Stellar Blues

Designer: Amanda Castor

*    1 yard solid white (quilt center, outer border)

*    1⁄4 yard blue-and-white floral (quilt center)

*     5⁄8 yard dark blue floral (quilt center, inner and outer borders)

*     1⁄4 yard light blue floral (quilt center)

*     1⁄2 yard dark blue dot (outer border)

*     1⁄2 yard blue floral (outer border)

*     3⁄4 yard blue circle print (inner and outer borders, binding)

*     1⁄2 yard blue stripe (inner border)

*     1⁄2 yard dark blue print (inner border)

*     3-1⁄4 yards backing fabric

*     57" square batting

Finished quilt: 48-1⁄2" 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 solid white, cut:

*    60--3-7⁄8" squares

*    8--3-1⁄2" squares

From blue-and-white floral, cut:

*    1--6-1⁄2" square

*    4--3-7⁄8" squares

From dark blue floral, cut:

*    4--3-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangles

*    12--3-7⁄8" squares

*    20--3-1⁄2" squares

From light blue floral, cut:

*    12--3-7⁄8" squares

From dark blue dot, cut:

*    24--3-7⁄8" squares

From blue floral, cut:

*    24--3-7⁄8" squares

From blue circle print, cut:

*     6--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips

*    16--3-1⁄2" squares

From blue stripe, cut:

*    4--3-1⁄2 ×24-1⁄2" border strips

From dark blue print, cut:

*    4--3-1⁄2 ×24-1⁄2" border strips

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid white 3-7⁄8" square.

2.    Layer a marked solid white square atop a blue-and-white floral 3-7⁄8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1).

3.    Cut pair apart on marked line to make two triangle units (Diagram 1). Press open each triangle unit, pressing seam toward blue-and-white floral, to make two white floral triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4.     Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make eight white floral triangle-squares total. In the same manner, make eight dark blue floral triangle-squares, eight light blue floral triangle-squares, 48 dark blue dot triangle-squares, and 48 blue floral triangle-squares.

5.    Use a pencil or white dressmaker's pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of eight dark blue floral 3-7⁄8" squares.

6.    Using a marked dark blue floral square and a light blue floral 3-7⁄8" square, repeat steps 2 and 3 to make two dark-and-light-blue floral triangle-squares. Press seams toward light blue floral. Repeat to make 16 dark-and-light-blue floral triangle-squares total.

Sew together two dark blue floral 3-1⁄2" squares and two blue circle print 3-1⁄2" squares in pairs (Diagram 2). Press seams toward dark blue floral squares. Join pairs to make a Four-Patch unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight Four-Patch units total.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram for placement, lay out eight solid white 3-1⁄2" squares, eight white floral triangle-squares, the blue-and-white floral 6-1⁄2" square, eight dark blue floral triangle-squares, four dark blue floral 3-1⁄2" squares, four dark blue floral 3-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangles, eight light blue floral triangle-squares, and 16 dark-and-light-blue floral triangle-squares in eight horizontal rows.

2.    Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Sew together short middle rows to make two segments. Join segments to 6-1⁄2" square; press seams toward square. Join remaining rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 24-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1.    Aligning long edges, sew together a blue stripe 3-1⁄2 ×24-1⁄2" strip and a dark blue print 3-1⁄2 ×24-1⁄2" strip to make a short inner border unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 6-1⁄2×24-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four short inner border units total.

2.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew short inner border units to opposite edges of quilt center. Press seams toward inner border.

3.    Sew a Four-Patch unit to each end of remaining short inner border units to make two long inner border units (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams away from Four-Patch units. Join long inner border units to remaining edges of quilt center. Press seams toward inner border. The quilt center now should be 36-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out 12 dark blue dot triangle-squares and 12 blue floral triangle-squares in two rows. Join pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make a short outer border unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 6-1⁄2 ×36-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four short outer border units total.

2.    Sew short outer border units to opposite edges of quilt center. Press seams toward inner border.

3.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew a Four-Patch unit to each end of remaining short outer border units to make two long outer border units; press seams toward Four-Patch units. Add long outer border units to remaining edges of quilt center to complete quilt top. Press seams toward inner border.

1.    Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2.    Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Lynette Reynolds stitched feather designs in the blue prints of the quilt center, Four-Patch units, and outer border; straight lines radiating from the center star; pebble shapes in the solid white quilt center corners; and straight lines in the inner border units.

3.    Bind with blue circle print binding strips.