Pretty in Pastels

Inspired by Star Patch from designer Marcie Patch of Patchalot Patterns

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 3⁄8 yard yellow print (Double Nine-Patch blocks, star blocks)
• 3-1⁄4 yard pieces assorted pink prints (Double Nine-Patch blocks, star blocks, border)
• 1-1⁄4 yards total assorted prints in orange, blue, purple, beige, and green (Double Nine-Patch blocks, star blocks)
• 3⁄4 yard light blue print (Double Nine-Patch blocks, border)
• 1⁄2 yard binding fabric
• 1-1⁄2 yards backing fabric
• 42×51" batting

Finished quilt: 33-1⁄2×42-1⁄2"

Finished blocks: 9" 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 yellow print, cut:

• 6--4-1⁄4" squares
• 12--3-1⁄2" squares

From assorted pink prints, cut:

• 6--4-1⁄4" squares (3 sets of two matching squares)
• 23--3-7⁄8" squares

From assorted prints and scraps of all fabrics previously cut, cut:

• 432--1-1⁄2" squares

From light blue print, cut:

• 23--3-7⁄8" squares
• 36--3-1⁄2" squares

From binding fabric, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

1. Referring to Diagram 1, sew together nine assorted print 1-1⁄2" squares in three rows. Press seams open. Join rows to make a Nine-Patch unit. Press seams open. The Nine-Patch unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 48 Nine-Patch units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 2, sew together five Nine-Patch units and four light blue print 3-1⁄2" squares in three horizontal rows. Press seams toward blue print squares or open. Join rows to make a Double Nine-Patch block. The block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make nine Double Nine-Patch blocks total. Set aside remaining Nine-Patch units to use in star blocks.

1. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of each yellow print 4-1⁄4" square.

2. Layer a marked yellow print square atop a pink print 4-1⁄4" square. Referring to Diagram 3, sew squares together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press open each triangle unit, pressing seam toward pink print, to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3-7⁄8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four matching triangle-squares total.

3. Referring to Diagram 4, cut each triangle-square in half diagonally, cutting from the yellow print to the pink print, to make four A triangles and four B triangles.

4. Sew together two A triangles or B triangles to make an hourglass unit (Diagram 5); press seams open. The unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four matching hourglass units total.

5. Referring to Diagram 6, sew together one remaining Nine-Patch unit, four hourglass units, and four yellow print 3-1⁄2" squares in three rows. Press seams toward yellow print or open. Join rows to make a star block; press seams open. The star block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

6. Repeat steps 2–5 to make three star blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Double Nine-Patch and star blocks in four horizontal rows. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams open or in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

2. Join rows to make quilt center; press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 27-1⁄2×36-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of each light blue print 3-7⁄8" square.

2. Using marked light blue print squares and assorted pink print 3-7⁄8" squares, repeat Assemble Star Blocks, Step 2, to make 46 triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 12 triangle-squares in a row to make a long border unit. Press seams open. Repeat to make a second long border unit. Add long border units to long edges of quilt center. Press seams toward border.

4. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, join 11 triangle-squares in a row to make a short border unit; note rotation of triangle-square at one end of row. Press seams open. Repeat to make a second short border unit, noting rotation of triangle-square at one end of row. Add short border units to remaining edges of quilt center to complete quilt top. Press seams toward border.

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

2. Bind with binding strips.