From McCall's Quilting - February 1996

"Tulip Lap Quilt" Designed by Mary Jobe Mason Tulips are the favorite flowers of many people, because they are some of the first to appear after the winter snow melts, ushering in the spring season. The tulip fabric Mary used in this quilt is softly shaded with pink, lavender, soft green, and cream colors that are picked up elsewhere in the piecing. Imagine decorating a sunny room using this pastel quilt with its border of tulips. You can create a wonderful place to spend a quiet morning relaxing, planning your day, and admiring your handwork that so perfectly reflects the season. Finished Quilt Size 46 1/2" x 62 1/2" Number of Blocks and Finished Size 6 Star Blocks 12" x 12" 7 Rectangular Blocks 4" x 12" 2 Square-in-a-Square Blocks 4" x 4" Fabric Requirements Tulip print ... 1 1/2 yards Pink print ... 3/4 yard Green print (binding) 1 3/8 yards Purple print ... 3/8 yard Beige print ... 1 yard Backing ... 45" wide ... 3 yards ... 60" or wider ... 1 1/2" Batting ... twin size Other Materials Sewing thread Quilting thread (hand-quilting) Monofilament thread (machine quilting) Planning, Cutting, and Marking Tulip Lap Quilt is a great project for the quilter striving to gain confidence in fabric selection skills. Start with a beautiful floral, add the appropriately-toned background fabric (beige in the model), then select from the floral print one of your favorite colors for stars. Two fabrics remain to be chosen: those in the four-patch and the diamond shape. Keep these selections a little closer in value (notice Mary's quiet green and purple) so that the stars seem to glow and the patchwork does not "feel jumbled."