Marbled Elegance

Inspired by Tone It Down from designer Lissa Alexander

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1⁄2 yard light blue print (blocks, sashing, inner border)
• 7⁄8 yards blue floral (outer border)
• 1-1⁄3 yards cream marble print (blocks, sashing)
• 1⁄3 yard dark blue print (blocks)
• 1⁄4 yard medium blue print (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard cream tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yards binding print
• 3-1⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 58" square batting

Finished quilt: 49-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 15" 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.

Refer to Cut and Assemble Blocks and Assemble Quilt Center to cut remaining fabrics.

From light blue print, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×41-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×39-1⁄2" inner border strips

From blue floral, cut:

• 5--4-1⁄2×42" strips for outer border

From binding print, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2×42" strips

The following instructions use strip piecing to make one block. Repeat cutting and assembly steps to make four blocks total.

From light blue print, cut:

• 3--1-1⁄2×10" strips
• 5--1-1⁄2" squares

From cream marble print, cut:

• 8--2-1⁄2×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 8--1-1⁄2×10" strips

From dark blue print, cut:

• 5--1-1⁄2×10" strips

From medium blue print, cut:

• 4--2-1⁄2" squares

From cream tone-on-tone, cut:

• 4--3-1⁄2×5-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles

1. Sew together a light blue print 1-1⁄2×10" strip and a cream marble print 1-1⁄2×10" strip to make Strip Set A (Diagram 1). Press seam away from cream marble print strip. Repeat to make three A strip sets total. Cut strip sets into sixteen 1-1⁄2"-wide A segments.

2. Sew together a dark blue print 1-1⁄2×10" strip and a cream marble print 1-1⁄2×10" strip to make Strip Set B (Diagram 2). Press seam away from cream print. Repeat to make five B strip sets total. Cut strip sets into eight 2-1⁄2"-wide B segments and twelve 1-1⁄2"-wide C segments.

3. Sew together two A segments to make a Four-Patch unit (Diagram 3). Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 2-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight Four-Patch units total.

4. Referring to Diagram 4, join two B segments and one C segment to make a side unit. Press seams in one direction. The unit should be 5-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four side units total.

5. Referring to Diagram 5, lay out a Four-Patch unit, two C segments, and a light blue print 1-1⁄2" square in two rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams in opposite directions. Join rows to make a Nine-Patch unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Nine-Patch units total.

6. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out medium blue print 2-1⁄2" squares, four cream tone-on-tone 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles, and remaining light blue print 1-1⁄2" square in three horizontal rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from cream tone-on-tone pieces. Join rows to make center unit. Press seams away from middle row. The unit should be 5-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

7. Referring to Diagram 7 for orientation of units, lay out remaining Four-Patch units, cream marble print 2-1⁄2×3-1⁄2" rectangles, side units, Nine-Patch units, cream tone-on-tone 3-1⁄2×5-1⁄2" rectangles, and center unit in five horizontal rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward cream marble and cream tone-on-tone rectangles. Join rows to make a Burgoyne Surrounded block; press seams in one direction. The block should be 15-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

From remaining light blue print, cut:

• 45--1-1⁄2" squares

From remaining cream marble print, cut:

• 12--3-1⁄2×15-1⁄2" sashing rectangles
• 36--1-1⁄2" squares

1. Referring to Diagram 8, lay out five light blue print 1-1⁄2" squares and four cream marble print 1-1⁄2" squares in three rows. Sew together squares in each row. Press seams away from cream marble print squares. Join rows to make a Nine-Patch sashing unit; press seams in one direction. The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make nine Nine-Patch sashing units total.

2. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Nine-Patch sashing units, cream marble print 3-1⁄2×15-1⁄2" sashing rectangles, and blocks in five horizontal rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward sashing rectangles. Join rows to make quilt center; press seams toward sashing rows. Quilt center should be 39-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew light blue print 1-1⁄2×39-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add light blue print 1-1⁄2×41-1⁄2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

2. Cut and piece blue floral 4-1⁄2×42" strips to make:

• 2--4-1⁄2×49-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--4-1⁄2×41-1⁄2" outer border strips

3. Sew short blue floral outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long blue floral 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 binding strips.