Did you manage to get your background pieces cut out over the weekend? If not, it’s OK, you’re not real behind just yet. Today we’re going to cut the print pieces, and Thursday, we start sewing!
Follow the instructions for the version of the quilt you’ve chosen to make: the traditional or the modern.
For the Traditional version:
For the traditional version, I used yardage, so all the pieces are cut from two different prints, a red, and a black.
We will first cut strips from the width of the fabric (WOF), so all your strips will have selvages on both ends, and be 40-42″ in length. We will be cutting the strips 2 1/2″ wide. Cut the pieces in the order stated, cutting the largest rectangles first, down to the smallest squares.
From the red fabric, cut 27 strips 2 1/2″ x WOF. Then cut the selvages off the ends.
Subcut these strips into the following rectangles and squares, and use the labels to keep track of which sizes are which:
26 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 6 1/2″
168 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
16 squares 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″
From the black fabric, cut 7 strips 2 1/2″ x WOF. Then cut the selvages off the ends.
Subcut these strips into the following rectangles and squares, and use the labels to keep track of which sizes are which:
18 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 6 1/2″
6 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
44 squares 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″
Again, I put my pieces in a little bin that I kept on my cutting table while I was working on the quilt, but use whatever your favorite method is to keep from getting confused (especially if you have to walk away from it for any length of time).
Here are all my pieces after I cut them:
For the Modern version:
I used 12 different fat quarters for my modern version, and I made sure to cut some of each size piece from each print, so that I would have a good variety sprinkled all over my quilt top. You can certainly use more than 12 for more variety, or you can use up all sorts of scraps — I always say, the scrappier, the better!
I cut each fat quarter into 2 1/2″ strips the long length of the fat quarter, so that I had strips measuring 2 1/2″ x ~22″ to begin with. Then I removed the selvage end, and cut my rectangles and squares from those strips.
To mix all the prints up, cut a few of each size from each fabric. Here’s what you need to cut:
44 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 6 1/2″
174 rectangles 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
60 squares 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″
A couple of my prints were stripes, so I cut one print with the stripes going one direction, and the other one with the stripes going the other direction, just for variety. You can do this, too, if you have a directional fabric — just another option, but not necessary.
Use your labels to keep the sizes separated, and store them however it’s easiest for you to use them.
And that’s it for today! Check back on Thursday — we’re gonna start sewing!
The Life of Hazel Ilene 
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