Shamrock Wall Hanging

Toss together your favorite greens -- green fabrics, that is -- to piece the Shamrock Wall Quilt in a Courthouse Steps block. A center square holds a synthetic suede shamrock surrounded by check and print fabrics.

Use various shades and patterns of green fabric to make this quilt.

• 8 x 8-inch piece of green synthetic suede (shamrock)
• 8-3/4 x 8-3/4-inch piece of solid pale green fabric (center square)
• 2 2 x 10-inch strips of dark green print (Fabric A)
• 2 2 x 13-inch strips of light green print (Fabric B)
• 2 2 x 13-inch strips of dark green print (Fabric C)
• 2 2 x 17-inch strips of light green print (Fabric D)
• 4 3 x 17-inch strips of green striped fabric (binding)
• Sewing thread: green and gold
• 18 x 18-inch piece of green print fabric (backing)
• 18 x 18-inch piece of Pellon Thermolam Plus batting
• Anchor variegated embroidery floss: Christmas Green (1214)
• 24 3/8-inch-diameter gold coin charms (1881-15) by Darice
• Disappearing-ink marking pen
• Fabric glue
• Embroidery needle
• Tracing paper

1. Download the free pattern. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software.) All piecing is done with right sides together. All measurements include 1/4-inch seam allowances. Press seam allowances away from center square. To allow for individual differences in piecing, strips are longer than needed. After sewing each strip to the quilt top, trim excess length so outside edges are even.

Shamrock Wall Hanging pattern

Download Adobe Acrobat

2. Trace full-size shamrock pattern from downloaded pattern onto tracing paper; cut out. Mark front side of pattern.

3. To piece the top, like-fabric strips are added to opposite sides of a center square. On the downloaded pattern, letters designate both the fabric and the alphabetical piecing order.

4. First, center and sew fabric A strips to both the top and bottom edges of the center square. Next, center and sew fabric B strips to the side edges. Then, center and sew fabric C strips to the top and bottom edges. Finally, add fabric D strips to the side edges in the same manner.

5. Layer the wall quilt. Smooth out backing fabric on a flat surface with wrong side up. Center batting on backing. Center pieced quilt top, right side up, on batting. Pin, then baste all layers together. Trim batting and backing even with quilt top.

6. With wrong sides together, press binding strips in half, matching 17-inch edges. Matching raw edges, sew a binding strip to each side edge of quilt top. Trim binding strips ends even with top and bottom of quilt top. Trim binding strip ends even with top and bottom of quilt top. Fold pressed edge of binding to back of quilt top. Slip-stitch binding to backing, covering machine stitches. In the same manner, sew and slip-stitch remaining binding strip ends so they are even with sides of quilt top.

7. Applique the wall quilt. Lay shamrock pattern, front side down, on the wrong side of synthetic suede. Trace around pattern with the disappearing-ink marking pen; cut out. Apply a small amount of fabric glue to the wrong side of the shamrock, avoiding the shape's outer 1/4 inch. Position shamrock on center square; let dry.

8. Use six strands of floss to embroider uneven straight stitches around shamrock, stitching through all layers. Use gold thread to sew five gold coin charms evenly spaced on each fabric A strip and seven charms on each fabric B strip.