Windows by the Hundreds is My New Quilt

Hey--

This is Windows by the Hundreds, although you cannot see the whole quilt.  It is 81.5" by 96.5" and 10 blocks by 12 blocks.  Does it look a little  complicated to piece?  It's NOT!....not even a little bit!

This is my original design, at least I hope it is.  I did design this quilt all by myself, but I make no guarantees that someone, somewhere has not done something similar.  (Did you hear the one about the new quilter who proudly told her friends that she made her own original block?  Turns out it was a 9-patch.)

This quilt is so easy because it is made up of 2 blocks that alternate.  In Block A, on top, the two burgundy fabric strips are oriented vertically.  In Block B, below, the three burgundy fabric strips are oriented horizontally.  Both blocks are 7.5" finished.

For the burgundy strips, cut 300 - 2" x 8" strips.  That takes about 3 1/2 yards.  It looks nice if the border is burgundy also.  That's another yard.  I am allowing some extra  for shrinkage and boo-boo's.  I cut out the borders first, the long way so they did not have to be pieced.  I made made them a little longer than was needed, about 95" x 3 1/4" to allow for contingencies (a fancy word for more boo-boos!)  Then I cut my 2" strips out of the remaining fabric.

If you use your scraps for the 2" squares, it would require the equivalent of 3 1/2 yards in assorted scraps.  I hope you use your scraps, because I think they make the most fun and interesting quilts!

The pieced strips are made up of five 2" squares, starting with a dark square, adding a light neutral square, and alternating until you have five.  The pieced strips should measure 8" by 2".  They need to be accurate because they are going to be sewn to burgundy (or whatever color you choose) strips that are also 8" x 2."

If you aren't getting your pieced strips to be 8" by 2," then adjust your seam allowance or check that you are cutting accurately.

For the size of my quilt, I made 60 of Block A and 60 of Block B.

Now you have your 120 blocks and they must be assembled into rows.  You need to know that half of the rows start with an A Block and half start with a B Block.  You can call them A rows and B rows and they alternate.  If you have used lots of different scraps so far then it really does not matter which A Block goes next to a B Block.  You can make two piles of blocks and just randomly piece them as long as they....drum-roll....alternate!

When you get the body of your quilt pieced (10 blocks across by 12 blocks down), press it all very carefully to get the true size of it.  Place two border strips together and then place them down the ***CENTER*** of the quilt body vertically.  If you trim the borders to fit the center, your borders will fit and your quilt will be square.  After sewing on the right and left borders and pressing them, then do the same process with your top and bottom borders.  The only difference is that the top and bottom borders must go across the center and cover the two side borders. Trim and sew.

I made a scrappy back for Windows by the Hundreds that incorporates a few extra blocks that I had.

Quilt, bind and label and you're ready for show 'n tell with your quilting friends!