Quilt Pattern

Pardon my absence these past few days...with the hectic-ness of getting the house ready, hosting Thanksgiving, and the mad clean up and a small bout of the flu thrown in there, I must admit, much sewing has not been done!  At last, I have finished writing up the pattern/tutorial for the simply squares/Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My! quilt!!  This is my first attempt, so bear with me, but here goes!

Simply Squares Quilt Pattern

Fabric Requirements

Quilt Top

Fabric A (Focus Fabric) : 1 yard

Fabric B: 1/2 yard fabric

Fabric C: 1/2 yard fabric

Fabric D: 1/2 yd fabric

Fabric E: 1/2 yd fabric

Fabric F: fat quarter (you will use just about every bit)

Fabric G: fat quarter (you will use just about every bit)

Quilt Back

 Solid H: 2 yards solid fabric

Solid J: 1 yard (if you don’t mind a seam through the middle of your smaller solid piece on the back) or 2 yards (this will allow for enough width to avoid a seam through your smaller solid piece on the back)

Pieced Portion: You will need an assortment of different height fabric scraps(total length needs to be 55 inches) that are featured on your quilt top that measure 8 1/2 inches wide.

  

Block Design

Block 1

• 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch square (You will be making 8 block #1s) 

Block 2

• (4) 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 inch blocks sewn together to make (1) 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch block (You will be making 6 block #2s)

  

Block 3

• 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch block inside of 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch block (you will be making 7 block #3s)

Block 4

•  (4) 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch block inside of 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 inch block sewn together to make (1) 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch block (you will be making 4 block #4s)

Cutting Instructions

Fabric A (Focus fabric)

• Cut (8) 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 inch squares. Set aside, label Block 1.

Fabric B

• From your 1/2 yard of fabric (with fabric folded in half, width wise, or selvage to selvage), cut 2 5 1/2 inch strips. Cross cut cut each strip 3 times, so you have (6) 5 1/2 squares from each strip, for a total of (12) 5 1/2 inch squares. Set aside, label fabric B, block 2. (Please note, below diagram is not drawn to scale)

Fabric C

• From your 1/2 yard fabric (with fabric folded in half width wise, or selvage to selvage), cut 2 5 1/2 inch strips. Cross cut each strip 3 times, so you have (6) 5 1/2 inch squares from each strip, for a total of (12) 5 1/2 inch squares. Set aside, label fabric C, block 2. (Please note, below diagram is not drawn to scale)

• Your cut fabric for block 2 should look like this:

Fabric D

• From your 1/2 yard fabric (with fabric folded in half width wise, or selvedge to selvedge), cut 2 6 1/2 inch strips. Cross cut (1) 6 1/2 strip three times, so you have (6) 6 1/2 inch blocks. Cross cut the second 6 1/2 inch strip once. You will have a total of (8) 6 1/2 inch squares. You will only need (7) total 6 1/2 inch blocks. Set aside (7) 6 1/2 squares, label fabric D, block 3.

Fabric E

• From your 1/2 yard fabric (with fabric folded in half width wise, or selvedge to selvedge), cut (7) 2 1/2 inch strips. From (2) of the strips, cross cut (3) 6 1/2 inch strips. From (1) 2 1/2 inch strip, cross (1) 6 1/2 inch strip. You should have a total of (18) 2 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch strips. You will need 14 of these. Set aside (14) 2 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch strips

• From (4) of the 2 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (2) 10 1/2 inch strips. You should have (16) 10 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch strips. You will only need 14 of these. Set aside (14) 10 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch strips and label fabric E block 3.

• Your cut fabric for block 3 should look like this:

Fabric F

• **Please note, you will use every bit of your fat quarter, there is no room for cutting error!**
• Align your fat quarter as pictured below. Cut (2) 3 1/2 inch strips. Sub cut the 2 strips, cross cut (4) 3 1/2 inch squares. You should have a total of (8) 3 1/2 inch squares. Set aside, label block 4.
• From the rest of your fat quarter, cut (9) 1 1/2 inch strips. From (3) of the 1 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (5) 3 1/2 inch strips.
• From (1) of the 1 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (1) 3 1/2 inch strip and (1) 5 1/2 inch strip.
• From the remaining (5) 1 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (3) 5 1/2 inch strips.
• You should have total of (16) 3 1/2 inch strips and (16) 5 1/2 inch strips. Set aside, label fabric F block 4.

Fabric G

• (Same cutting instructions as Fabric F)
• **Please note, you will use every bit of your fat quarter, there is no room for cutting error!**
• Align your fat quarter as pictured below. Cut (2) 3 1/2 inch strips. Sub cut the 2 strips, cross cut (4) 3 1/2 inch squares. You should have a total of (8) 3 1/2 inch squares. Set aside, label block 4.
• From the rest of your fat quarter, cut (9) 1 1/2 inch strips. From (3) of the 1 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (5) 3 1/2 inch strips.
• From (1) of the 1 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (1) 3 1/2 inch strip and (1) 5 1/2 inch strip.
• From the remaining (5) 1 1/2 inch strips, cross cut (3) 5 1/2 inch strips.
• You should have total of (16) 3 1/2 inch strips and (16) 5 1/2 inch strips. Set aside, label fabric G block 4.

• Your cut fabric for block #4 should look like this:

Block Assembly

Assembling Block 1

• This block is easy-peasy! Your 10 1/2 inch fabric square is your block! Set aside labeled Block 1

Assembling Block 2

• Take (1) 5 1/2 inch square of fabric B and (1) 5 1/2 inch square of fabric C. Sew together, right sides facing using a 1/4 inch inseam. Press seams open. Repeat until you have 12 sets of (1) fabric B square and (1) fabric C square sewn together with seams pressed open.

• Take (2) sets of sewn together fabric B’s and C’s. Align seams together so that (1) fabric B square is on top of (1) fabric C square, right sides should be facing each other. Sew the two blocks together using 1/4 inch seam, and press seams open. Finished Block 2 should look like this:

• You should have (6) 10 1/2 inch squares. Set these aside, labeled block 2.

Assembling Block 3

• Take (1) 6 1/2 square of fabric D, and (2) 6 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch strips. Sew the (2) 6 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch strip onto opposite ends of the 6 1/2 inch square using a 1/4 inch inseam. Press seam open.

• Take (2) 10 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch strips of fabric D. Sew the (2) 10 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch strips onto each long side (the side that has an exposed edge of your 6 1/2 inch square) using a 1/4 inch inseam, press open. You should now have a 10 1/2 inch finished square-in-square style block. Finished Block 3 should look like this:

• You should have (7) 10 1/2 inch squares. Set these aside, labeled block 3.

Assembling Block 4

• To assemble block 4, you will essentially be making (4) smaller scale block #3s and sewing them together to make a finished 10 1/2 inch block.
• Take (2) 3 1/2 inch squares of fabric F and (4) 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric G. Sew (2) 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips onto opposite ends of each 3 1/2 inch square using a 1/4 inch inseam. Press seam open.

• Take (4) 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric G. Sew (2) 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips onto each long side (the side that has an exposed edge of your 3 1/2 inch square) using a 1/4 inch inseam, press open.

• Now, Take (2) 3 1/2 inch squares of fabric G and (4) 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric F. Sew (2) 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips onto opposite ends of each 3 1/2 inch square using a 1/4 inch inseam. Press seam open.

• Take (4) 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric F. Sew (2) 5 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch strips onto each long side (the side that has an exposed edge of your 3 1/2 inch square) using a 1/4 inch inseam, press open.

• You should now have (4) 5 1/2 inch square-in-square style blocks, (2) with fabric F as the center fabric, and 2 with fabric G as the center.
• We will finish this block in a similar manner to block #2.
• Pair (1) 5 1/2 inch block with fabric F as the center with (1) 5 1/2 inch block with fabric G as the center. Sew each set together, right sides facing using a 1/4 inch inseam. Press seams open.

 

• Take (2) sets of sewn together blocks. Align seams together so that (1) fabric F centered square is on top of (1) fabric G centered square, right sides should be facing each other. Sew the two blocks together using 1/4 inch seam, and press seams open. Your finished block should look like this:

• You should have 4 completed 10 1/2 inch blocks. Set aside, labeled block #4.

Assembling your quilt top

• Now that all the blocks are constructed, it’s time to assemble your quilt top. Using the below diagram as a guide, place your completed blocks on a design wall or floor space.
• Sew blocks together, row by row, using 1/4 inch seams and press seams open, until you have 5 rows consisting of 5 blocks per row.
• Now sew each row together, again using 1/4 inch seams and pressing seams open.
• Ta-Da! You should now have a completed quilt top that measures 50 inches x 50 inches.

Assembling your Quilt Back

• Sew your assortment of 8 1/2 inch wide fabric scraps featured on your quilt top together, right sides together using a 1/4 inch inseam until you have a length of 55 inches. Press seams open.
• Take your 2 yard piece of solid fabric and cut to 35 1/2 inches x 55 inches.
• Take your 1 or 2 yard piece of solid fabric for the smaller part of your solid quilt back. You need the total size to be 13 1/2 x 55 inches. Again, if using a 2 yard cut of fabric, you will have enough to avoid a seam through the middle of your sold. If you decide you don’t mind the seam, cut your 1 yard piece of fabric, so you have (2) 1 yard x 21-22 inch pieces of fabric. Sew these together so you have one long 2 yard x 21-22 inch piece of solid fabric. Cut this so that it measures 13 1/2 x 55 inches.