Autumn Tessellations - by Chris Franses

Updated: 27 September 2010

If you have made the Autumn Log Cabin Quilt in the October issue (201), then here is a project to use up those left over Log Cabin strips. If not, it is a great way to use up more of your stash.

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Size: Quilt 37" square, Block 3½" square, Unit 1¾"

REQUIREMENTS

• Left over strips from Autumn Log Cabin – or selection of autumnal strips/fabrics.
• 1m accent fabric (autumn print)
• 1m border and binding fabric
• 42" square backing
• 42" square wadding

I have made a ‘controlled’ design for my quilt – that is I have used the same fabrics to create each pinwheel. If you use fabrics with a strong contrast between light and dark then you can make a truly scrappy quilt – the pinwheels will still show.

Cutting
1. Cut light strips 2¼" long by 1¼" wide.
2. Cut dark strips 2¼" long by 1½" wide.
You will need a minimum of four strips of each fabric if you are making the more controlled pattern. You will need to make 36 blocks.

Quilt top
For the controlled design you will need a design wall – or a spare bit of floor/table/bed or other surface – to follow Step 1. If you are going for a truly scrappy look, start at Step 2.

1a. Arrange your strips so that each of the 4 dark strips form a pinwheel, dia.1a.
b. Place the light strips to form the pinwheels in between, dia. 1b.
2a. When you are happy with your arrangement stitch the light and dark strips in to pairs to make the units, dia.2a.
b. Stitch the units into fours to make a block, dia. 2b. You will need 36 blocks.
3. Stitch the blocks together to complete the quilt top e.g. ‘controlled’ design, dia. 3a or ‘scrappy’ design, dia. 3b.

At this point you can just add borders if you wish. Or you can add one narrow contrast border before setting the top on point. Or you can leave it as it is – as I did.

To set the top on point
1a. Measure the finished size of the pressed top.
b. Cut 2 squares from the accent print that is this measurement divided by 1.414 plus ??. If you’re cautious you can add a bit extra for luck as you can always cut the triangles down, it’s a bit harder to make them a teeny bit bigger.
c. Cut the squares in half diagonally to give 4 setting triangles.
d. Stitch these to the four sides of the quilt – do opposites first, as you would for putting borders on, dia. 4.
e. Press carefully.
2a. Measure the quilt top through the middle and cut 2 border strips this length by 4½" wide.
b. Stitch to the sides of the quilt.
c. Measure again and cut 2 border strips this length by 4½" wide and stitch to the top and bottom of the quilt, dia. 5. Press.

Completion
Layer the quilt top, wadding and backing.
Quilt as desired – I quilted a swirl of leaves all over mine in a variegated thread.
Bind to finish and don’t forget to add a label.

Don’t forget, we’d love to see photos of your quilts in due course.