Red and White Challenge

I am so excited about SewCalGal‘s Red and White Design Challenge–a red and white quilt has always been on my quilter’s “bucket” list.  I was inspired by pictures of mosaic floors and tile work to design these quilts in EQ7. My ‘Rising Star Medallion’ quilt measures  64 1/2″ x 64 1/2″ and requires 5 3/8 yards red and 4 1/8 yards white fabric for the quilt top, 7 1/2 yards fabric for the backing, and 1/2 yard red for the binding.  (Whew! that seems like a lot of fabric, EQ7 frequently over estimates the amount of fabric needed.  However, I’d much rather overestimate yardage than not have enough, I just add the excess to my stash!).  To calculate the fabric needed for backing and binding, I used the calculators found on The Quilter’s Paradise,

The  ‘Rising Star Medallion’ quilt features the following blocks from Barbara Brackman’s Blockbase:   “The Rising Sun”, Finley #3445, the first border uses the block: “Sonnies Playhouse,” Kansas City Star 1935 #N023, and the third border uses: “Lover’s Knot,” Old Chelsea Station Needlecraft Service/Laura Wheeler #3010.

Red and White Challenge 1

I designed several quilts with these blocks.  Some are more challenging than others to piece, and some have a more modern aesthetic, such as the following which uses the Lover’s Knot block:

Red and White Challenge 2

The ‘Lover’s Knot’ quilt is 36″ x 36″, and requires the following fabrics:  3 yards medium red, 1/4 yard dark red, and 1 1/2 yard white (backing and binding included).

Lastly, I designed ‘Sonnies Knot’ quilt as a bed quilt, it is 82 1/2″ x 99 1/2″, and requires the following fabrics:  6 3/8 yards medium red, 1 yard dark red (plus 1/2 yard for the binding), and 6 3/4 yards white.  The backing will require 8 1/4 yards (I’m considering red minky for the backing to make it super snugglie).

Red and White Challenge 3

I really appreciate SewCalGal‘s hosting of the Red and White Challenge, and EQ7 and Island Batik.  Batiks are wonderful fabrics to work with when doing precision piecing because their higher thread counts will stand up to the shorter stitch length used in foundation piecing, they are easily pressed, and their bias edges don’t stretch as much as quilting cottons.  I am planning several tutorials on precision piecing as the Red and White Challenge progresses to the construction phase.  Please look at SewCalGal’s blog for all of the red and white designs.

I’m linking up with SewCalGalDesign Wall Monday, Sew Cute Tuesday, Anything Goes Mondays, Show and Tell Tuesday, and Freemotion by the River.  I follow all of these blogs.


Have a quilty day!