Machine satin stitch (Diagram I-B) around appliqué. Sew 2 strips of 4 assorted red 3 1/2" squares each (Diagram I-C); sew to sides of block. Sew 2 strips of 6 red 3 1/2" squares each; sew to top and bottom.

Step 3. Referring to Diagram II, stitch 4 rows of 4 assorted blue 3 1/2" squares each. Sew rows together to make corner unit. Make 4 total.
Step 4. Draw diagonal line on wrong side of assorted red 3 7/8" square. Place marked square on assorted blue 3 7/8" square, right sides together (Diagram III). Sew 1/4" seam on each side of marked line; cut apart on marked line. Press open to make pieced squares. Make 24 total. In same manner, use cream and assorted blue squares to make 56 total pieced squares. Set aside for pieced border.

Step 5. Using blue and red 3 1/2" squares and red/blue pieced squares, sew 4 rows of 6 squares each (Diagram IV). Sew rows together to make side unit. Make 4 total.

Step 6. Referring to Assembly Diagram, sew 3 rows of 3 pieced units each. Sew rows together. Stitch 4 strips of 14 cream/blue pieced squares each, reversing orientation at center. Sew 2 to sides. Sew blue 3 1/2" squares to ends of remaining pieced strips; sew to top/bottom.
Step 7. Stitch blue-on-blue print strips to sides; trim even with top/bottom. Stitch remaining blue strips to top/bottom; trim even with sides.

Step 8. Layer, baste, and quilt. Maria machine outline quilted the appliqué and filled the block background with meandering loops and stars. Rows of squares were ditch quilted, and diagonal lines were added to the blue squares. The blue border is quilted with a curving line and star motifs. Bind with red/black print.