By Patricia Belyea
When I started on my Scrappy Hatchi Quilt, Joe Cunningham gave me a winning tip. “Make the blocks small. A scrap quilt needs to be jewel-like.” That was excellent advice as I was thinking of making 8” blocks, following the Hatchi Quilt Manifesto.
To follow are instructions for making your own Scrappy Hatchi Quilt:
Unfinished block size—4.5" square
Finished block size—4" square
Each block is made with two fabrics—a pattern and a solid.
Include as many patterned cottons as possible. Fussy-cut the patterns so there’s something interesting in each block.
Choose one solid (or perhaps two similar solids, such as two grays) as a supporting color.
Block Configurations:
1/4 + 3/4 Configuration
Make a few blocks in this configuration.
Unfinished block:
Pattern—1 1/2"W x 4 1/2"H
Solid—3 1/2"W x 4 1/2"H
1/2 + 1/2 Configuration
Make a small number of this configuration.
Unfinished block:
Pattern—2 1/2"W x 4 1/2"H
Solid—2 1/2"W x 4 1/2"H
3/4 + 1/4 Configuration
Make lots of this configuration. You want a bevy of patterns in the composition!
Unfinished block:
Pattern—3 1/2"W x 4 1/2"H
Solid—1 1/2"W x 4 1/2"H
Arrange the blocks on point, with the solids creating a pinwheel effect within each group of four blocks.
Along the edges of the quilt top, add triangular solids. These are one-half of 4 1/2" squares.
If you’re working with yukata cottons, there are often large areas of hand-dyed color as background for the lyrical designs.
Sew the blocks in the long angled rows together. Press the seams of the odd-numbered rows to the left. Press the seams of the even-numbered rows to the right.
Sew the long rows together, nesting the seams. Press the long seams down.
Once the top is complete, make a back. I made my back out of large blocks of colorful yukata cottons.
Now it’s time to complete the quilt project. There are lots of options.
For me, I pin basted my quilt sandwich. Then I stitched-in-the-ditch on all the seams of the quilt top.
After blocking and trimming, I finished my quilt with a fun facing. (Not everyone has a sumo wrestler riding a wild boar on their bed quilt!)
For 3-D interest, I added yarn ties to the middle of the pinwheels.
This quilt can be made in any size. The number of blocks you make determines the final dimensions.
Consider turquoise or warm red for the supporting solid color—or any color you like. And be sure to add an unexpected fabric for the facing!
ABOUT US: Okan Arts, a petite family business, is co-owned by mother-daughter duo Patricia Belyea and Victoria Stone. Patricia and Victoria sell Japanese textiles online, host creative quilting experiences, and lead quilting & textile tours to Japan.
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