Merry, Merry and Modern Quilt

This is a repost from July featuring Merry and Mod fabrics by Windham. My finished quilt is hanging in my hallway and I can see it several times a day. This is such a fun and easy technique that I'm sure you'll want to try it with your own holiday fabrics (or go buy some of the Merry and Mod!)

Merry and Mod by Windham Fabrics

Here also is Diamond Dust, a set of blenders that I used with Merry and Mod. They are rich rainbow colors and even include some neutrals (black, browns, grays). Can you say "sparkle!"

Diamond Dust blenders

I like to build my quilts from the center out. I knew I wanted to feature that lovely circular motif and so I grabbed one of my tried and true patterns and set to work. Remember, I only have fat quarters (and that means that's all I have for borders, too). You'll have to follow along to find out where I'm going!

I figured out the size circle I needed to capture as much of the motif as I could. Yes, that also meant that I "bit" into the neighboring motifs. Big sigh, but it's for the end result of a beautiful quilt, so I went ahead and just did it! This is my freezer paper template. Though it's pinned, I was also able to iron it onto the fabric so it didn't shift as I cut it out (pins removed).

Capturing the beautiful motif

Here is that center circle and the Diamond Dust fabrics I chose to go with my plan. Isn't that an awesome circle. (I interfaced it to turn the edges under).

Here is the ruler that I used to cut out those Diamond Dust wedges. Now do you know where I'm going? I bet you have one of these EZ Dresden-type rulers in your sewing room drawer.

18 degree Dresden Plate ruler

Time to stitch 20 wedges! Sewing along the wider side and then turning it around will give the natural point to the wedge.

Stitch along the wider of the two short ends

I chose two of the light prints for my background squares. I cut two 10-1/2" squares from each of the prints. Then I stitched my wedges together as you can see below. Aren't they so pretty?

Auditioning the parts

I do NOT make a full circle of wedges and then attempt to sew them to a larger square. Ask me why?!! You would have NINETEEN seams that would have had to have been sewn PERFECTLY. It just doesn't happen. So, I work with sets of 5 wedges and then align them to the background squares as shown above. The sides of the squares are the most important. If I need to shave anything to fit, it will be some of the sides of those outside wedges.

For more steps and photos for my process, visit my Fiesta! blog post from last year. This is the same project!

I do not join the squares until I remove the background fabric from behind the stitched wedges. This is what I did for the Fiesta quilt. Now the 4 squares are ready to be joined into the center.

The back of one of four stitched units

But, wait! There's a hole in the center. Of course; that's where that lovely fussy cut motif will be put.

Quick! Cover me up!

I centered the interfaced motif circle over that gaping hole and stitched it down by machine with a small zig zag. Yes, you can see the interfacing through the hole. You must leave it on through this step. It helps to stabilize the edges of the circle so they don't flop around.

From the back

Then it's time to trim all that excess away, including the interfacing.

Trimming away inferfacing (from center circle) and excess blade fabrics

Now can you see how neat and tidy this is from the wrong side!

Now, because I was working with ONLY fat quarters, I needed to get creative with my borders. I selected the perfect fabric for that, but it only measures 18" x 22". I cut four 4-1/2" x 22" strips and then had to create some border corner squares. I'm back to that awesome motif fabric and here is how I centered my design.

Freezer paper template with window so I can center the motif

And let's see the finished quilt, ok? I added some of that green gingham print to the four corners of my center Dresden and also used it for the binding. A thin red inner border which is also repeated in those corner squares on point. She's lovely, right?

Merry and Mod Dresden Plate quilt: 30" x 30"

You can see the collection at the Windham Fabrics web site. Check it out at your local quilt shop!