Fabric requirements and notions

Fabrics:

1/2 yard piece of background fabric, 18" x 40"

3/4 yard first dark fabric for blocks, outer border and binding (purple in picture)

1/2 yard second dark fabric for blocks and small border (green in picture)

fat quarter of light print fabric for blocks

1/8 yard light fabric for blocks and small dimensional border (yellow in picture)

batting - crib size will be fine

1 yard backing fabric - many quilters use a plain muslin for the backing, but with so many wonderful print fabrics available, you might want to choose a fabric that will complement the front and any quilting you decide to do.

thread to match

Batting for the quilt sandwich - one yard (or purchase crib-size batting); Since this is designed as a wall hanging, low loft is your best choice. If you are going to hand quilt extensively, then choose a batting that is designed specifically for hand quilting. Your batting package will have quilting recommendations.

Thread for Courthouse Square blocks - Use a light gray or light beige thread for the bobbin. You do not want color from the thread showing up in the blocks as you piece them.

Thread for quilting - You will make your decision based on what you will do for quilting, so save ideas for the finished quilt top. Then decide what you will use.

Rulers and cutting tools - this pattern is designed to be used with the rotary cutter. It assumes you have knowledge of a cutter and mat. If so, use them for your cutting. If not, you need a good sharpened pencil and good scissors and ruler. You will be measuring and marking on the wrong side of fabrics and then cutting.

Seam Allowance - the quarter-inch seam allowance is standard in quilting through almost all construction. Be as accurate as possible. Mark the throat plate of your sewing machine with a piece of masking tape with a one-quarter-inch line marked down the masking tape. This is particularly critical if you are new to quilting. You can then follow this line as you sew. The more accurate you are during each step of construction, the better your blocks will go together at the end.

Your sewing machine and iron

You will only need a basic straight stitch for making this pattern. Clean your machine of loose threads and lint. Change your needle - it's very important for good tension and even stitching. A size 80 needle is sufficient. If you are thinking of using metallic or other decorative threads for quilting the top, then you want to use a size 90 needle - the larger eye is more protective of the decorative thread and will go through fabric easier without a lot of breakage.

Your iron should be clean. Do not use steam, because you do not want to stretch the fabrics unnecessarily. You will "press," not "iron." Pressing keeps fabrics from stretching out of shape. There are two essential parts to pressing. The first involves setting a seam: after sewing a seam, with the seam still closed, press the seam. This sets the threads into place. Then press the seam open, usually to the darker fabric.

OR - finger press throughout the blocks. This ensures consistency in size of the blocks, and you can press the blocks when they are all completed. Finger press means using your fingers to press open a new seam.

The more you quilt, the more you discover tricks to pressing seams - open, closed, combination, depending on the pattern.

Pretreating fabrics

Most people will prewash fabrics before sewing them. This eliminates unnecessary finishing chemicals (like formaldehyde). However, if you are making a wall hanging that will stay on the wall, you might decide not to pretreat. This is a very individual decision; if there are allergies in the household, pretreating will avoid unnecessary reactions.

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