A small unit appliquéd to a large square in two colors and black as shown here forms a very lovely pattern. For a more colorful and “save-some-money” quilt, use leftover scraps for the beads!
String of Beads Quilt Pattern
Size: Without Border – 48" x 96", With Border – 64" x 112"
Number and Size of Blocks: 18 – each 16" square.
Number of Units Block Quilt
Red 8 144
Blue 8 144
Black 12 216
Materials
(36” wide fabrics unless otherwise noted.)
4 1/4 yards of White for Blocks; 1/2 yard of Red, 1/2 yard of Blue and 1 yd. of Black for Beads; 3 1/4 yards of White for Border. Quilting Thread.
Lining
3-1/4 yards of 72” wide bleached white muslin sheeting. (Wash muslin before cutting.)
Cutting Blocks
Cut white fabric into 18 blocks, each 17” square – this allows 1/2” for seams.
Cutting Beads
Cut 144 from Red allowing 1/8” around entire outside edge for turning under. Repeat on Blue fabric. Cut 216 from Black fabric in same manner.
Applique
Fold block diagonally both ways; crease. Pin red beads along one line and blue ones along other. Turn under 1/8” seam allowance (clip in on curves if necessary to have motif lay flat); baste in place. Pin black beads in positions as shown on diagram being sure to have corner beads back of the 1/2” seam allowance on block; baste in place. Stitch in place with small whip-stitches. Make 17 more blocks in same manner being sure to have colors in same place on each block.
Setting Quilt
Stitch 3 blocks together to form a strip. Make 6 strips in this manner, being sure to have colors in same position to form strings when these 6 strips are stitched together to form quilt.
Border
Cut 2 strips each 9” wide and 113” long; another 2 strips, each 9” wide and 65” long. Find center points of strips; bottom, top and sides of quilt. Matching these center points, stitch strips to quilt. Miter corners.
Quilting
Quilt blocks in Diamond Design – diagonal lines crossing each other – space lines 1/2” apart, and carry thread under bead motifs. Use a fine running stitch and contrasting or matching thread.
String of Beads quilt patterns:
More free quilt patterns:
