Whimsyquilt Blue & Coral Whimsyquilt Pink & Sage

Whimsy Quilt
(Blue/camel/coral colourway)

This easy quilt is ideal for a beginner. It is made up of rectangles, sewn together into four
units, which are then sewn together into a large block. The rectangles are big enough to show
off the lovely Windy Days and Chambray fabrics. You can make another version of the quilt
if you like in a red, pink and sage colourway – see tildasworld.com for instructions.

Materials
• Fabric 1: ¼yd (25cm) – Aella blue (110030)
• Fabric 2: ¼yd (25cm) – Breeze coral (100346)
• Fabric 3: ⅝yd (60cm) – Skyler camel (100348)
• Fabric 4: ¼yd (25cm) – Chambray sage (160011)
• Fabric 5: ¼yd (25cm) – Chambray coral (160014)
• Fabric 6: ⅝yd (60cm) – Stormy blue (100343)
• Fabric 7: ¼yd (25cm) – Wendy blue (100341)
• Fabric 8: ¼yd (25cm) – Aella camel (110031)
• Fabric 9: ⅝yd (60cm) – Stormy coral (100349)
• Fabric 10: ¼yd (25cm) – Chambray petrol (160005)
• Fabric 11: ¼yd (25cm) – Aella teal (110032)
• Fabric 12: ¼yd (25cm) – Wendy camel (100350)
• Fabric 13: ¼yd (25cm) – Breeze blue (100344)
• Fabric 14: ¼yd (25cm) – Aella pink (110035)
• Fabric 15: ¼yd (25cm) – Chambray warm yellow (160015)
• Fabric 16: ⅝yd (60cm) – Skyler blue (100342)
• Wadding (batting): 65in x 83in (165cm x 211cm)
• Backing fabric: 4¾yds (4.25m) – Windy Walk blue (100345)
• Binding fabric: ½yd (50cm) – Meadow peach (130087)
• Piecing and quilting threads
• Quilter’s ruler, rotary cutter and mat

Fabric Notes
Many of the fabric patterns are directional and to present them this way a little more fabric is
required. Where a long quarter of a yard is given in the Materials list you could a fat quarter
instead, assumed to be approximately 21in x 18in (53.3cm x 45.7cm).

Finished Size
57½in x 75½in (146cm x 192cm)

General Notes
• Fabric quantities are based on a usable width of 42in (107cm) (selvedges removed),
unless otherwise stated.
• Measurements are in imperial inches with metric conversions in brackets – use only one
system throughout (preferably inches). Width measurements are generally given first.
• Press all fabrics before cutting.
• Use ¼in (6mm) seams unless otherwise instructed.
• Read all of the instructions through before you start.
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• Always make one complete block as a test before going on to make the remaining blocks.

Quilt Layout
1 The quilt uses a single large block, arranged in three rows of three blocks. All of the blocks
are made the same way and with the same fabrics. See Fig A for the fabrics used and Fig B
for the quilt layout.

Fig A Fabric swatches (Whimsy Quilt – blue/camel/coral colourway)

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Fig B Quilt layout (Whimsy Quilt – blue/camel/coral colourway)

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Cutting Out
2 The block is made up of four units, with four shapes (A, B, C and D) in each unit. The sizes
of these shapes (including seam allowances) and the number of pieces to cut are as follows –
see also Fig C and Fig D.
• Piece A rectangle 4in x 5½in (10.2cm x 14cm).
Cut nine of Shape A from each of Fabrics 1, 8, 11 and 14.
• Piece B rectangle 4in x 8in (10.2cm x 20.3cm).
Cut nine of Shape B from each of Fabrics 2, 7, 12 and 13.
• Piece C rectangle 6½in x 9½in (16.5cm x 24.1cm).
Cut nine of Shape C from each of Fabrics 3, 6, 9 and 16.
• Piece D rectangle 6½in x 4in (16.5cm x 10.2cm).
Cut nine of Shape D from each of Fabrics 4, 5, 10 and 15.

Fig C Cut pieces needed for the units

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Fig D Fabrics used for the units (see also Fig A).
Make 9 of each unit

3 Cut the backing fabric into two pieces 83in (211cm) x width of fabric. Sew them together
along the long side and press the seam open. Trim to a piece about 65in x 83in (165cm x
211cm).

4 Cut the binding fabric into seven strips 2½in (6.4cm) x width of fabric. Sew them together
end to end and press seams open. Press in half along the length, wrong sides together.

Making a Block
5 A block is made up of four units, with the A, B, C and D pieces arranged differently in each
unit (see Fig C and Fig D). Note: Make a single complete block first as a test block before
moving on to the rest of the blocks. This test block will ensure that you have cut the pieces
accurately and sewn them together correctly.

6 The making of Unit 1 is shown in detail in Fig E. Take shapes A, B, C and D and arrange
them as shown. Sew the pieces together in columns and press the seams open or to one side.
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Now sew the two sections together and press the seam. Check the size of the unit – at this
stage it should be 10in x 13in (25.4cm x 33cm).

7 Make the other three units in the same way, but arranging the A, B, C and D shapes as
shown in Fig D. Rearranging the shapes in this way creates a random, scrappy feel to the
quilt that looks attractive.

Fig E Making a unit

8 To assemble a block, follow Fig F, arranging the four units as shown. Sew the units
together in vertical pairs, pressing the seam of the first pair in one direction, and the seam of
the other pair in the opposite direction. Now sew the pairs together, matching the centre seam
neatly, and press. Check the size of the block – at this stage it should be 19½in x 25½in
(49.5cm x 64.8cm).

Fig F Assembling a block

9 Make the rest of the blocks using the same process as before – you will need to make nine
blocks in total. Check the unfinished size of each block.

Assembling the Quilt

10 When all of the blocks are made, lay them out in three rows, each with three blocks,
keeping their orientation the same. Sew each row of blocks together (Fig G). Press the seams
of row 1 and row 3 in one direction and the seams of row 2 in the opposite direction.

11 Now sew the rows together, matching seams neatly, and then press. Your quilt top is now
finished.
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Fig G Sewing a row of blocks together

Quilting and Finishing

12 If you are quilting the quilt yourself you now need to make a quilt sandwich – you can do
this in various ways, as follows.
• Use large stitches to tack (baste) a grid through the layers of the quilt in both directions,
with lines about 4in (10cm) apart.
• Use pins or safety pins to fix the layers together.
• Use fabric glue sprayed onto the wadding (batting) to fix the layers together.
If you are sending the quilt off to be commercially long-arm quilted you won’t need to make
a sandwich, as this is done when the quilt is mounted on the machine. When the layers of the
quilt are secured you can quilt as desired.

13 When all quilting is finished, square up the quilt ready for binding.

14 Use the prepared double-fold binding strip to bind your quilt. Sew the binding to the quilt
by pinning the raw edge of the folded binding against the raw edge of the quilt. Don’t start at
a corner. Using a ¼in (6mm) seam, sew the binding in place, starting at least 6in (15.2cm)
away from the end of the binding. Sew to within a ¼in (6mm) of a corner and stop. Take the
quilt off the machine and fold the binding upwards, creating a mitred corner. Hold this in
place, fold the binding back down and pin it in place. Begin sewing the ¼in (6mm) seam
again from the top of the folded binding to within ¼in (6mm) of the next corner and then
repeat the folding process. Do this on all corners. Leave a 6in (15.2cm) ‘tail’ of unsewn
binding at the end.

15 To join the two ends of the binding, open up the beginning and end of the binding tails,
lay them flat and fold the ends back so the two ends touch. Mark these folds by creasing or
with pins – this is where your seam needs to be. Open out the binding and sew the pieces
together at these creases. Trim off excess fabric and press the seam. Re-fold the binding and
finish stitching it in place on the front of the quilt.

16 With the quilt right side up, use a medium-hot iron to press the binding outwards all
round. Now begin to turn the binding over to the back of the quilt, pinning it in place. Use
matching sewing thread and tiny stitches to slipstitch the binding in place all round, creating
neat mitres at each corner. Press the binding and your pretty quilt is finished.