips
• 2-4x47" outer border strips

5. Sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long 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 yellow batik binding strips.