Pieced Wall Art Trio

Designer: Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

*  40--3×6" rectangles assorted batiks in gold, purple, blue, fuchsia, and aqua

*  16×20" frame

Finished large wall art: 16×20"

From assorted batiks, cut:

*  80--2-7⁄8" squares (40 sets of 2 matching squares)

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of two matching batik 2-7⁄8"  squares. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

2. Layer a marked batik square atop a contrasting batik 2-7⁄8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1).

3. Cut apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press open each triangle unit, pressing seam in one direction, to make two triangle-squares (Diagram 1). Each triangle-square should be 2-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make four matching triangle-squares total.

5. Repeat steps 1–4 to make 20 sets of four matching triangle-squares total.

1. Referring to Diagram 2 for placement, sew together four matching triangle-squares in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Birds in Air unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2. Repeat Step 1 to make 19 Birds in Air units total.

3. Referring to Diagram 3 for placement, sew together four matching triangle-squares in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Pinwheel unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Diagram 4 for placement, join Birds in Air units and the Pinwheel unit in five horizontal rows, noting orientation of triangle-squares.

2. Sew together units in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a large pieced unit; press seams in one direction. The unit should be 16-1⁄2 ×20-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

Frame large pieced unit as desired. The large wall art is mounted in a frame with a 16×20" opening.

*  18--3×6" rectangles assorted batiks in gold, purple, blue, fuchsia, and aqua

*  12" square frame

Finished medium wall art: 12" square

From assorted batiks, cut:

*    36--2-7⁄8" squares (18 sets of 2 matching squares)

1. Referring to Assemble Triangle-Squares, steps 1–4, and using the 36 assorted batik 2-7⁄8" squares just cut, make nine sets of four matching triangle-squares.

2. Referring to Diagram 5 for placement, sew together four matching triangle-squares in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Broken Dishes unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3. Repeat Step 2 to make nine Broken Dishes units total.

1.  Referring to Diagram 6, lay out Broken Dishes units in three horizontal rows.

2. Sew together units in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a medium pieced unit; press seams in one direction. The unit should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

Frame medium pieced unit as desired. The medium wall art is mounted in a frame with a 12"-square opening.

*  18--3" squares assorted batiks in gold, purple, blue, fuchsia, and aqua

*  10" square muslin

*  10" square lightweight fusible web

*  8" square illustration board

*  8" square frame

*  Fabric basting glue

Finished small wall art: 8" square

From assorted batiks, cut:

*    18--2-7⁄8" squares

1. Mark a diagonal line on wrong sides of nine assorted batik 2-7⁄8" squares.

2. Referring to Assemble Triangle-Squares, steps 2 and 3, use marked batik 2-7⁄8" squares and unmarked batik 2-7⁄8" squares to make 18 triangle-squares (you will use nine). Designer Carrie Nelson made extras to get the variety of prints she desired.

3. Referring to Diagram 7, join triangle-squares in three horizontal rows, noting orientation of triangle-squares. Press seams open. Each row should be 2-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

4. Join rows to make a small pieced unit; press seams open. The unit should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

Frame small pieced unit as desired. The small wall art is mounted in a frame with an 8"-square opening. Below are the steps Carrie used to complete her small wall art.

1. Carrie trimmed threads and squared her unit to make a 6-1⁄2" square, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowance around the edges.

2. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse together fusible web 10" square and muslin 10" square. Let cool; remove paper backing from fusible web.

3. Center fused side of muslin 10" square atop illustration board 8" square. Fuse just the center 8" of muslin to illustration board, being careful to leave edges loose.

4. Turn over illustration board; wrap excess muslin to back side of board. Keeping muslin taut and smooth, fuse excess muslin to board, beginning at center of each edge and mitering corners, to make unit foundation.

5. Using a small drop of basting glue in each corner of small pieced unit, center and attach to unit foundation; let glue dry.

6. If desired, write a quote on a strip of paper and position strip over small pieced unit. The quote on the small pieced unit reads, "The things you are passionate about are not random-they are your calling." Place unit in 8"-square frame to complete small wall art.