Light Tricks

Inspired by Mix Master from designer Victoria Findlay Wolfe of Bumble Beans, Inc.

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1/4 yard solid black (blocks)
• 1/4 yard red print No. 1 (blocks)
• 2--1/4-yard pieces assorted gold prints (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard red print No. 2 (blocks)
• 7⁄8 yard gold floral (blocks)
• 7⁄8 yard red poppy print (blocks)
• 1 yard black-and-gray ombré print (sashing)
• 1⁄3 yard dark gold print (inner border)
• 1-3⁄8 yards dark red print (outer border, binding)
• 3-1⁄2 yards backing fabric
• 61" square batting

Finished quilt: 53" 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. Click on "Download this Project" above for patterns.

From solid black, cut:

• 20--2-1⁄2" squares

From red print No. 1, cut:

• 16--2-1⁄2" squares

From each gold print, cut:

• 8 of Pattern A

From red print No. 2, cut:

• 32 of Pattern B

From gold floral, cut:

• 8 of Pattern C

From red poppy print, cut:

• 8 of Pattern C

From black-and-gray ombré, refer to Cutting Diagram and fussy-cut:

• 8 of Pattern D (4 with wide end in light part of ombré print and 4 mostly in dark part)
• 8 each of patterns E and E reversed (4 with wide end in light part of ombré print and 4 mostly in dark part)

From dark gold print, cut:

• 5--1-1⁄2x42" strips for inner border

From dark red print, cut:

• 5--5-1⁄2x42" strips for outer border
• 6--2-1⁄2x42" binding strips

1. Referring to Diagram 1, lay out five solid black 2-1⁄2" squares and four red print 2-1⁄2" squares in three rows.

2. Sew together squares in each row. Press seams toward solid black. Join rows to make a Nine-Patch unit. Press seams in one direction. The unit should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make four Nine-Patch units total.

1. Gather four matching gold print A diamonds and eight red print No. 2 B triangles.

2. Sew a B triangle to one edge of an A diamond (Diagram 2). Add a second B triangle to adjacent edge of diamond to make a triangle unit. Press seams toward triangles. Repeat to make four matching triangle units total.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make four sets total of four matching triangle units.

4. On wrong side of each triangle unit, mark a dot in each corner where 1⁄4" seam allowances intersect (Diagram 3). The dots indicate where seams should stop and start when units are joined to other pieces.

1. Gather one Nine-Patch unit, four matching triangle units, and four matching gold floral or red poppy print C diamonds.

2. Stitching between marked dots, sew a triangle unit to one edge of Nine-Patch unit; do not sew into 1⁄4" seam allowances at beginning and end of seam (Diagram 4). Add triangle units to remaining edges in same manner to make block center (Diagram 5). Press all seams toward triangle units.

3. Referring to Diagram 6, set a gold floral or poppy print C diamond into one angled edge of block center with two seams. Begin stitching at the center dot and sew a seam in the direction of each marked arrow; do not sew into 1⁄4" seam allowances. Press seams toward C diamond. Repeat to set C diamonds into remaining angled edges of block center to make a block (Diagram 7).

4. Repeat steps 1–3 to make four blocks total (two each from gold floral and red poppy print).

1. Gather the four black-and-gray ombré print D pieces with light tips. Referring to Diagram 8, sew together pieces in pairs; begin stitching at marked dots and sew in direction of arrows to raw edges. Press seams open.

2. Referring to Diagram 9, join pairs, sewing from dot to dot, to make a center sashing unit. Press seam open.

3. Gather black-and-gray ombré print E and E reversed pieces with light tips. Referring to Diagram 10, sew together an E piece and E reversed piece to make a corner sashing unit; begin stitching at marked dots and sew in direction of arrow to raw edges. Press seam open. Repeat to make four corner sashing units total.

4. Referring to Diagram 11, join a black-and-gray ombré print E piece, D piece, and E reversed piece to make a side sashing unit; begin stitching at marked dots and sew in direction of arrows to raw edges. Press seams open. Repeat to make four side sashing units total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks, center sashing unit, and side sashing units in three diagonal rows.

2. Join pieces in each row with set-in seams, stitching between marked dots. Press seams open. Join rows in same manner; press seams open.

3. Add corner sashing units with set-in seams to make quilt center. Press seams open. The quilt center should be 41" square including seam allowances.

1. Cut and piece dark gold print 1-1⁄2x42" inner border strips to make:

• 2--1-1⁄2x41" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2x43" inner border strips

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

3. Cut and piece dark red print 5-1⁄2x42" outer border strips to make:

• 2--5-1⁄2x43" outer border strips
• 2--5-1⁄2x53" outer border strips

4. Sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long 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 dark red print binding strips.