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I saw this quilt layout on an antique quilt, so came up with my own version
using soft country fabrics based on Moda's Chocolat line.
However a similar look could be achieved using any muted country fabrics
Also any colorway would look great with
this set. The key is to have 4 distinct color families
around a single color center
Here is my version of the finished quilt:
Fabric Requirements
to make complete quilt shown above
Overall Size.....62"x74" finished
Block Size.....12" finished
Binding.....1" finished
red fabrics 6 FQs
blue/grey fabrics 6 FQs
green fabrics 6 FQs
tan/gold/brown fabrics 6 FQs
black (center square) 1 FQ
binding 1/2 yd
backing using 90" or 108" backing fabric: 2 yd
backing using 45": 4 yd
This quilt is composed of just one block, in a straight set
The fabrics should be muted country colors.
Each block has 4 different colors families pieced around
a black center square in the log cabin variation 'courthouse steps'.
Below are my fabrics separated into the 4 families
reds -- blues/greys -- greens -- tans/golds/browns
Cutting Chart
Each color family should have six (6) FQs
From the length of EACH FQ (22" side), cut 10 strips 1 1/2"
to give you 10 strips approximately 1 1/2" x 22"
as shown in the photo below
Red/Blue fabrics:
First we will cut our red and blue FQ strips
From EACH FQ, take five (5) of your 22" strips and cut
5 pieces 12 1/2" x 1 1/2"
THEN
5 pieces 8 1/2" x 1 1/2"
Take the other five (5) 22" strips and cut
5 pieces 10 1/2" x 1 1/2"
THEN
5 pieces 6 1/2" x 1 1/2"
FINALLY
5 pieces 4 1/2" x 1 1/2"
After all 6 FQs of RED & BLUE are cut you will have
total of thirty (30) EACH of
12 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips RED
10 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips RED
8 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips RED
6 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips RED
4 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips RED
and thirty (30) EACH of
12 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BLUE
10 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BLUE
8 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BLUE
6 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BLUE
4 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BLUE
Here is ONE red FQ cut into the 5 strip sizes
When all 6 FQs are cut, there will be 30 red strips in each size
Green/Brown/Gold/Tan fabrics:
Now we move to our 1 1/2" x 22" strips from your green/brown/gold/tan
From EACH FQ, take five (5) of your 22" strips and cut
5 pieces 10 1/2" x 1 1/2"
THEN
5 pieces 6 1/2" x 1 1/2"
FINALLY
5 pieces 2 1/2" x 1 1/2"
Take the other five (5) 22" strips and cut
5 pieces 8 1/2" x 1 1/2"
AND
5 pieces 4 1/2" x 1 1/2"
After all 6 FQs of GREEN & BROWN are cut you will have
a total of thirty (30) EACH of
10 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips GREEN
8 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips GREEN
6 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips GREEN
4 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips GREEN
2 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips GREEN
and thirty (30) EACH of
10 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BROWN/GOLD
8 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BROWN/GOLD
6 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BROWN/GOLD
4 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BROWN/GOLD
2 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips BROWN/GOLD
Here is ONE brown FQ cut into the 5 strip sizes
Finally, from the BLACK FQ, cut
5 strips 2 1/2" x 22"
THEN
cut 30 squares 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Sewing Your Blocks
For the quilt show above (62"x74") we will need thirty (30) blocks
I have chosen to piece my blocks with a semi-random
placement of fabrics.
For each block, I will need one set of each color family
however, I will alter my fabrics from block to block to avoid
having several identical blocks
For an even more "scrappy" look, you could mix different
fabrics from each family within the block
But the photos below show all the same fabric within a block
I like to chain-piece, and this block is an excellent one to chain piece
Take your 30 black 2 1/2" squares and your 30 green 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" strips
Place the green strip right sides together against the right side of the square
Sew a 1/4" seam, as illustrated in the photo below
Once all 30 are sewn, cut apart, keeping each set of 5 same strips together
Turn around and sew your 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" brown strips to the opposite
side of the first pieced sections, only pick a different brown for each
set of same green fabrics to keep from having identical pieced blocks.
Sew a 1/4" seam, as illustrated in the photo below
Cut apart units and press seams to outside, keeping green sets together
IMPORTANT .... IMPORTANT .... IMPORTANT ....
When placing your red fabric strips, make sure that the green strip is
at the top of the units.
Sew the 4 1/2" x 1 1/2" red strips to the units, picking a different red
for each set of same green fabric, as done with the brown
Turn blocks around and sew the 4 1/2" x 1 1/2" blue strips
to the opposite side, mixing fabrics to create a variety of
block combinations.
Cut apart units and press seams to outside, and at this stage,
you will have 30 different blocks, but you have now determined
the fabrics for each remaining round of strips.
Your blocks now look like the one in the photo below
Now you want to finish your blocks by matching the remaining
rounds to the fabrics chosen in the first round.
Match the strips and sew alternating sides,
beginning with green, then brown, then red
and finally blue
After your next round, your block should look like this:
And when all strips have been sewn, your block will look like this
Finishing
Lay out the 30 blocks in 6 rows of 5 blocks.
By referring to the illustration at the top of this page,
you will see the placement of the blocks is achieved
simply by rotating each block so that each color family
is joined to the same color family of the adjacent block
Once you are happy with your layout, piece the top
by sewing the 5 blocks for each row, then sewing
the rows together
You can see that laying out the blocks before sewing
is critical to creating the pattern.
Once the top is pieced, there is no need to add a border.
Layer, and quilt as desired, finishing with the binding technique
of your choice.
I cut a 2 1/2" strip for binding my quilt. I cut 7 strips
2 1/2" x WOF from my 1/2 yd. of binding fabric, then fold
in half, machine stitch to the right side of the quilted
sandwich, then turn and hand stitch to the back.
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