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Patriotic Scrap Quilt
Bonus
Chapter
In This Chapter
• Preparing the Tippecanoe block
• Hints in choosing fabrics for a scrap quilt
• Learning how to make and use a windowed template
• Special cutting techniques for making fussy cuts
One of my students gave me a bumper sticker that says “The quilter who dies with the most fabric
wins!” With all the red, white, and blue fabric she used in her two Patriotic Scrap quilts, Holly
Ciccoricco might just be the winner!
These quilts are a fabric collector’s dream. Holly had been searching for patriotic fabrics for several
years. She had amassed quite a large assortment of red, white, and blue fabrics. Once she started
piecing these quilts, people started donating their scraps. It is impossible to calculate how many
different fabrics she used, but her plan was that no two blocks were the same. She has succeeded!
Patriotic Scrap Quilt
Look how each block of these Patriotic Scrap quilts uses different fabrics.
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Patriotic Scrap Quilt
The name of the block is Old Tippecanoe.
This block has only one template, a triangle.
However, there are 32 triangles. The fun in
putting this together is how changeable the
design can be with the variation of the color
placement. The solid lattice frames each star
to give them a definition of their own. Start
your own challenge quilt, and make each block
appear different. Holly did on both of the twinsize quilts she made—all with different color
variations. That’s very impressive.
Scraps and Pieces
Tippecanoe may sound like a strange
name, but it has historical significance.
Benjamin Harrison, famous for the battle of
Tippecanoe, used as his presidential slogan,
“Tippecanoe and Tyler, too” because his
running mate was John Tyler. These political
and commemorative quilts were popular
during the late 1890s.
Old
Tippecanoe
cut 32
Old Tippecanoe block and template.
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Patriotic Scrap Quilt
Each star block in these two quilts had to have different fabrics. Holly worked on these quilts simultaneously
so they would be completed at the same time.
Look at the close-up of Holly’s Fabric Sampler quilt. Notice that each
block has different fabrics. Check out the “fussy cuts.”
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Patriotic Scrap Quilt
Fabric requirements:
You may need to use an Exacto knife
for accuracy. Move this template over
your fabric until you can see the design
you want. This will show you how your
marked piece will look. Then cut each
of those pieces that same way.
•8 yards of a solid dark fabric—for
lattices, borders, and backing
•1 yard contrasting color (red)—for
inner border (border can be from
selvage to selvage)
•6 yards total of as many varieties of
red and blue fabrics as you can find
(fat quarters are great for this)
Quilt Talk
A windowed template is made on a larger
piece of plastic or cardboard, but the shape
of the pattern is removed, leaving a hole in
the paper. The opening shows how the block
will look and masks the surrounding fabric.
Quilting Bee
Fat quarters are a great way to enlarge your
fabric stash.
Holly’s Hints
Holly discovered several hints while making
her quilts. She shares them here:
•Make sure there is a wide range of
values, pattern, and variety in the scale
of each color.
•When you make the center four
triangles the same color, it will look
like a large center square.
• Use striped, checked, plaid, patterned, or
even fabric with words on it for your quilt.
•Take care in cutting the triangles
in special ways. By matching up the
stripes, patterns, or specific designs of
a fabric you can get what is known as a
“fussy.” Take your template and line it
up with a specific motif or strip. Check
out the close-up of this quilt.
(Cut
this
part
out)
•You can cut a piece of a block with a
specific design by using a windowed template. Draw your triangle in the center
of an index card. Carefully cut out the
triangle leaving the outside edge intact.
Move your windowed template to find the same
design in your fabric.
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Patriotic Scrap Quilt
•You will need to ignore the straight-ofgrain line when you cut in order to get
a specific look.
•Because the edges of each piece may be
bias and very stretchy, you need to take
care not to pull or press these out of
shape.
Putting It Together
We have suggested some ways to make this
block preparation fun and easy. Follow these
directions, and don’t let this canoe tip!
1. Make the templates, and decide on the
position of the fabrics in the block. (See
the following hints on color placement.)
2. Mark and cut out your fabrics. Lay out
the pieces in front of you on a table to
form the block.
3. Because there are 32 triangles in this
block, it is easiest to first pair the
triangles to form squares. Put the
triangular pieces right sides together,
and sew on the long seam. Put all the
triangles together to form 16 squares.
4. Put four of these squares together to
form one quarter of the block. Do this
four times.
5. Sew the top two sections and the bottom two together. Then sew across the
horizontal seam line.
Pin the long sides of the triangles together to form a
square and then four of these squares together to form a
quarter section of the block.
6. Prepare 24 blocks for a twin-size quilt
and arrange them to find a pleasing
balance of colors for the quilt top.
Spread your bright, light, and dark
colors throughout the quilt.
7. To finish the quilt top, use 18 lattices
in a solid color 121 ⁄2 × 11 ⁄2 inches, and
8 horizontal lattice strips, and the top
and bottom strips are 54 × 11 ⁄2 inches.
The two side lattice strips are 62 ×
11 ⁄2 inches. Holly used a navy solid for
framing each block.
Pin the top half to the bottom half, making sure to sew
from the middle of the block to the outside.
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Patriotic Scrap Quilt
The Least You Need to Know
Don’t Get Stuck!
• In a fabric challenge quilt, you need a
Remember to take your own quilt’s
measurements through the middle of the
quilt (making sure each side is equal to that
amount) so that you will have the same size
quilt on each side. You want your quilt to
line up. I did add a “fudge factor” to Holly’s
amounts.
great variety of fabrics with a range of
values and patterns.
• Each fabric piece can be cut in a par-
ticular way to make each section of the
block look identical.
• Use stripes, checks, and plaids to make
8. Sew the lattices to the sides of the
blocks, making rows (see Chapter 13 in
the book).
9. Sew the rows together with the horizontal lattice strip in between them.
10. Sew each side lattice strip from the top
to the bottom.
11. Measure and cut the borders
(remember that these amounts are
estimates—everyone cuts and pieces
differently):
each block unique.
• Make a windowed template to help
these parts of the block.
Inner border (red):
•2 strips 57 × 11 ⁄2 inches
•2 strips 81 × 11 ⁄2 inches
Outer border (dark blue):
•2 strips 88 × 31 ⁄2 inches
•2 strips 64 × 31 ⁄2 inches
12. Sew on the borders (see Chapter 13 in
the book).
13.Press.
14. Baste the backing and the batting to
the quilt top.
15. Mark and quilt the designs.
16. Finish off the outside edge (see Chapter 16 in the book).
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