Tumbling Leaves

Designer: Gail Abeloe

See optional sizes of this quilt below.

• 5/8 yard cream print (blocks, background)
• 3/4 yard total assorted red-and-green prints (blocks)
• 1/8 yard mottled brown (blocks)
• 1/4 yard brown print (inner border)
• 1 yard red-and-green large print (outer border, binding)
• 1-1/2 yards backing fabric
• 33x51" batting

Finished quilt: 27x45"

Finished blocks: 9"-square leaf, 4-1/2"-square small leaf

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

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

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut pieces in the following order.

From cream print, cut:

• 8--5" squares
• 8--3-7/8" squares
• 8--3-1/2" squares
• 16--2-3/8" squares
• 16--2" squares

From assorted red-and-green prints, cut:

• 8--3-7/8" squares
• 12--3-1/2" squares
• 16--2-3/8" squares
• 24--2" squares

From mottled brown, cut:

• 4--1-1/8x5" strips
• 8--1x3" strips

From brown print, cut:

• 2--1-1/4x38" inner border strips
• 5--2-1/2x42" binding strips

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each cream print 3-7/8" square. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

2. Layer each marked cream print 3-7/8" square atop an assorted red-and-green print 3-7/8" square. Sew each pair together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1).

3. Cut a pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam toward red print, to make two large triangle-squares (Diagram 2). Each triangle square should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 large triangle-squares total.

4. Press under 1/4" on both long edges of one mottled brown 1-1/8x5" strip. Center prepared strip on diagonal of one cream print 3-1/2" square (Diagram 3); baste in place. Using thread that matches strip, machine-appliqué prepared strip to make large stem unit. Trim ends. Repeat to make four large stem units total.

5. Referring to Block Assembly Diagram for placement, lay out four large triangle-squares, three assorted red-and-green print 3-1/2" squares, one cream print 3-1/2" square, and one large stem unit in three rows.

6. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row. Join rows to make large leaf block. The large leaf block should be 9-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four large leaf blocks total.

7. Repeat steps 1 through 3 using cream print 2-3/8" squares and red-and-green print 2-3/8" squares to make 32 small triangle squares total. Each triangle-square should be 2" square including seam allowances.

8. Referring to Diagram 3, press under 1/4" on both long edges of one mottled brown 1x3" strip. Center prepared strip on diagonal of one cream print 2" square. Using thread that matches strip, machine-appliqué prepared strip to square to make small stem unit. Repeat to make eight small stem units total.

9. Referring to Block Assembly Diagram for placement, lay out four small triangle-squares, three assorted red-and-green print 2" squares, one cream print 2" square, and one small stem unit in three rows. Repeat step 6 to make small leaf block. The small leaf block should be 5" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight small leaf blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out four large leaf blocks, eight small leaf blocks, and eight cream print 5" squares in four vertical rows, noting direction of leaf blocks.

2. Sew together one small leaf block with one cream print 5" square to make a small leaf section. Press seam toward square. Repeat to make eight small leaf sections total.

Sew together sections and large leaf blocks in each row. 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 18-1/2x36-1/2" including seam allowances.

1. Sew brown print 1-1/4x18-1/2" inner border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add brown print 1-1/4x38" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

2. Cut and piece red-and-green large print 4x42" strips to make:

• 2--4x45" outer border strips
• 2--4x20" outer border strips

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

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

2. Quilt as desired. Designer Gail Abeloe stitched crosshatching across the quilt. To duplicate this quilting, stitch evenly spaced, intersecting diagonal lines through the blocks, from one edge of the quilt to the other.

3. Bind with red-and-green large print binding strips.

Assorted Batiks

• 20--3-7/8" squares
• 30--3-1/2" squares
• 40--2-3/8" squares
• 60--2" squares
• 10--1-1/8x5" strips
• 20--1x3" strips

Tan print

• 5--4x42" strips for border
• 5--2-1/2x42" strips for binding
• 10--5" squares
• 10--3-7/8" squares
• 10--3-1/2" squares
• 20--2-3/8" squares
• 20--2" squares

Dark Green Batik

• 2--1-1/4x36-1/2" border strips
• 3--1-1/4x42" strips for border

Assorted Batiks

• 48--3-7/8" squares
• 72--3-1/2" squares
• 96--2-3/8" squares
• 144--2" squares
• 24--1-1/8x5" strips
• 48--1x3" strips

Tan print

• 7--4x42" strips for border
• 8--2-1/2x42" strips for binding
• 48--3-7/8" squares
• 48--3-1/2" squares
• 96--2-3/8" squares
• 96--2" squares

Dark Green Batik

• 7--1-1/4x36-1/2" strips for border

Assorted Batiks

• 80--3-7/8" squares
• 120--3-1/2" squares
• 160--2-3/8" squares
• 240--2" squares
• 40--1-1/8x5" strips
• 80--1x3" strips

Tan print

• 9--4x42" strips for border
• 10--2-1/2x42" strips for binding
• 80--5" squares
• 80--3-7/8" squares
• 80--3-1/2" squares
• 160--2-3/8" squares
• 160--2" squares

Dark Green Batik

• 9--1-1/4x36-1/2" strips for border

Assorted Batiks

• 100-3-7/8" squares
• 150--3-1/2" squares
• 200-2-3/8" squares
• 300--2" squares
• 50--1-1/8x5" strips
• 100--1x3" strips

Tan print

• 100--4x42" strips for border
• 10--2-1/2x42" strips for binding
• 100--5" squares
• 100--3-7/8" squares
• 100--3-1/2" squares
• 200--2-3/8" squares
• 200--2" squares

Dark Green Batik

• 10--1-1/4x36-1/2" strips for border