Quilt Pattern: Milky Way

Milky Way is a large block fifteen inches square, or by continuing two more rows top and side it could be made twenty-one inches square. It would make an unusual counterpane by piecing a border all around nine inches wide, which completes the dark and light star, to use with a center of solidly pieced blocks either square or oblong. This would leave a wide plain space of blue or white for quilting between the pieced center and the pieced border.

Milky Way is simple to piece and very effective as well. Seams are not allowed in the sizes here given. This design is even more attractive in very small blocks and of course the two squares and one triangle can easily be reduced in size but kept the same relation to each other.

Material Estimate: To make this quilt with 15-inch blocks as described, make a large pieced center section 30 inches wide by 39 inches long. This is made of four 15-inch blocks, two blocks wide by two blocks long, plus three rows of small 3-inch blocks to make an oblong. Add a 12-inch strip of blue all around. Finish with a pieced border 9 inches wide - 2 strips 9 inches wide by 81 inches long and 2 strips 9 inches wide by 54 inches long will be needed for the pieced border. This plan requires 2 yards blue, 3 yards gold, 4 yards of white, or 9 yards in all.