Seeing Double Stars

Inspired by Country French from designers Renee Nanneman and Terry Paulson

Quilt tester: Colleen Tauke

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 3⁄4 yard solid white (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard green print (blocks)
• 5⁄8 yard purple print (blocks, border)
• 1⁄3 yard blue print (blocks)
• 9×21" piece (fat eighth) each of light green print and orange print
• 1⁄4 yard black floral (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard binding fabric
• 2-3/4 yards backing fabric
• 49"-square batting

Finished quilt: 40-1/2" square

Finished block: 12" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

From solid white, cut:

• 9—5-1/4" squares
• 36—2-7/8" squares
• 36—2-1/2" squares

From green print, cut:

• 18—5-1/4" squares

From purple print, cut:

• 2—2-1/2×40-1/2" strips
• 2—2-1/2×36-1/2" strips
• 36—2-7/8" squares

From blue print, cut:

• 9—5-1/4" squares

From light green print, cut:

• 18—2-1/2" squares

From orange print, cut:

• 18—2-1/2" squares

From black floral, cut:

• 9—4-1/2" squares

From binding fabric, cut:

• 5—2-1/2×42" binding strips

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid white 2-7/8" square and each green print 5-1/4" square.

2. Layer a marked solid white square atop a purple print 2-7/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1). Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press open to make two small triangle-squares. Each small triangle-square should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 72 small triangle-squares total.

3. Repeat Step 2 using marked green print squares and solid white and blue print 5-1/4" squares to make 18 white-and-green large triangle-squares and 18 blue-and-green large triangle-squares (Diagram 2). Each large triangle-square should be 4-7/8" square including seam allowances.

4. Mark a diagonal line perpendicular to seam line on wrong side of each blue-and-green large triangle-square. Layer a marked blue-and-green large triangle-square atop a white-and-green large triangle-square with each green triangle facing a white or blue triangle (Diagram 3). Sew 1/4" on each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press open to make two hourglass units. Each unit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 36 hourglass units total.

5. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out one solid white 2-1/2" square, two small triangle-squares, and one light green print 2-1/2" square in pairs. Sew together pieces in pairs. Join pairs to make a light green corner unit. The unit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 18 light green corner units total.

6. Repeat Step 5 using remaining solid white 2-1/2" square, remaining small triangle-squares, and orange print 2-1/2" squares to make 18 orange corner units (Diagram 5).

7. Lay out two light green corner units, two orange corner units, four hourglass units, and one black floral 4-1/2" square in three rows (Diagram 6). Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make nine blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in three rows. Sew together blocks in rows. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make quilt center; press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 36-1/2" square including seam allowances.

2. Sew purple print 2-1/2×36-1/2" border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add purple print 2-1/2×40-1/2" border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press seams toward border.

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

2. Bind with binding strips.