Summer Fizz Quilt
If you’re looking for an easy, machine-pieced quilting project to create over summer, this is it! Marianne Roberts made her quilt from her vast stash of fat quarters – in pink. Start with one colour then add some light-value prints and you’ll have a lovely quilt to use or display over the long hot summer. This is perfect for using up those scraps too! by Marianne Roberts
FINISHED BLOCK SIZE: 23cm (9in) FINISHED QUILT SIZE: 173cm (68in square)
MATERIALS
Equivalent of 11 medium to dark-value pink fat quarters
Equivalent of 10 assorted light-value fat quarters
80cm medium-scale red and green floral print for the border
50cm light olive green print for the binding
4m backing fabric
188cm (74in) square of batting
Neutral-coloured thread for piecing
Variegated thread for quilting
Rotary cutter, ruler and mat
Sewing machine
General sewing supplies
Hint: Mix up the selection of pink prints with a red print and pink with a hint of green for variety.
CUTTING
Cut all strips across the width of fabric, cutting is based on fat quarters.
From 10 of the pink fat quarters cut:
– 70, 1 1/2in strips or the equivalent in scraps
– 15, 4in strips, then crosscut them into 72, 4in squares.
From the remaining pink fat quarter, cut:
– four 1 1/2in strips then crosscut 42, 1 1/2in squares for the cornerstones.
From light-value fat quarters cut a total of:
– 77, 1 1/2in strips or the equivalent in scraps, then cross cut only 21 of the strips into 84, 9 1/2in x 1 1/2in sashing strips
– 15, 4in strips, then crosscut them into 72, 4in squares.
From the red and green floral print, cut:
– seven 3 3/4in strips for the border
From the light olive green print, cut:
– seven 2 1/2in strips for the binding.
Note: Seam allowances of 1/4in are used throughout the project.
Hint: Before you start machine piecing, clean your sewing machine and replace the needle.
BLOCK CONSTRUCTION
A total of 36 Double Nine Patch blocks is required.
Nine Patch units
Sew a 1 1/2in pink strip to either side of a 1 1/2in light-value strip and press the seams toward the pink fabric. Make a total of 28 strata this way.
Crosscut the strata into 1 1/2in stripsets – a total of 360 pink/light/pink stripsets is required.
Stitch a 1 1/2in light-value strip to either side of a 1 1/2in pink strip and press the seams toward the pink fabric. Make a total of 14 light/pink/light strata this way.
Crosscut the strata into 1 1/2in stripsets – a total of 180 stripsets is required.
Join a pink/light/pink stripset to either side of a light/pink/light stripset to make a Nine Patch unit. The finished block will be 3 1/2in square raw edge to raw edge.
Make a total of 180 blocks this way.
Half-square triangle units
Rule a diagonal line on the wrong side of the 72, 4in light-value squares, then pair them right sides together with the 72 assorted 4in pink print squares. Stitch 1/4in either side of the ruled line. Do the same for all 72 sets of squares to yield 144 half-square triangle units, then carefully cut along the ruled line and press the seam of each unit toward the darker fabric. Finally, trim each unit to 3 1/2in square.
Block assembly
Referring to the block layout diagram, lay out five nine patch units and four half-square triangle units in three rows of three, taking care to orientate the half-square triangle units correctly.
Sew the units together in rows then join the rows, abutting the intersecting seams, to complete the block.
Make another 35 blocks the same way.
SASHING AND ASSEMBLY
Using the photograph of the quilt as a guide, lay out the blocks, sashing strips and cornerstones to form six rows of six blocks in each. Stitch the blocks, sashing strips and cornerstones together to form rows then sew the rows together, abutting the intersecting seams. Press the quilt top well on both sides.
BORDER
Sew together the 3 3/4in red and green floral print strips to make one length.
Measure the centre of the quilt width and trim two border strips to this measurement. Pin the border strips to opposite sides of the quilt top, evenly distributing them along the edge of the quilt, then stitch the borders in place. Press the seams towards the border. Measure the length of the quilt top then trim two border strips to this measurement. Pin the borders to the remaining sides then stitch them in place as before. Press the seams outwards as before.
BACKING
Cut the backing fabric in two equal lengths, cut off the selvedges then sew them together side by side and press the seam open.
Lay the backing fabric wrong side up on a hard surface then place the batting and then the quilt top right side up on top. Baste the three layers together with safety pins.
QUILTING
Marianne free motion machine-quilted a meandering pattern of loops and hearts on this quilt in variegated thread. It’s easy to do, just have a practice on a test piece first – with the feed dogs down on your machine and set the stitch length to zero, and use a darning or quilting foot.
BINDING
Trim the ends of the binding strips at 45 degrees, then sew them end to end and press the seams open. Fold the binding strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together. Machine-stitch the binding to the edge of the quilt with a 1/4in seam, aligning the raw edges of the binding on the border and mitring the corners as you sew.
Trim the backing and batting 1/4in past the edge of the quilt top, then turn the binding to the back of the quilt and slip-stitch it in place in matching green thread. Label your quilt with your name, the date and other relevant information.
For personal use only.
copyright: Marianne Roberts