"March" quilt tutorial

Many members at Quiltville Chat are planning to create a Green Quilt for the month of March. Bonnie's Jared Takes a Wife is the pattern being suggested by Bonnie, but I wasn't feeling up to that quilt. Instead, this quilt (pictured from a 2005 Fons & Porter calendar) has caught my eye. The directions have been long-lost, I'm sure! I found this in a box of goodies from my mother last summer. Here is what I've put together to make this baby though..... I'm simply calling it Shades of Green.


Fabric selections.
Greens: 13 FQ's & and a 1-yard cut that I plan to use for a border
Lights/creams/golds: I started with 8 quarter-yard cuts, but needed to add more. In the end, I think I used 14 quarter-yard cuts (that's 3.5 yards of fabric total)

From each green FQ, cut three 3.5" strips & three 2" strips. (note: you shouldn't need the 3rd strip unless you want to create some sort of pieced border or maybe you'll want some pieced binding???). I was also able to cut a 1.5" strip to toss into the 1.5 strip bins (SOME FQ's allowed me to cut a 4th 2" strip instead of the 1.5". I've set all the extra 2" strips aside for now.

From each of my original light 1/4 yard fabrics (there were 8 of them), I cut one 3.5" strip and three 2" strips. (Yeah, that's half an inch MORE than 1/4 yard, but my lady always allows for a smidge more! WHEW! If yours doesn't, you may need more than the suggested amount listed above in the fabric list.) When I needed to supplement some more, I only cut what I needed. Sorry that I don't have exact amounts here!!! But I'm fairly confident 14 quarter yard cuts will suffice.

From the green 3.5" strips and using the EZAngle ruler, you want to cut 5 SETS of 4 half-square-triangles (HST) from each fabric. (That's 20 total from each fabric). AND you want to cut five 3.5" squares. Cut wisely! I started by cutting the 20 HST's from the strips, then used the "scraps" to cut the squares. I was only left with a small sliver of fabric from the first two strips, and about 2 inches of scrap from the 3rd.


When completed, you'll have 20 HST's (5 sets of 4) and 5 3.5" squares from each fabric. Once you've cut all 13 fabrics, you'll have 260 HST's and 65 3.5" squares. (NOTE: You only need 252 HST's and 63 squares---the extras, I'm setting aside for now until I decide what to do with them.)


Using the 3.5" light strips, cut 260 HST's using the EZAngle ruler. These DO NOT need to be in any sets; complete randomness is they way to go. Again, you only need 252 HST's, but I went ahead and cut the other 8 just to have "matches" to go with the extra green HSTs.


Lay out one set of HST's; all 4 greens match and the lights should be random. (If you elect, go all scrappy with the greens as well! Your choice! :0) ) I'm keeping my quilt somewhat "Controlled Scrappy."





Sew right sides together. One nice thing about laying them out before sewing is you can try to match up notched pieces together. It doesn't always work out though. Press towards the greens, and clip those lovely Dog-Ears!! :0)




Using 25 of the 2" green strips and 13 of the 2" light strips (recall, my greens were cut from FQ's and my lights were cut from WOF), strip-piece together and press towards the greens. (Note: I threw in one more green strip (26 total) to complete the 13th light WOF strip). Subcut strips into 2" pieces; each strip-set should yield 10 cuts which should result in 260 total. You only need 248 for the proposed layout, but again, the more the merrier to be used in the extra blocks or to be used in a pieced border.

Sew into 4-patches, keeping them as random as possible. You will need 124 4-patches for the proposed layout; you'll have a few extra if you've cut 260 subcuts from above.





Using 26 2" light strips, strip-piece together randomly. Note: Before I sewed, I cut each strip in half (to make two 20-22" long strips) just to create more of a variety. Once pieced, press to either side and subcut into 2" sections. Make FAST work here by stocking up the cutting mat and cut away! 260 subcuts should be the result; We only need 256.



Sew into 4-patches, keeping them as random as possible again. There is no rhyme or reason here----go scrappy! You will need 128 4-patches for the proposed layout, you'll have a few extra if you've cut 260 subcuts from above.





Using one set of pieced HST's, one matching 3.5" green square and 4 "light" 4-patches, layout the "light block." Piece and press seams in one direction. You will need 32 Light Blocks total.






Using one set of pieced HST's, one matching 3.5" green square and 4 "green" 4-patches, layout the "Spinning Star" block. NOTICE the placement of the 4-patches! You want the greens to be diagonal-ing out from the center. Piece and press seams in one direction. You will need 31 Spinning Star Blocks total.



Once all the blocks are finished (I have only the 2 samples done at this point), here is my proposed layout. Please excuse the non-completeness of it. I drafted in up on Excel; but Excel doesn't allow me to color triangle-shaped pieces. So, I started hand coloring on the print-out until I had enough to see the pattern, but then I stopped. I think it should still be enough for you to get the idea. At this point, if you have a perfect 1/4 inch seam (I STILL don't, know matter how hard I try!!), the quilt measures 63"x81" before any borders.


Go creative with the border. I am AMAZED at some of the borders I see when reading blogs off the Quiltville group. For example, take a look at Threadbare's border on her DoubleDelight. That is AMAZING!

Okay, this should do it. I've double-read all the steps, and I don't think I've left anything out. Are there mistakes?? Probably! Just let me know if you have questions or if something seems to be incorrect!

Happy Quilting!

Update

Andee's version: Green Bay Packers
(http://moderndiary.blogspot.com
/2014/08/green-bay-packers.html)
LOVE!













Regina (Bitnbyaquiltingbug) shared her pre-finished layout with me. What creativeness on the color placements of her 4-patches!







Here is a shot of Judi's (in Ohio).