Strip Surprise Quilt

By: Linda Turner Griepentrog for Coats & Clark

If you are a beginner quilter looking for an easy yet impressive pattern, this one's for you. Strip piecing makes quilting much easier, but the interesting juxtaposed strip setting of this pattern creates a subtle heart design that looks much more intricate! Don't worry-- we won't let anyone in on your secret. This is a smaller quilt pattern that finishes at 37½" x 37½", so it is great for wall hangings. The pretty fabric used in this design are from the FreeSpirit Kaffe Fassett Collective-Classics, Island colorway.

Click here to Download the PDF Pattern!

Materials Used in This Pattern

- Coats & Clark® Dual Duty XP® All-purpose Thread
- Coats & Clark® Cotton Machine Quilting Thread
- 1 roll of 2½" (6.35cm) x WOF strips* (40 pieces)
- 1¼ yds (114.30cm) backing fabric
- 1¼ yds (114.30cm) very lightweight non-woven interfacing
- 45" (114.30cm), 1/3 yd (30.48cm) binding fabric
- 45" x 45" (114.30cm x 114.30cm) batting
- ¼" (.64cm) foot (optional)

This quilt pattern features Coats & Clark® Dual Duty XP® All-purpose Thread and Coats & Clark® Cotton Machine Quilting Thread.

You can find these materials here.

Cutting Instructions

From the interfacing, cut:
- (25) squares, 8" (20.32cm)

From the binding fabric, cut:
- (4) strips, 2 ¼" x WOF (5.72cm x WOF)
- Seam allowances are ¼" (.64cm).

Assembly

Note: Strips may be placed with the raw edges corner to corner exactly, or the strip can be centered on the corners. Either way works, and you can mix the two methods in the quilt for variety.

1. With right side up, lay one fabric strip diagonally corner to corner on an interfacing square and pin in place. Place a second strip face down, matching raw edges. Thread machine with Dual Duty Allpurpose thread. Sew along one edge. Flip the second strip right side up and finger-press the seam. Place a third strip face down on the second strip and sew the edges together. Flip open and finger-press.

2. Continue stitching and flipping strips in place to cover the entire square. Press the block. Trim the excess strip length even with the interfacing square.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a total of 25 squares.

4. Lay out five rows of five squares each, noting the angle in the quilt photo. Option: Change up the setting to produce entirely different looks with the same blocks.

5. Number the rows for easier assembly. Sew the blocks together in each row, noting that the strip seams will not match. Press seams in alternate directions for adjacent rows.

6. Matching adjacent block seams, sew the rows together in numerical order. Press the seams in one direction.

Finishing

1. Layer the back, batting and quilt top wrong sides together.

2. Quilt as desired using Coats & Clark Machine Quilting thread. Trim the batting and backing to match the quilt top.

3. Sew the binding strips together with diagonal seams. Press the seam open, then press the binding strip in half wrong sides together.

4. Bind the quilt, mitering the corners.