This quilt is put together with just two easy shapes. Keep it simple by using only three fabrics, or scramble together all your calico scraps for a real challenge! Double-size quilt measures approx 242 x 202 cm (95-1/4 x 79-1/2 in). It is composed of 30 large pieced blocks and is machine-pieced and hand-quilted.

You need:
• 10 m white cotton or polycotton fabric, 115 cm wide
• Calico, 115 cm wide, as follows: 2.50 m in total of 1 dark print or several dark prints, 2.50 m in total of 1 light print or several light prints
• Polyester quilt batting
• White thread
• Cardboard or Mylar for templates
• Dressmaker's carbon paper (optional) and chalk pencil
• Set square and ruler

To make:
Note: Set machine-stitch length to 12 to 15 stitches per 2.5 cm (1 in).

Assemble blocks so seam lines align as shown. Piece blocks and quilt top with right sides together and use 1 cm seam allowance throughout.

Press seam allowances to dark side when each seam is stitched.

If using a variety of calicoes, use same print throughout each small block and same dark and light prints throughout each large block.

Begin by cutting and piecing 1 complete large block to check accuracy of your templates.

Quick tip: Use glass-headed pins. They're easy to handle and hard to lose inside quilt layers.

To prepare fabric:
Preshrink and press all fabric, checking for colorfastness.

To prepare templates:
Note: Templates include 1 cm seam allowance.

1. Transfer triangle template pattern onto cardboard using carbon paper, or trace onto Mylar. Cut out. (Click here for template pattern. Make sure to resize to indicated measurements before cutting.)

2. Measure and cut a second template, 7 cm square.

To cut fabric:
Note: When cutting triangles, position grain line as indicated on template.

From white fabric, cut 2 lengths, each 260 cm long, for backing.

From remaining white fabric, cut 240 triangles and 480 squares using templates.

From dark print, cut 120 triangles and 240 squares using templates.

From light print, cut 120 triangles and 240 squares using templates.

Page 1 of 3 -- Find instructions for stitching the triangles into your quilt on page 2

To piece small blocks:
Note: When handling and stitching triangles, avoid stretching long bias edges. Ease in fullness of bias edges, if necessary.

1. With edges even, stitch each dark-print square to 1 white square along 1 edge, forming small strip. Divide strips into pairs. With edges even and white squares and print squares alternating, stitch each strip pair together along 1 long edge, to form checkerboard.

With edges even, stitch each dark-print triangle to 1 white triangle along long edge, to form small square.

Lay 1 small square, right side up and with print triangle at top left-hand corner, on work surface. Lay 1 checkerboard, right side down and with white square at top right-hand corner, on square so edges are even; stitch together along right-hand edge, to form strip.

Repeat with remaining squares and checkerboards.

Divide strips into pairs. With edges even and checkerboards and squares alternating, stitch each strip pair together along 1 long edge, to form small block as shown in Diagram 1.

2. Repeat Step 1 (this section) using remaining white and light-print squares and triangles.

To piece large blocks:
1. Divide small blocks into pairs of dark-print and light-print blocks. Lay 1 dark-print block, right side up and with print triangles at top left-hand and bottom right-hand corners, on work surface. Lay 1 light-print block, right side down and with print triangles at top left-hand and bottom right-hand corners, on dark-print block so edges are even; stitch together along right-hand edge, to form strip.

Repeat with remaining blocks.

2. Divide strips into pairs. With edges even and dark-print and light-print blocks alternating, stitch each strip pair together along 1 long edge, to form large block as shown in Diagram 2.

To piece quilt top:
Note: Refer to Diagram 3 as necessary throughout the next two sections.

1. With edges even and dark-print and light-print small blocks alternating, stitch 5 large blocks together along side edges, forming strip.

Repeat with remaining blocks, to form a total of 6 strips in this manner.

2. With edges even and dark-print and light-print small blocks alternating, stitch strips together, along long side edges, to form quilt top.

3. Using dressmaker's chalk pencil and ruler, mark a line on right side, parallel to, and 1 cm in from, each raw edge of quilt top.

Page 2 of 3 -- Complete your beautiful new quilt with finishing instructions on page 3

To sew quilt together:
1. Trim off selvages from 2 backing lengths; discard. Sew lengths together along 1 long edge. Lay backing, right side down, on flat surface. Centre batting on backing.

2. Centre quilt top, right side up, on batting. (Backing seam should be centred and parallel to long edges of quilt top.) Ensure that all layers are smooth, then baste together through all 3 layers.

Basting tip: Before quilting, baste layers together as follows: Beginning at centre of quilt top, sew a line of basting stitches out to each corner, then a line from centre to midpoint of each edge.

To quilt:
By hand, quilt "in the ditch" along edges of calico squares only.

To finish:
1. Carefully trim batting only, even with edges of quilt top.

2. Trim backing 2 cm out from edges of quilt top; press under 1 cm along edges of backing.

3. Fold pressed edge of backing to front of quilt; slipstitch edge along marked line on quilt top, mitring corners as you work. Remove basting.

Rotary-cutting tips
Rotary cutters and rulers allow you to cut several layers of fabric simultaneously and accurately.

• With selvages even and long and cross grains aligned, fold or stack fabric in layers.

• To cut across fabric, align square ruler with one selvage, then position straight ruler along side edge of square ruler, just inside raw edge of fabric; cut from selvage to selvage, along cross grain.

• To cut strips, align appropriate measurement marking on straight ruler with cut edge of fabric; cut strips having required width or length of template. Using square ruler, trim selvages from strip ends.

• To cut squares, align appropriate measurement marking on straight ruler with cut end of strip; cut required number of squares. (Note: When making several cuts in different directions, check that edges of all fabric layers are even prior to each cut.)

Read more:
Knitted patchwork quilt
Quilt Canada!

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