Whimsical Windmills Quilt

Inspired by It Takes Two from designer Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1/2 yard yellow floral (blocks, inner border)
• 1/3 yard each of solid yellow and solid blue (blocks)
• 7" squares each of solid green and solid teal (blocks)
• 4--6" squares assorted florals and geometrics in teal and orange (blocks)
• 1/8 yard each of solid pink and solid red (blocks)
• 3/8 yard teal circle print (sashing)
• 1/4 yard blue circle print (sashing)
• 1-3/8 yards blue geometric (blocks, outer border, binding)
• 7" square each of orange dot, pink dot, teal dot, green dot, red stripe, green stripe, red geometric, and pink geometric (blocks)
• 3-1/8 yards backing fabric
• 56x65" batting

Finished quilt: 48x56-1/4"

Finished blocks: 9" square; 4-1/2x9"

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. Cut outer border strips and binding strips lengthwise (parallel to the selvages).

From yellow floral, cut:

• 2--2-1/2x41-3/4" inner border strips
• 2--2-1/2x37-1/2" inner border strips
• 2--5-3/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 large triangles total

From each solid yellow and solid blue, cut:

• 16--2-3/4x5" rectangles
• 6--3-1/8" squares
• 4--3-1/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 small triangles total

From each solid green and solid teal, cut:

• 4--3-1/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 small triangles total

From each assorted floral and geometric, cut:

• 1--5-3/4" square, cutting it diagonally twice in an X for 4 large triangles

From each solid pink and solid red, cut:

• 8--3-1/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 small triangles total

From teal circle print, cut:

• 4--3-1/8x36-1/2" sashing strips

From blue circle print, cut:

• 2--3-1/8x33-1/2" sashing strips

From blue geometric, cut:

• 2--5-3/4x48" outer border strips
• 2--5-3/4x45-3/4" outer border strips
• 5--2-1/2x48" binding strips
• 2--5-3/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 large triangles total

From each orange dot and pink dot, cut:

• 3--3-1/8" squares

From each teal dot and green dot, cut:

• 4--3-1/8" squares

From each red stripe and green stripe, cut:

• 2--3-1/8" squares

From each red geometric and pink geometric, cut:

• 1--3-1/8" square

1. For one Louisiana block, gather four large triangles from one floral or geometric, eight small triangles from an assorted solid (yellow, blue, green, teal, pink, red, or green), and four solid yellow 2-3/4x5" rectangles.

2. Sew an assorted solid small triangle to short edge of an assorted floral or geometric large triangle (Diagram 1). Press small triangle open. Add a matching small triangle to remaining short edge to make a Flying Geese unit. Press small triangle open. The unit should be 5x2-3/4" including seam allowances.

3. Repeat Step 2 to make four matching Flying Geese units total.

4. Sew a solid yellow 2-3/4x5" rectangle to point edge of a Flying Geese unit to make a quarter block unit (Diagram 2). Press seam toward Flying Geese unit. Repeat to make four matching quarter block units total.

5. Referring to Diagram 3, sew together quarter block units in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a yellow Louisiana block. Press seam in one direction. The block should be 9-1/2" square including seam allowances.

6. Repeat steps 1–5 to make four yellow Louisiana blocks total.

7. Using solid blue instead of solid yellow, repeat steps 1–5 to make four blue Louisiana blocks.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of six solid yellow and six solid blue 3-1/8" squares.

2. Layer each marked solid yellow square atop an orange dot 3-1/8" square. Sew each pair together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 4).

3. Cut a pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units (Diagram 4). Press open each triangle unit, pressing seam away from solid yellow, to make two orange triangle-squares. Each should be 2-3/4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make six orange dot triangle-squares total.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 using remaining marked yellow 3-1/8" squares and pink dot 3-1/8" squares to make six pink dot triangle-squares total.

5. Using teal dot and green dot 3-1/8" squares and marked solid blue squares, repeat steps 2 and 3 to make six teal dot and six green dot triangle-squares.

6. Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of two red stripe and two green stripe 3-1/8" squares.

7. Repeat steps 2 and 3 using marked red stripe squares and geometric 3-1/8" squares to make four red stripe triangle-squares. Repeat using marked green stripe squares and remaining green and teal dot 3-1/8" squares to make four green stripe triangle-squares.

8. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together orange triangle-squares and red stripe triangle-squares in four rows. Press seams in directions indicated on diagram. Join rows to make an orange triangle-square block. Press seams in one direction. The block should be 5x9-1/2" including seam allowances.

9. Using pink triangle-squares instead of orange, repeat Step 8 to make a pink triangle-square block.

10. Referring to Diagram 6, repeat Step 8 using teal triangle-squares and green stripe triangle-squares to make a teal triangle-square block. Repeat using green triangle-squares and green stripe triangle-squares to make a green stripe triangle-square block.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Louisiana blocks, triangle-square blocks, and teal circle print sashing strips in seven vertical rows.

2. Sew together blocks in each block row. Press seams in one direction.

3. Join block rows and sashing strips. Press seams in one direction. Add blue circle print sashing strips to short edges to complete quilt center. Press seams toward sashing strips. The quilt center should be 33-1/2x41-3/4" including seam allowances.

1. Sew yellow floral 2-1/2x41-3/4" inner border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add yellow floral 2-1/2x37-1/2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

2. Sew blue geometric 5-3/4x45-1/4" outer border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add blue geometric 5-3/4x48" outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

4. Bind with blue geometric binding strips.