School Spirit Quilt

Hello...it's Jo and Kelli from Jo's Country Junction.  Some time ago while browsing the internet we saw a beautiful picture of an antique quilt done in red, white and black.  A couple days later we saw that Sweetwater had a new fabric line out, "Mama Said Sew" made in the similar colors.  That same day someone called and asked if we would donate a quilt for an upcoming school benefit.  Being our school colors are red, white and black, everything clicked and before we knew it we had designed a pattern inspired by the antique quilt and Sweetwater's "Mama Said Sew" fabric line for the upcoming school benefit.

Stop on over to our blog, Jo's Country Junction, to sign up for a great giveaway that will get you

started on your very own project using Sweetwater's Sew Mama Sew!

Mama Said Sew Fat Quarter Bundle
5/8 yard binding
1 1/4 yard outer border
1/4 yard extra of your favorite red from the line
1 yard Country Red Moda Solid for setting triangles
6 yards backing

 Sort your fat quarters into five piles.  Using the Mama Said Sew line, I created the following piles; red, light with red accents, black, light with black or gray accents, and gray.  I also set aside the prints that were either all light with no accents, as well as those lights that had highlights of red, gray, and black. 

You will need a total of:

                -9 light with red accents (I added a few of the lights that were set aside to get a total of 9)

                -6 red fat quarters + quarter yard red print

                -5 black fat quarters

                -5 light fat quarter with black or gray accents

                -3 gray fat quarters

Cutting Instructions

1.  Begin with the red focused blocks.  As 64 red blocks are needed, you will need to cut 2- 5”x22” strips from 7 of the red focused lights.  Cut one 5” strip from the remaining light fat quarters with red accents.  Subcut each of these strips into 5” squares to yield 64 light with red accent squares.  These will be used for the block centers

2.  From the lights with red accents, cut a total of 13 sets of 2” strips.  Subcut  into 2” squares.  Organize squares into sets of four.  You will be cutting a total of 65 sets and will be using 64 of the sets in the flip corners of the red blocks.

3.  From the red prints,  cut each into a total of 12-1 ½” strips.  After cutting each fat quarter into 12 strips, set the strips aside in a group.  From each set, cut 5 of the strips into 5” lengths and cut 7 of the strips into 7” strips.  You will have a total of 20-5” strips and 21-7” strips.  Set aside the 21^st 7” strip.

Using the quarter yard of red, cut a total of three 1 ½ “ strips.  Cut these strips into a total of 8 5” strips and 8 7” strips.

4.  Using the 5 black fat quarters, cut 2-5”x22” strips from each fat quarter.  Cut each strip into 4-5” squares for a total of 50 5” squares.  Set one aside.

5.  From the grey fat quarters, cut a total of 10 sets of 2” strips.  Subcut these strips into 2” squares, organizing them into sets of four.  You will be using 49 of these sets for the flip corners on the dark blocks.

6.  Using the 5 light fat quarters with gray or black accents, cut a total of 12-1 ½” strips from each fat quarter; set the strips from each fat quarter aside in a group.  From each set of 12 strips, use 5 to cut a total of 20-5” strips and a total of 21-7” strips. 

7.  Using the solid red fabric, cut 3 strips 10 ½” strips.  Subcut the strips into 8-10 ½” squares.  Cut the squares twice diagonally to yield a total of 32 triangles to be used as setting triangles.  Using the remaining fabric, cut 2-5 ½” squares.  Cut each square once diagonally to be used as the corner setting triangles.

Sewing Instructions

1.  To make one red square, you will need one light 5” square, 2 matching 1 ½” x 5” red strips, and 2 matching 1 ½” x 7” red strips.  Sew the 5” strips to opposite sides of the 5” square.  Press seam to the outside 1 ½” strips.


 Sew the 7” strips to the remaining sides.  Press to the outside 1 ½” strips.  Repeat to make a total of 64 blocks.



2.  Using a set of 4 light 2” squares, place each square on a corner of the block, right sides together.  Sew diagonally across the 2” square.  Repeat to cover each corner.  Trim one quarter of an inch from the outside of the seam. 




Press to the corner triangle.




Continue on each of the 64 blocks.

3.  Making the dark square is similar.  You will need one black 5” square, 2 matching 1 ½” x 5” light strips with black or gray accents, and 2 matching 1 ½” x 7” light strips with black or gray accents.  Sew the 5” strips to opposite sides of the 5” square.  Press to the dark center.  Sew the 7” strips to the remaining sides.  Press to the dark center.  Repeat to make a total of 49 blocks.

4.  Using a set of 4 gray 2” squares, place each square on a corner of the block, right sides together.  Sew diagonally across the 2” square.  Repeat to cover each corner.  Trim approximately one quarter of an inch from the outside seam.  Press to the corner triangle.  Repeat for each corner.  Continue to create flip corners on each of the 49 black/gray blocks.

Quilt Layout

1.  Sew the blocks together on point as shown alternating red and black blocks and adding the setting triangles.  Press well.

2.  From the border fabric, cut 8-4 ½” strips.  Join end to end.  Lay out and measure the quilt through the middle of the quilt.  Cut two border strips to this measurement.  Sew onto the appropriate sides of the quilt.  Repeat to add the border on the other side.

3.  Quilt as desired.  Bind using 2 ½” double fold binding.

83" x 83" quilt

Jo and Kelly Kramer
{www.joscountryjunction.com}