Linked Octagons Quilt

Hi everyone! My name is Anjeanette and I blog at byAnjeanette.blogspot.com. I am delighted to be sharing my first Moda Bake Shop project with you. I have been following Moda Bake Shop since its first recipe, and have been hooked on pre-cuts ever since. I designed a fun quilt with columns of linked Octagons. The background is a secondary pattern with the same linked octagons in columns. It is super easy to whip up with your favorite Layer Cake and some yardage. How lucky for me that I got to play with Fig Tree Quilts new Avalon line. This quilt would look awesome in a more bold line too.

1 layer cake (Avalon by Fig Tree Quilts)

3 yards Background/sashing ( Avalon Wicker Grey)

3 5/8 yards Backing fabric (Avalon Nantucket)

3/4 yards Binding (Avalon Candy Apple Red)

Batting for finished size of 62″ X 62″

* It is important to have a consistent 1/4″ seam allowance.
1. From the Layer Cake select 25 squares and cut to 9.5″ X 9.5″ squares

2. I took out all my blue blocks from the Avalon Layer Cake and cut into (20) 3.5″ X 3.5″ squares. I had to use the scraps to piece a few of these together. I just chose the fabric with the smallest scale so it wasn’t too noticeable.

3. From the background fabric cut:

(8) WOF strips @ 3.5″ for the outside border

also cut

(13) WOF strips @ 3.5″ subcut into:
         (16)    12.5″ X 3.5″ rectangles
         (140) 3.5″ X 3.5″ squares
          (4)     9.5″ X 3.5″ rectangles

4. Take (100) of the background 3 1/2″ squares and press diagonally in half (a). Open them up and pin to the corner of your 9 1/2″ square (b). With right sides together, sew directly on the pressed line. Trim to 1/4″ (c) and press open (d). Sew all four corners this way creating your snowball block.

5. Make 25 Snowball blocks.

6. For the set in sashing, sew together in a strip: (1) background 3.5″ square, (1) blue 3.5″ square and (1) background 3.5″ square. Press your seams towards the blue.

7. Pin the set in sashing piece to the snowball block and sew.

8. Press the seam open. Make (20) of these blocks.

9. Sew the 12.5″ X 3.5″ rectangle to your snowball + set in sashing block. Make (16) of these blocks.

10. For the bottom row blocks, sew (1) snowball block + (1) 9.5″ X 3.5″ rectangle together. Make (4) of these blocks.

11. Layout your blocks to your liking.

*Notice your first four rows will have (4) complete blocks and end with (1) snowball + set in sashed block. Your bottom row will have (4) snowball + sashing blocks and (1) lonely snowball block. I have included a line drawing of the layout.

12. Carefully match seams and sew blocks into rows. Carefully matching seams again, sew rows together.

13. Sew two border strips (WOF X 3.5″) together. Do this for all four sides. Sew to your quilt top and bottom. Press and trim to the edge of the quilt. Sew side border on. Press and trim to the edge of quilt.

14. Cut strips of 2 1/2″ X WOF and piece together for binding.

15. Make a quilt sandwich, baste, quilt, and bind using your favorite method.

I quilted the background Linked Octagons with organic (not perfect) echos of the linked Octagons to reinforce the shape and then did a big meander in the layer cake linked Octagons. I think this red polka dot binding and the blue floral backing combination is my favorite ever. This quilt makes me wish the winter would hurry and turn into spring so I can enjoy a picnic on it.