Sewing Spools Wall Quilt

Inspired by Stitcher's Studio from designer Alexia Marcelle Abegg of Green Bee Patterns

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1/2 yard tan print (blocks, sashing, border)
• 3/8 yard brown print (blocks, border, binding)
• 9x22" piece (fat eighth) each of blue, green, gold, and red prints (blocks, border)
• Scrap of solid black (appliqués)
• 4-4x7" rectangles assorted prints in pink, light blue, rust, and light green (border)
• 7/8 yard backing fabric
• 28" square batting
• Scrap of lightweight fusible web
• Lightweight tracing paper or other foundation material of your choice

Finished quilt: 19-5/8" square

Finished blocks: 6" square

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

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" for patterns A-C. To use fusible web to prepare patterns for appliqué, complete the following steps.

1. Lay fusible web, paper side up, over patterns. Use a pencil to trace each pattern once, leaving 1/2" between tracings. Cut out each fusible-web shape roughly 1/4" outside traced lines.

2. Following manufacturer's instructions, press each fusible-web shape onto wrong side of designated fabric; let cool. Cut out fabric shapes on drawn lines. Peel off paper backings.

From tan print, cut:

• 1--3x4" rectangle for position 1
• 14--3" squares
• 1--2-1/2x7" rectangle for position 8
• 1--2-1/2x5-1/2" rectangle for position 5
• 1--2x6" rectangle for position 7
• 3--1-1/2x15-1/2" sashing strips
• 6--1-1/2x6-1/2" sashing rectangles
• 1--1-1/2x6-1/2" rectangle for position 6
• 6--1-1/2x4-1/2" rectangles
• 12--1-1/2" squares

From brown print, cut:

• 3--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 6--1-1/2x6-1/2" rectangles
• 2--3" squares

From each blue, green, and gold print, cut:

• 1--4-1/2" square
• 2--3" squares

From red print, cut:

• 1--3x5-1/2" rectangle for position 4
• 1--3x4" rectangle for position 3
• 2--3" squares
• 1--2-1/2x4" rectangle for position 2
• 1 of Pattern A

From solid black, cut:

• 1 each of patterns B and C

From each of four assorted prints, cut:

• 2--3" squares

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each tan print 1-1/2" square.

2. Align a marked tan print square with one end of a brown print 1-1/2x6-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line; trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward tan print.

3. Align a second marked tan print square with opposite end of Step 2 rectangle (Diagram 1; again note direction of marked line). Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a spool end unit. The unit should be 6-1/2x1-1/2" including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make six spool end units total.

5. Sew tan print 1-1/2x4-1/2" rectangles to opposite edges of a blue print 4-1/2" square to make a thread unit (Diagram 2). Press seams toward square. The unit should be 6-1/2x4-1/2" including seam allowances. Using green and gold print 4-1/2" squares, repeat to make three thread units total.

6. Referring to Diagram 3, sew spool end units to opposite edges of a thread unit to make a Spool block. Press seams toward thread unit. The block should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make three Spool blocks total.

Click on "Download this Project" for the Foundation Pattern.

To foundation-piece, you stitch fabric pieces to a foundation paper with the marked side of the paper facing up and the fabric pieces layered underneath. The resulting pieced block will be a mirror image of the foundation paper.

1. Use a pencil to trace Foundation Pattern onto lightweight tracing paper or other foundation material of your choice, tracing all lines and numbers. Cut out traced pattern roughly 1/4" outside dashed lines to make a foundation paper.

2. With right sides together, layer tan print position 1 rectangle atop red print position 2 rectangle; align a pair of long edges.

3. Place foundation paper atop layered rectangles, positioning it so that the rectangles' aligned edges are 1/4" beyond the stitching line between positions 1 and 2. The rectangles should completely cover position 1 and extend at least 1/4" into adjoining areas (Diagram 4). To check placement, pin on the line between positions 1 and 2. Flip red print rectangle open, making sure it completely covers position 2 and extends at least 1/4" into adjoining areas. If it doesn't, reposition and recheck until it does.

4. Working with marked side of foundation paper up, use a small stitch length (1.5 millimeters) to sew on stitching line through all layers, extending stitching past the beginning and end of line by a few stitches (Diagram 5).

5. Turn stitched layers over so foundation paper is on bottom. Press red print rectangle open. Referring to Diagram 6, trim tan print rectangle so it extends 1/4" beyond next stitching line (the line between positions 1 and 3).

6. Align red print position 3 rectangle with trimmed edge of tan print piece. Sew on stitching line (Diagram 7). Trim seam allowances if needed. Press red print rectangle open.

7. Referring to Diagram 8, trim pieces 1, 2, and 3 so they extend 1/4" beyond next stitching line (the line between positions 1/2/3 and 4). Align red print position 4 rectangle with trimmed edge and sew on stitching line. Trim seam allowances if needed and press red print rectangle open. Repeat to add tan print position 5 rectangle (Diagram 9).

8. In same manner, add remaining tan print rectangles in numerical order, trimming previously stitched pieces 1/4" beyond stitching line before adding each piece.

9. Trim all fabric layers and foundation paper on dashed lines to make sewing machine block (Diagram 10). The block should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Remove foundation paper with tweezers or the blunt edge of a seam ripper.

10. Referring to Appliqué Placement Diagram, arrange red print A piece and solid black B and C circles on sewing machine block. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse pieces in place. If desired, straight-stitch or zigzag-stitch around appliqués.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Spool blocks, sewing machine block, tan print sashing rectangles, and tan print sashing strips in five horizontal rows.

2. Sew together pieces in each block row. Press seams toward sashing rectangles.

3. Join block rows and sashing strips to make quilt center. Press seams toward sashing strips. Using a rotary cutter and acrylic ruler, center and trim quilt center to 15-3/8" square including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of tan print and brown print 3" squares.

2. Layer a marked tan print square atop a gold print 3" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 11). Cut apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam away from tan print triangle, to make two tan triangle-squares. Each should be 2-5/8" square including seam allowances. Using remaining gold, blue, green, pink, light blue, rust, and light green 3" squares, repeat to make 28 tan triangle-squares total.

3. Using marked brown print squares and red print 3" squares, repeat Step 2 to make four brown triangle-squares.

4. Join seven tan triangle-squares in a row to make a short border strip (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams in one direction. The strip should be 2-5/8x15-3/8" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four short border strips total.

5. Sew two brown triangle-squares to a short border strip to make a long border strip (Quilt Assembly Diagram; note position of brown print triangles). Press seams toward brown triangle-squares. The strip should be 2-5/8x19-5/8" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long border strip.

6. Sew short border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward quilt center.

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

2. Bind with brown print binding strips.