Road to Tennessee

Today I am going to show you a very easy, versatile project. This is a vintage pattern called "Road to Tennessee."  I will be giving you alternate layout options and size options, depending on how many charm packs you have on hand.  I also have a sweet giveaway going on over at my blog (check below for the link).

4 charm packs
1 yard background fabric (I used the off white from Hometown)
1/2 yard binding
3 3/8 yards backing.

Because this pattern is so easy to adjust, I am including a chart of fabric requirements for as few as one charm pack or as many as 8.  Please note this tutorial is for the 4 charm pack option.  I will include alternate layout options at the end of the tutorial.

Cut 2" squares from your background fabric.  For this size we will need 288 background squares (# of blocks x 2= background squares needed).

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each 2" square.

Place a 2" square on opposite corners of each charm square.

Sew along the drawn lines.

Trim off all excess 1/4" from the newly sewn lines.

Press open to reveal 1 finished block.  Repeat with all your charm squares.

This step is not necessary, but I separated my blocks into 2 piles...dark/busy and light/simple.  This was just to try to distribute color more evenly.

Sew your individual blocks into v shaped pairs.  I sewed my lighter colors on the left side and the darker colors on the right side.

Press toward the lighter color and when you flip the blocks together, the seams will nest.

Now sew your pairs into O shapes and press open.

Sew into rows. and sew rows together.


Baste your quilt sandwich

Approximate fabric requirements for backing: 3 3/8 YD.


Construct 2 strips the width of the fabric and length at least 60.5. Sew strips together to form horizontal seams in the backing.


Binding

Fabric required: 1/2 YD. Cut 6 strips and sew together into a continuous binding strip.  Attach to the front of your quilt by machine and secure using a ladder stitch on the backside of the quilt. 


I took my extra charms and added a few other Moda prints to show you some alternate layout options:

 Xquisite

Xs and O's

Medallion

My buddy Andie from Andie Johnson Sews took pity on a computer challenged gal like me and did a mockup of this quilt in 3 Bella Solids:

Love that!

Photo courtesy of Chris Oliver

Here is another version I did in Modern Workshop by Oliver&S using 3 charm packs:

One super snuggly 54" x 54" quilt.   I hope you liked this tutorial.  If so, hop on over to my blog and see what else is goin' on!  Right now I am giving an accuquilt GO! Baby and 3 dies to one lucky reader.

Special Thanks to Chris Oliver for braving the 110 degree Texas heat to take my header photo! 

Mary Lane Brown

{The Tulip Patch}