Sewing the spring quilt from the center out

In today’s post, we start putting together all the gorgeous cut up pieces of Northcott’s Stonehenge Gradations Brights to make the center of our quilt!

The center is constructed of four identical panels with the exception of one square unit in each. When the panels are joined together the four different squares become the center of the star.

Let’s begin!

Make hst Fabric Pairs

The majority of the pieces in the panels are half square triangle (hst) units. We’ll make the units needed for all four panels at once.

To start, match Fabric A (39300-62) background blue 5″ squares with the fabrics below:
4 of Fabric B (39301-85) for a total of 8 hsts
2 of Fabric C (39300-85) for a total of 4 hsts
4 of Fabric E (39303-84) for a total of 8 hsts
8 of Fabric G (39302-72) for a total of 16 hsts
4 of Fabric H (39303-71) for a total of 8 hsts

You’ll also need the following pairs:

4 Fabric C with 4 Fabric F for a total of 8 C/F hsts
8 Fabric G with 8 Fabric H for a total of 16 G/H hsts

Make hsts

Make the half square triangle units by drawing diagonal line on back of Fabric A {background} 5″ square. I put a reusable cloth bag, made of canvas fabric, underneath – its little bit of texture helps keep the fabric from shifting.

1. Put the fabric pair together, with right sides facing.
2. Sew ¼ʺ away from each side of the drawn line.
3. Cut on the drawn line; press the seam to the background fabric.
4. Trim each hst to 4½ʺ square.

Lay Out Pieces for 1 Panel

Use the photo and a design wall to layout the pieces for one quarter of the center as shown.

The top left 4½ʺ square is Fabric E in this panel.

The middle four – 4½ʺ squares are from top left clockwise:

Fabric F       Fabric E

Fabric B      Fabric  D

Sew Column Pieces

Sew the second and third column pieces together; press the seams to the middle.

Sew the column pieces together in columns 5 and 6 as well; press the seams to the middle.

Sew Columns

Continue to sew each column together.

Press the seams in alternate directions, first column up and the second column down, and so on.

Sew first two columns together, as well as the last two columns together.

Press the seam to each outer column.

Sew the two sections of the column together; press the seam to the previous right section.

Make 3 More Panels

Use your first completed panel as a guide to make three more identical panels – changing out only the top left square.

The completed one has Fabric E 4½ʺ square; of the remaining panels, one will have a Fabric B, one a Fabric C and a Fabric F.

Join Panels to Make Center

1. Layout the four quarters of the center as shown in the photo.
2. Sew the units together in pairs; press one pair’s seam to the left and one to the right.
3. Then sew the pairs together.

The largest section of the quilt is now assembled! The Stonehenge Gradations Brights fabrics from Northcott make these large, simple geometric shapes shine. I love looking at it :) In the next post we’ll put together the top and bottom border elements of the quilt.