Road To Heaven
45" x 63"

This mystery lap quilt has been divided into two parts and this is Part I. If, after you've completed both parts, you want the quilt to be larger, you can either make more blocks or add borders.

This is one of those blocks that I love! Once you’ve got a few made your can play with them because you have so very many different design choices! We’ll do this quilt in two parts but the fabric and cutting instructions will be for both parts so make sure that you label the leftover pieces and put them away safely so that you can find them next month. (If you’re sewing room is like mine – it might be a challenge!)

Fabric Yardages:
Background: scraps to total 2 yds.
Medium/Dark: scraps to total 3 yds.

Cutting Instructions
Background Fabric
 44 squares at 5˝” Cut these once diagonally to get 88 half-square triangles
 92 squares cut at 3Ľ” Cut these once diagonally to get 184 half-square triangles
 4 squares cut at 5”

Medium/Dark Fabric
 96 squares cut at 2ľ”
 180 squares cut at 3Ľ” Cut these squares in half to get 360 half-square triangles

Piecing The Blocks

Using the triangles of both background and M/D fabrics, piece 144 half-square triangles. Press the seam allowances towards the darker fabric. Once you have them pressed, trim them down so that they measure 2ľ” edge to edge. (I had you cut them slightly larger than they needed to be so that you’d be able to trim them down.) When you’re finished you half-square triangles should look like the one shown.

Using all 96 of the M/D 2ľ” squares that you cut earlier and 96 of the half-square triangles that you just finished, make 48 block segments that look like the one pictured. These segments should measure 5” edge to edge (4˝” finished size).

Use 48 more of your half-square triangles to piece a larger triangle by adding “wings” to the edges. Add a M/D triangle to two edges of the half-square triangle as shown. Make sure that they look like the diagram!

Add a triangle that you cut from the 5˝” background squares to get a square. These triangles will be slightly larger than you need so that you can press it and then trim the square down so that it measures 5” from edge to edge (4˝” finished size). Your finished square should look like the one pictured.

Now you can put these two units together to create your blocks! You need 24 blocks that look like the one shown and they should measure 9˝” edge to edge (9” finished size). Make sure that you get your segments turned correctly. It’s easy to get them turned around!

Here are the instructions for the border blocks for Road to Heaven. They're simply more of the same but they sure make a nice border for this quilt!

Use the remaining 40 background and 40 of the M/D half-square triangles that you cut from the 3Ľ” squares make 40 more half-square triangles. Press the seam allowance toward the dark fabric and then trim them so that they measure 2ľ” from edge to edge (2Ľ” finished size).

Now using the last of your M/D half-square triangles (cut from the 3Ľ” squares) add “wings” to two edges of the half-square triangle you just completed. It should look like the one shown.

Add the remaining background triangles that you cut from the 5˝” squares to the edge so that you get a square. Press it well and then trim it so that it measures 5” edge to edge (4˝” finished size).

Now you’re ready to put it all together!! Don’t be afraid to play with these blocks to find different designs- that’s part of the fun! There are lots of designs that you can come up with so chose whichever one pleases you. If you chose to set your quilt the way I did mine you'll need the 4 background squares that you cut at 5" for the corners. If you’d like to make your quilt larger by adding more blocks or a borders – go right ahead!

Fractured Star

We've got a new Mystery Quilt for you! Once again this is a scrap quilt and will be lap size (approximately 52" x 64.5"). You can make it larger if you wish by making more blocks or by simply adding borders to it.

This quilt has three different blocks so we've divided the piecing into three segments. We'll add a segment each month in January, February and March.

You're going to need scraps that total about 4 yds. of background and about 3 1/2 yards of medium/dark fabrics. Don't forget! The more scraps the better the quilt!

Block 1. Fractured Star
Medium/Dark Fabrics
160 squares cut at 2ľ”
80 rectangles cut at 2ľ” x 5”

Background Fabrics:
320 squares cut at 2ľ”

Piecing the Blocks

Using the 2ľ” squares of M/D and background, lay one of each right sides together and sew a diagonal line from corner to corner so that you get a half-square triangle. Trim, flip and press the seam allowance toward the darker fabric. You need 160 of these and they should measure 2ľ” edge to edge.

Combine 80 of the half-square triangles that you just finished with 80 of the 2ľ” background squares to make the unit pictured. These units should measure 2ľ” x 5” edge to edge.

Using the remaining 2ľ” background squares and the M/D 2ľ” x 5” rectangles sew the unit pictured using the sew & flip technique. You need 80 of these units and they should measure 2ľ” x 5”.

Now you’re going to try something just a little different! Using the remaining 2ľ” half-square triangles and the units that you just completed, lay one of the half-square triangles on the end of the rectangle right sides together as shown in the diagram. Line up the edges and then sew diagonally from corner to corner as shown.

Make sure that you’ve got the triangle placed correctly and also make sure that you sew in the correct direction! Check everything before you trim off the seam allowance. You need 80 of these and they should look like the one in the diagram. They should measure 2ľ” x 5” when you’re done. Personally, I find this technique easier and (as long as I’m careful!) just as accurate as making little quarter-square triangles.

You’ve got all the pieces so it’s time to put the block together! Using the segments that you’ve just made plus the half-square triangle segments piece 80 units that look like the one shown. These units should measure 5” square from edge to edge when they’re complete.

Sew four of the units together to create your block. When you’re done the block should measure 9˝” edge to edge (9” finished). You should have 20 blocks. Isn’t this a neat looking block!

Block 2: Chain Block

Medium/Dark Fabrics
144 squares cut at 2”

Background Fabrics
96 squares cut at 2”
48 squares cut at 3˝”

Using the medium/dark 2” squares construct 12 four-patches that measure 3˝” edge to edge.

Now make 48 more four-patches using 96 each of the medium/dark and background 2” square. When you’re finished you should have 48 four-patches that look like the one pictured and they should measure 3˝” edge to edge.

Use the four-patches and the 3˝” squares of background to construct 12 chain blocks. Refer to the picture to make sure that you get all your four-patches turned correctly. When you’re finished, your blocks should measure 9˝” edge to edge.

Block 3: Setting Triangles & Corner Blocks

Medium/Dark Fabrics
 42 squares cut at 2”
 27 squares cut at 3 1/4" then cut twice diagonally to get 108 quarter-square triangles

Background Fabrics
 32 squares cut at 3˝”
 64 squares cut at 2”

Using the 28 each of the M/D and background 2” squares make 14 4-patches. They should measure 3˝” edge to edge when you’re finished (3" finished).

Using 36 of the 2” background squares and 72 M/D quarter-square triangles sew “wings” to two edges as shown in the picture. Make sure that you get the triangles attached to the correct edges of the background squares. You need 36 of these segments.

Now do the same thing with the remaining M/D 2” squares and the rest of the quarter-square triangles. You need 14 of these segments.

You should have 8 quarter-square triangles left. Sew them together into pairs as shown in the diagram. These are for the four corner triangles.

Setting Triangles

Use the four-patches, two of the “winged” segments (with the background square), one winged segment with the M/D square and two of the 3˝” background squares to make the triangle shown. You need 14 of these for the outside edge of your quilt.

You still need four corners and then you’re finished sewing blocks! Use the remaining pieces to put together four corners that look like the one pictured.

Putting It All Together

This quilt is put together on the diagonal so you need to start at one corner and work in diagonal rows. What works for me is to lay everything out first and then start sewing – but use whatever system works best for you! The finished size should be about 52ľ” by 62˝” If you’d like to make the quilt larger you can add some borders. Don’t forget to cut your binding, label it and put it safely away so that you don’t use it for a different project!

Road To Heaven45" x 63"

Road To Heaven
45" x 63"