Take half square triangles to the next level and combine three super-simple blocks for a crisp, graphic finish with Nicole Calver's modern Sunrise mini quilt
Combine warm peach tones with cool greens and low volume background prints to make your very own modern geometric quilt. This is a great first quilt project if you want to practise your patchwork as when finished, this quilt will measure just 24in square, so it won't take you forever to see your project spring to life. Mount it on a wall to brighten up office space or if you're really enjoying piecing up Nicole Calver's mini quilt pattern, why not play with the arrangement and keep going to whip up more quilt blocks and turn it into a full-size quilt?
Before you begin
If you're new to quilting, read our guide to quilting for beginners for tips on making your first quilt
Seam allowances are ¼in throughout, unless otherwise noted.
We recommend that you press seams open, unless otherwise noted.
Nicole has used fabrics from her own stash.
Abbreviations
RST = right sides together.
WOF = width of fabric.
HST = half-square triangle.
WST = wrong sides together.
This project is a great chance to play with patterns and perfect your fussy cutting
You will need:
Fabric (3 fabrics – A, B and C (3 fat quarters of each))
Fabric (½yd of background fabric:)
Wadding (26in square)
Fabric (¼yd for binding)
Cutting out
Step 1
From Fabric A (aqua) cut:
Four (4) 4½in squares.
Four (4) 3½in squares.
Two (2) 5in squares.
Step 2
From Fabric B (peach) cut:
One (1) 5in square.
Eight (8) 4½in squares.
Four (4) 47/8in squares. Cut these squares in half on the diagonal to make eight triangles.
Step 3
From Fabric C (citron) cut:
One (1) 5in square.
Eight (8) 2½in squares
Step 4
From the background fabrics cut:
Four (4) 9in squares.
Four (4) 4½in x 8½in rectangles.
Eight (8) 27/8in squares. Cut these square in half on the diagonal to make sixteen triangles.
Step 5
From the binding fabric cut:
Three (3) 2½in x WOF strips.
Pick an accent colour from your fabric for your quilting thread
Assembling the quilt top
Step 1
Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of all Fabric A squares, Fabric B 4½in squares, and two of the background fabric 9in squares.
Block 1
Step 1
Place two 9in background squares RST. Sew ¼in from either side of the drawn line and cut along the line (Fig A).
Figure A
Press each unit open and trim to 8½in square (Fig B). Repeat with the two remaining background squares.
Figure B
Step 2
Place one Fabric A 4½in square and one Fabric A 3½in square on opposite corners of a background HST. Sew along the lines and trim (Fig C).
Figure C
Press open to complete one Block 1 (Fig D). Make four (4) of Block 1.
Figure D
Block 2
Step 1
Repeat step 7, pairing one Fabric A and Fabric B 5in square to make two HSTs. Then make two HSTs, pairing one Fabric A and Fabric C 5in square. Trim each HST to 4½in square.
Step 2
Arrange your HSTs as shown (Fig E) and sew together in a four-patch to complete Block 2.
Figure E
Block 3
Step 1
Sew a background triangle to the top of a Fabric C 2½in square. Then add another triangle to the side (Fig F). Make eight of these triangle units.
Figure F
Step 2
Sew a Fabric B triangle to each of your triangle units from the previous step (Fig G). Trim each HST to 4½in square.
Figure G
Step 3
Sew the HSTs from the previous step together in pairs, as shown, with the Fabric B triangles meeting in the centre (Fig H).
Figure H
Step 4
Arrange a Fabric B 4½in square at one end of a background 4½in x 8½in rectangle, RST. Sew along the drawn line, trim and press (Fig I).
Figure I
Repeat on the opposite corner to make one Flying Geese unit (Fig J). Make a total of four Flying Geese units.
Figure J
Step 5
Sew one Flying Geese unit and one HST unit from step 13 together as shown to complete one Block 3 (Fig K). Make four of Block 3.
Figure K
Assembling the quilt
Step 1
Arrange your blocks in three rows of three, referring to our photo for placement. Sew together as you would a nine-patch block.
Step 2
Press the quilt top and backing well. Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then the quilt top centrally and right side up. The backing and batting are slightly larger than the quilt top. Baste the layers together using your preferred method.
Step 3
Quilt as desired. Nicole used her walking foot to add straight line quilting.
Step 4
Trim the excess batting and backing level with the quilt top edges and square up the quilt.
Step 5
Sew the binding strips together end-to-end using diagonal seams. Press the seams open and trim away the dog ears. Fold in half lengthwise, WST, and press.
Step 6
Sew the binding to the right side of the quilt, folding a mitre at each corner. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish. If you need a hand with this stage, head to our guide to How to bind a quilt.
Try mixing up the shades to suit your style – incorporate solids to highlight the centre block design
Janome-expert Nicole is a busy quilt designer who is also known as Snips Snippets. Her quilt patterns are regularly featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine and she also designs fabric for Riley Blake Designs. Her book, Playing with Patchwork & Sewing was released with C&T Publishing in 2020. Nicole’s signature style combines classic quilting techniques with modern prints and colour palettes. She started quilting after her son was born in 2010 and now quilts full time for a living. There a reason her beautiful quilts have gained a huge following – she creates modern quilt designs that use colour in clever ways to create patchwork that wows. Her Snowfall quilt pattern may be our favourite ever Christmas quilt. Explore her pattern shop and website at www.snipssnippets.ca.
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