Recently a follower asked how much of each color fabric would be needed to make a queen-sized quilt using the Easy Chained Star quilt block in the picture below. (You can find my tutorial on this block at: https://quiltembroiderypdf.com/easy-chained-star-quilt-block-pattern.)
Since there are many different ways to lay out a quilt, I decided to do a little post about four different layout options and their fabric requirements. I used the EQ program to figure out these fabric requirements and usually it is accurate. However, if you’re concerned, you could always get a few more inches of each fabric.
Option 1 – Simple Layout with Two Borders:
In this layout you need 56 blocks (7 across, 8 down) with a 2″ wide inner border and a 4″ outer border. The quilt will have a finished size of 96″ x 108″.
Fabric Requirements:
- Light/Background: 4+1/2 yards
- Light Pink: 1+5/8 yards
- Light Blue: 1+5/8 yards
- Dark Pink/Inner Border: 7/8 yard
- Dark Blue/Star Points: 2+3/8 yards
- Medium Blue/Outer Border: 1+5/8 yards
I found this layout to look “busy” and the stars got lost in the confusion.
Option 2 – Layout with 2″ Sashing and Cornerstones
In this layout you need 42 blocks (6 across, 7 down), 2″ sashing with cornerstones, a 2″ wide inner border, and a 4″ wide outer border. This version finishes at 94″ x 108″.
Fabric Requirements:
- Light/Background & Inner Border: 5+3/4 yards
- Light Pink: 1+1/4 yards
- Light Blue: 1+1/4 yards
- Dark Pink/Cornerstones: 1/4 yard
- Dark Blue/Star Points: 1+3/4 yards
- Medium Blue/Outer Border: 1+1/2 yards
In this version the stars are clearly visible with the light sashing between them.
Option 3 – Alternating Layout with 2″ Inner Border and 4″ Outer Border
With this option, you only need 28 blocks, 28 – 12″ light squares, a 2″ wide inner border, and a 4″ wide outer border. This quilt would finish at 96″ x 108″.
Fabric Requirements:
- Light/Background, Inner Border: 6+5/8 yards
- Light Pink: 7/8 yard
- Light Blue: 7/8 yard
- Dark Blue/Star Points: 1+1/4 yards
- Medium Blue/Outer Border: 1+5/8 yards
I found this to be a very pleasing look and it doesn’t require as many blocks so it would be quicker to put together.
Option 4 – Layout with 4″ Wide Sashing & Cornerstones, a 2″ Wide Inner Border With Half Cornerstones, a 2″ Wide Middle Border, and a 4″ Wide Outer Border.
With this option you will need to make 30 blocks (5 across, 6 down), 4″ wide sashing with Four-Patch cornerstones, an inner border that has Two-Patch units, a 2″ wide middle border, and a 4″ wide outer border. This layout will give you a quilt that is 92″ x 108″.
Fabric Requirements:
- Light/Background, Inner Border, Middle Border: 5+7/8 yards
- Light Pink: 1+1/8 yards
- Light Blue: 1+1/8 yards
- Dark Blue/Star Points: 1+3/8 yards
- Medium Blue/Outer Border: 1+1/2 yards
So this one is my favorite. There’s a little bit more work involved with the inner border but you don’t have to make quite so many blocks.
