Australian Homespun — June 2017

Cutting

1

From the assorted print fabrics, cut:

• 390 squares, 2^11 ⁄ 2 in.
  If you’re using 10in pre-cut squares,
  you’ll easily be able to cut nine
  squares from each one, which is
  enough for the eight outer squares on
  a block plus one centre one OR two
  inner rounds of four squares plus a
  centre one. Unless you’re aiming for
  a completely scrappy look, you need
  to cut squares in sets of eight (outer
  round), four (inner round) and a single
  one for each block, so keep this in
  mind as you cut the squares.
  Alternatively, Emma suggests cutting
  more than 390 squares so you can
  achieve the right balance of fabrics
  in each block, keeping the leftover
  squares for other projects.

2

From the white tone-on-tone

print fabric, cut:

• 23 strips, 2^1 ⁄ 2 in across the width of
  the fabric and crosscut each one into
  16 squares, 2^1 ⁄ 2 in to make a total of
  368 squares – only 360 are needed
  for this quilt (blocks)
  
  
  • Six strips, 2^1 ⁄ 2 in across the width
    of the fabric and crosscut four
    strips, 2^1 ⁄ 2 x 9^1 ⁄ 4 in from each one
    (24 vertical sashing strips)
  
  
  • Seven strips, 2^1 ⁄ 2 in across the
    width of the fabric (horizontal
    sashing strips)
  
  
  • Seven strips, 5^3 ⁄ 4 in across the
    width of the fabric (border).
  
  
  
  

3

From the stripe print fabric, cut:

• Seven strips, 2^1 ⁄ 2 in across the
  width of the fabric (binding).

Granny Square blocks

4

This step is optional. Emma

recommends spending some time

laying out the coloured squares for all

30 blocks, as shown in Diagram 1, so

you get combinations of prints that

you like in all the blocks. This avoids

ending up with too many fabrics

repeated in the fi nal blocks or having

several blocks with the same fabrics.

When you’re happy with all the

combos, clip (or pin) the bundles

of squares together for each block

so they don’t get mixed up again.

5

For the fi rst block, lay out the

coloured squares with white

squares around them, as shown

in Diagram 2. Make sure that any

directional prints are all facing

the same way.

6

Join the squares in rows, as they

were laid out. Press the seams

in each row as shown by the arrows

in Diagram 3.

7

Sew the rows together to form a

block with jagged edges and press

the seams as shown by the arrows

in Diagram 4. The seams should nest

and match at all the intersections.

EMMA’S FABRIC

TIPS When picking fabrics

for this project, I had 17 leftover

squares from a Moda layer cake

in reds, greens, yellow and a touch

of taupe. To select additional

fabrics, I pulled out nine colours

from the fabrics that I already had

and matched them to other prints

from my stash so they all worked

together, despite being from

diff erent fabric ranges. If you want

a scrappier look to your quilt, widen

your choice of fabrics, which would

also make it a great stashbuster.

EMMA’S SIZING TIP

This is a really easy quilt to make

larger or smaller by simply making

more or fewer blocks. For example,

you could try a layout with six rows

of six or four rows of three blocks.

Granny Square block

Diagram 1 Diagram 2

Diagram 3

Diagram 4