Celebrate Life! 42” x 42” Designed by Abigail Dolinger, New Year’s Day 2015 What are you celebrating today? A new year? An anniversary or birthday? A new baby? To be alive on God’s green earth is such a blessing and reason enough for grateful rejoicing! Commemorate your celebration with a quick and easy quilt. Select bold fabrics to denote your exuberant mood. Use an orphan block for the center as I did, or make a 12 ½” patchwork block after cutting all the required squares, rectangles and strips listed below. Fabrics 12 ½” (unfinished) patchwork block, your choice Fat quarter of black and white Zigzag print Fat quarter of black/blue Small Circles print ½ yd. Aqua tone-on-tone 3/8 yd. Royal Blue tone-on-tone 5/8 yd. Large Circles print, medium to large scale 1 3/8 yd. for backing 3/8 yd. for binding Cutting Zigzag print – Cut 4 rectangles 4” x 14 ½” Small Circles print – Cut 4 rectangles 4” x 14 ½” Aqua tone-on-tone – Cut 8 squares, 7 ½” x 7 ½” Cut 2 strips 1 ½” x 12 ½” Cut 2 strips 1 ½” x 14 ½” Royal Blue tone-on-tone – Cut 4 strips 2 ½” x 28 ½” Large Circles print – Cut 4 strips 5 ½” x 28 ½” Sewing Frame the 12 ½” patchwork block: Sew the 1 ½” x 12 ½” Aqua strips to both sides of the patchwork block. Press seams toward the strips. Sew the 1 ½” x 14 ½” Aqua strips to top and bottom of the patchwork block. Press seams toward the strips. First border: Sew the four 4” x 14 ½” Zigzag print rectangles to the four 4” x 14 ½” Small circles rectangles on one long side. Press seams toward darker fabric. Sew one unit to each side of the framed patchwork block. Press seams toward the center patchwork. Sew an aqua 7 ½” square to each end of the two remaining units. Press seams toward squares. Sew these units to the top and bottom of the framed patchwork block. Press seams toward the border. Second border: Sew the four 2 ½” x 28 ½” Royal blue strips to the four 5 ½” x 28 ½” Large Circles strips. Press seams toward the Royal blue strips. Sew one unit to each side of the quilt project. Press seams toward the center patchwork. Sew an aqua 7 ½” square to each end of the two remaining units. Press seams toward squares.