Walk in the park. Quilt patchwork Tutorial

A simple yet graphic throw shows it’s possible to successfully combine wovens and prints.
A neutral solid marries the playful fabric mix.



Materials
30-6x21" pieces or 2 1/2 yards total assorted prints and  plaids (blocks)
2 7/8 yards gray chambray (setting squares, border, binding)
3 3/8 yards backing fabric
60x82" batting

Finished quilt: 52x74"
Finished block:  3 1/2" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with  right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut fabrics
Cut pieces in the following order. Cut gray chambray border strips lengthwise (parallel to the selvages).

From assorted prints and plaids, cut:
118-4 3/4" squares
From gray chambray, cut:
7-2 1/2x42" binding strips
2-14x74" border strips
30-4" setting squares

About the quilt

Although the form of the block in Walk in the Park is the same as an hourglass block, the design and color placement are different. Designers intentionally avoided the placement of a traditional hourglass block, but rather randomly placed quarter-square triangles in a grid.
If you want to take this block more traditional and make it a classic hourglass, choose fabrics with clear contrast for the opposing triangles. But if you want the center panel to read as more modern by making it one unit instead of a series of blocks, opt not to differentiate the opposing triangles so you don’t see the hourglass pattern.

Make hourglass blocks

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of 59 assorted
print or plaid  4 3/4" squares.

2. Layer a marked print or plaid square atop an unmarked print or plaid 4 3/4" square. Sew pair together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1). Cut  pair apart on drawn line and press open to make two triangle-squares. Each should be 4 3/8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 118 triangle-squares total.

3. Cut each triangle-square in half diagonally to make 236 triangle halves (Diagram 2).

4. Layer two nonmatching triangle halves, aligning and pinning through center seams. Sew together to make a block (Diagram 3). Press seam open. The block  should be 4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 118 blocks total.

Assemble quilt  top

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out  117 hourglass blocks and the gray chambray setting squares in 21 horizontal rows, distributing colors evenly.

2. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams open. Join  rows to make quilt center; press seams open. The quilt center should be 25x74" including seam allowances.

3. Sew gray chambray 14x74" border strips to long edges of quilt center to complete quilt top. Press seams open.

Finish quilt

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2. Quilt as desired. Machine-quilted the blocks with stippling and stitched a swirl-and-pebble design in the setting squares and border (Quilting Diagram).

3. Bind with gray chambray binding strips.