Medallion Along : September/Round 8

Robert Kaufman sponsored guild quilt made with Carolyn Friedlander's Botanics fabrics

Instead of a Block of the Month this year, we are doing a Medallion Along! Join us each month as we introduce a new round. We will introduce new rounds through September and hope that gives people time to finish their quilts by December's meeting, where we will have a mini exhibition of them. The completed quilts should finish around 74 inches square.

Hello! You've made it to the last border of the medallion along 2014! To finish off our beautiful medallion quilts we chose a braided or woven-look border that is fairly simple to execute but looks complex. My favorite type of quilting!

To get started, measure your medallion and confirm it is 60 1/2" on both sides. Note: all seams are 1/4".

Step 1.) Cut approximately (125)  8" stripes for your border blocks that range from 1 1/4" to 2 1/2" (you may need a few more or less depending on how wide you cut your strips). Sew strips together to make square blocks, press seams how you prefer, and then trim down to measure 7 3/4" x 7 3/4".  You will need 26 blocks.

Step 2.) Separate your blocks into 2 stacks.
Stack A: place 14 blocks vertical
Stack B: place 12 blocks horizontal. Then cut each block on the diagonal top left to btm right as shown in the picture keeping the orientation correct for each stack and each block.

Step 3.) With all blocks cut into triangles it is now time to arrange your borders. I found it helpful to layout all 4 of the borders first and then sew each row. Start with an outside triangle which is from the A stack of vertically cut blocks. Next place a B stack triangle from the horizontally cut blocks. (see photo below) Repeat until you have 13 triangles laid out, 7 outside A triangles and 6 inside B triangles.

Step 4.) To sew the triangles pieces together you will need to stagger the triangles so that there is a 1/4" hang on either side. (see photo below) This will allow a seam allowance for top and bottom. Press to the side each time you add a new triangle.

Step 5.) To attach the borders to the medallion quilt you will need to use Y-seams at the 4 corners. You can do this! Y-seams get a bad rap but they are easy if you set it up right in the beginning. Before stitching your border to the quilt mark each corner of your quilt at 1/4" from the end. You will end up with 8 small 1/4" marks, 2 on each side of your corners. (check out that small blue dot 1/4" from the edge in photo below)

Step 6.) Pin your border to your quilt top. Start with top/bottom borders and line up the point of your first triangle with the edge of you quilt (half of the triangle will overhang the quilt). Then start stitching at your marked 1/4" line all the way to the opposite side and the next marked dot at the end of the border. Press how you prefer. Repeat for all four sides.

Step 7.) Sew border edges with Y-seams. Take the 2 raw edges of the triangles that over hang the quilt and place right sides together and fold the quilt in half diagonally so that they lay flat from the marked points. (this might take a bit of finagling) Sew from the marked points on the quilt to the end of the triangles. Press seams open and admire that Y-seam. (don't be afraid to rip out the seam and try again if it's looking a bit bunched or doesn't lie right) (also I don't have a photo of this step but if you need help google: y-seam how to and lots of good tutorials pop up) Repeat for all 4 seams and you are done!

Step 8.) Pat yourself on the back and high five somebody 'cause you just made a medallion quilt!

If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will respond as best I can!
Thanks!
Kelly

Remember, we will be displaying these quilts in December at our holiday party/meeting, so that is your goal to finish them and get them quilted! Also, some will hang in Modern Domestic in February, how fun!