Splashback Quilt

FINISHED QUILT SIZE: 37” x 42”

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

ENGLISH PAPER PIECES

252 (3 packs) 1 ½” X 4 ½” Rectangles

12 (1 pack) 1 1/2" Half Square Triangles

Using a rotary cutter and cutting mat, you can also cut a rectangle into (3) 1 1/2" squares, and then cut each of those into Half Square Triangles. Repeat with a second rectangle to make (12) HSTs in total. 

FABRIC

252 fabric scraps at least 2 ¼”  x 5 ¼” for Rectangles OR

(36)  2 ¼” x WOF strips (you can fit 7 Rectangles per strip) OR

(84) 2 ¼” x width of fat quarter strips (we’re playing it safe here and calculating 3 Rectangles per strip - you might be able to squeeze 4 on a strip but only if your FQ is at least 21” wide)

So if your FQs measure at least 18” x 21”, then you only need 11 FQs (or 21 fat eighths)

(6) 2 ¾” squares of fabric for edge pieces

½  yard for binding

2 ½  yards for backing

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES

    50" x 55"" batting
    Rotary cutter/mat/ruler
    Embroidery scissors
    Hand-sewing needles (Bohin Milliners, size 9)
    50-weight thread (Aurifil)
    Fabric glue and/or Clover Wonder Clips*
    Sewing machine
    Pressing tools
    Perle Cotton for big stitch quilting if desired.
*See tutorial for more information on basting http://www.talesofcloth.com/epp101

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Fabric scraps: Cut each scrap to 2 ¼” x 5 ¼” OR

Strips: Cut each strip into 2 ¼” x 5 ¼” rectangles.

Cut a total of 252 Rectangles (cut 12 extra if you aren’t using Triangles)

Squares: Cut each square in half on the diagonal.

Binding: Cut (5) 2 ½” strips WOF

STITCHING THE HERRINGBONE BRAIDS:

1. Prepare all the pieces for the quilt by basting the fabric to the paper templates.

2. Starting at the top of the braid, place one Rectangle (yellow one in photo) right-side down and at right angles to the bottom of the 1st Rectangle (black) so that the bottom corners of both shapes meet (see photo for placement).

3. Whip-stitch the shapes together along the seam until you get to the end of the Rectangle. Stitch a few times to anchor the thread and snip. Open the shapes out.

4. Sew the next Rectangle (blue) to the bottom of the 1st Rectangle, aligning the bottom of this Rectangle with the edge of the 2nd Rectangle. 

5. The 4th Rectangle (pink) then gets sewn to the lower edge of the 2nd rectangle, at right angles to the 3rd Rectangle. Continue stitching Rectangles to the bottom of the braid (see photos) until you have 42 Rectangles sewn together.

6. Make 6 herringbone braids.

ASSEMBLING THE QUILT

7. Sew one Triangle shape to the top end of each braid.

8. Lay the rows out to check for pleasing colour placement. Number the rows.

9. Join the rows in numerical order. Place row 2 over row 1, right sides together. Using 3 stitches for anchoring the threads and small whip stitches for joining the fabric folds, sew the edges of the pieces together, bending the papers as needed to match the edges and corners (fig 1).

10. Add the rows one at a time, and remove the papers, if desired, once a row is completely surrounded. Doing so as you go makes the quilt a bit lighter to handle for sewing subsequent rows, but you can wait until the quilt is completed before removing papers if desired.

11. Sew a Triangle shape to the bottom left-hand corner of the quilt in and where each strip joins another (fig.2).

12. Once the quilt is complete, remove any remaining papers and press the quilt top flat.

FINISHING

13. Open out the turn-under of the outside edge pieces and press again.

14. Layer the backing (wrong side up), batting, and quilt top (right side up). Baste the layers together.  Quilt as desired. The featured quilt was machine quilted with in a chevron pattern across the quilt, ¼” above each row.

15. Trim the excess quilt top, batting, and backing 1/4” beyond the seam line where the papers have been.

16. Sew the binding strips together end to end using diagonal seams. Press the binding in half wrong sides together.

17. Leaving an 8" tail of binding, sew the binding to the quilt through all layers, matching all raw edges. Miter corners. Stop approximately 12" from where you started. Lay both loose ends of binding flat along quilt edge. Where these two loose ends meet, fold them back on themselves and press to form a crease. Using this crease as your stitching line, sew the two open ends of the binding together right sides together. Trim seam to 1/4" and press open. Finish sewing binding to quilt.

18. Turn the binding to the back of quilt and hand-stitch in place.