Sometimes you have just a little piece of special fabric but want to make a quilt out of it. This design only uses a small amount (1/2 yard) of focus fabric and adds a lot of coordinating 1-1/2″ strips. Use scraps or a honeybun or dig into your stash.
WINDOW BOX QUILT
37″ x 37″
MATERIALS
1/2 yard focus fabric
3/4 yard background fabric (here, white)
A LOT of 1-1/2″ strips. It is about 1 yard worth, or 530 inches. I used three colors here–green, pink and gold
CUTTING/CONSTRUCTION DIRECTIONS
Because this quilt has three different block styles, I will give cutting and contruction directions for each block style and then we’ll assemble the whole thing. Ready?
Block 1: Solid
1. From the focus fabric cut 12 squares 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″. Whew! That’s all there is to it!
Block 2: Square
1. From the focus fabric cut 6 squares 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″.
2. Turn to your pile of 1-1/2″ strips. For each “Square” block you will need 1 1-1/2″x 3-1/2″ strip, 2 1-1/2″x 4-1/2″ strips and 1 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ strip. I cut two sets in each of my three colors. Total of six sets for six blocks.
3. To construct the blocks take sew the 1-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ strip to the top of a focus fabric square. Press. Then attach one 1-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ strip to the right side. Press. Third, the second 1-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ strip to the bottom (press again) and the 1-1/2 x 5-1/2″ strip to the left side. One final press.
4. That makes one Square block. Now, back to step 2 and make five more. Total of six.
Block 3: Pieced
1. For each “Pieced block” you will need three different colors. I tried to mix them about evenly in the quilt.
For each pieced block you will need 1 1-1/2″ square for the center. For the next layer out, you will need 1 1-1/2″x 1-1/2″ piece, 2 1-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ pieces and one piece 1-1/2″ x 3-1/2″. These should all be the same color. For the final layer you will need 1 1-1/2″x 3-1/2″ strip, 2 1-1/2″x 4-1/2″ strips and 1 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ strip. You will make 18 sets for your 18 pieced blocks.
2. Here is my original idea diagram. Perhaps that will help with assembly.
Just be patient and go one layer at a time. Lots of pressing. It will be truly square if you do.
3. Once you are done with your first one, just keep going and make 17 more. Total of 18 pieced blocks.
ASSEMBLY
1. Lay out your blocks in a manner to please you. I used pieced blocks alternating with a combination of solid and square blocks. Six by six.
2. From the background fabric cut 60 strips 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ and 25 squares 1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″. Also, 2 strips 1-1/2″ x 35-1/2″ and 2 strips 1-1/2″ x 37-1/2″ for outer border.
3. Sew your rows together, alternating blocks with 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ sashing. Six blocks and five sashing per row.
4. Create sashing to go between the rows. Six 1-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ strips alternating with 1-1/2″ squares. These cornerstone squares keep your columns lining up during assembly.
5. Sew rows of blocks and sashing together.
6. Add the shorter border strips to the sides andthe longer ones to the top and bottom.
7. Ta-dah! A Window Box Quilt of your very own! It makes a great baby quilt or table topper. Enjoy!
WINDOW BOX GALLERY
Ann made this beauty for a fundraiser.
I made a second version and liked it just as much as the first!
…your beautiful creation HERE!
Wedding Dress Blue 
Fabulous tutorial. I love your colors so much, I’m tempted to make it in those, even though they definitely aren’t me. I think it’s the green that pulls me in. That’s me. =) Thank you for this.
Such a cute quilt for a baby. Blues, yellows and greens for a boy would be nice also. Thank you, thank you. You didn’t get lost. LOL.
Just beautiful! Thanks for the clear tutorial.
This is a great quilt. So doable, and I could use my stash! LOL Thanks for the tutorial. cdahlgren at live dot com
Beautiful! Nice way to showcase a favorite piece of fabric!! 🙂
so pretty…make a beautiful laprobe for a shut in also..all kinds of possibilities..thank you for the excellent tutorial…
Thank you! This would make a lovely project Linus quilt!
Thank you once more for another quilt tutorial. Instructions arrived just as I have a day to myself and badly needed. Pattern I mean. DIL is leaving for Adelaide in a week and a half to visit her new nephew that will be born next week. Granddaughter Miss Z is getting a new half brother from her Dad early next year and wants to help me pick fabric to make him a quilt. Gotta love how I’ve created a quilt monster in just 4 years of having her in the family. Love her and love her enthusiasm.
Thank you so much for all your t utorials
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
Very cute! Might have add to my ‘bucket list’.
What a beautiful quilt and great tutorial! I really like the focus fabric!
Good luck on your new quilt. I just had [ I hope], the window quilt e mailed
sent to my house. I envy that you can get so much accomplished. Thank
you so much for the tutorial. Esther L. Hart
Your tutorials are super. Have made the 100 block quilt in blue, and have one cut out in pink. Plus used the border on another quilt that has been stalled out for ages. This one is next on the list! Thanks.
I’m making this to be sold at a Siamese rescue fundraiser, the main block has kitties on it. Any idea what price I should put on it?
Pricing quilts is such a difficult thing. How have quilts sold before? How much time and materials do you have in the quilt? In general, I don’t believe we do ourselves or other craftsmen any favors by pricing our work too cheaply. At the same time, you want the quilt to sell and make money for a cause. I have had best luck with raffles as opposed to silent auctions. Live auctions also do well if you have the right auctioneer and group of supporters. That said, I can’t imagine parting with it for less than $100. But, you do what is right for you and, as I said, don’t go cheap. People equate value and price. Don’t price yourself low. One last thought, a carefully worded description (like dishes in fancy restaurants–THINK: “Tender sprigs of spring asparagus grilled to perfection and drizzled with an organic butter hollindaise sauce”) might be a good idea.
wondering if you could provide this pattern for a lap quilt.
it would be a ‘great’ lap quilt for elderly.