52 of my favorite modern quilts from QuiltCon 2024.
FABRIC: 1 yard Yellow Ochre, 1 yard Raincoat Yellow, 2 1/2 yards Raw Oats, 1 3/4 yards Putty Gray of Purl Soho's Spectrum Cotton SIZE: 36½ x 53 inches
The Ivy League quilt pattern is a modern take on classic argyle. This pattern works well with solids, prints, or a mixture of both and is!
Double Pinwheel & Peeping Cats Quilt Blocks. Free Pattern and Tutorial
A cat lovers dream, Cats on Cats is a beginner friendly look at simple quilt techniques and chain piecing. Featuring fabric from Kitty Garden and Jenny's Basics by Jenny Ronen.
Quilts in 2022 are back! And I have been lucky enough to attend these and teach.
My list was smallish for this week - try to finish 6 cat blocks and cut out the sashing ready to go.✅ - sew on the hanging sleeve to my background filler project❌ - take some photos of my Christmas quilt. I think I will put that in my Etsy shop for sale even though it is a bit late now...well, there's always next year.✅ The last bit of the cat quilt went quicker as I could see the end. I chain pieced along saying the names of the individual cats as I was sewing along so I would not get confused. Must have been really focussed as I did not mix up their faces 😂 Ran into a bit of trouble as I thought I had oodles of background fabric. Well, as it turned out it was just enough. Had a mild suspicion when I started to cut out the sashings. I have a table which tells me how many pieces I can get out of one strip. for the sashing it was 4, 10-1/2in pieces per strip but as I was starting to cut I noticed that I was only yielding 3 pieces! I then cut my outside borders as well of which I needed 8, 4in strips so that ate up a lot of fabric. In the end I had to cut some off some length from my border strips to make the sashings go the distance. A few anxious moments there and I thought that in the future I will put my background fabric away with the UFO. As years pass I do forget what I am working on or better said what I have stuffed away somewhere and it is just too easy to cut into your background fabric when you actually need it. Lesson learnt. Here is the completed quilt top It turned out so pretty, just like I had envisaged it. The quilt will measure about 57in x 66in. Had to go yesterday to look for some backing and batting and spent half a fortune acquiring it. Washed the backing and now just have to find some spare time to put it all together. Looking forward to quilting this. Today then I finally put up my Christmas quilt in my Etsy shop. It is a bit late but what can you do. There is always next year. Its a pretty little quilt. I used wool batting which makes this nicely soft and a little bit puffy. The quilt measures 32-5/8in x 47-1/2in, so a good size for a bit of a fun festive wall hanging to adorn the halls. Glad this is done so that I now can concentrate on other projects. Again, planning is the magic word rather than jumping around all over the place which I have been doing over the last few months. Linking up to To Do Tuesday #51 over at Quilt Schmilt. Karin
Happy Wednesday! Today I wanted to share my secret for preventing fabrics from bleeding when I wash my handmade quilts. I'll also share my basic instructions for washing/drying quilts. I have mentioned this "secret" a few different times over the years, but I wanted to share it in a dedicated post. As a quilter there are few things worse than pulling your finished quilt out of the dryer to discover that the fabrics in your quilt have bled. When I've experience issues with washing my quilts in the past it has felt pretty devastating. For me a quilt isn't finished until it's had a trip through the washer and dryer, so when something goes wrong during this "last step" it feels like I didn't stick the landing! That satisfied feeling I'm expecting to feel quickly turns into frustration and sadness. I think it's safe to say we all want to avoid that! Before we dive in I want to preface this advice by saying that I typically do not prewash my fabric for quilts. Specifically quilting cottons. When I'm making quilts from fabric that's intended more for garments like double gauze, chambray or lawn, I always prewash the fabric before making the quilt. You could follow the steps below for pre-washing fabrics for a quilt if you'd like! While we're on the general topic of avoiding quilt washing issues, save yourself some trouble and do not use a water soluble/disappearing ink marker on a visible part of your quilt. I learned the hard way that it's removal is not always straightforward (short story: don't mix disappearing ink markers with stain fighting products and hot water). Read more about that incident here: Sherbet Pips Quilt & a Lesson Learned. The fabric bleeding mishap that was the last straw was my Mendocino Dreams Quilt that I made back in 2012. It was a big quilt, so I used two Shout Color Catchers* when I washed it. And I still had fabric bleeding in a few places. I was so upset (this quilt was easily 40+ hours of work), I knew I needed to figure out a different method for washing my quilts to avoid this in the future. The secret is... table salt! No more expensive color catchers for me, just plain old table salt. I've used iodized, non-iodized, name brand, generic brand and it doesn't seem to matter, they all work. I have not tested this with kosher or sea salt. I'm happy to report that since I started using this trick, I have had ZERO issues with fabric bleeding. I think I started doing this around 2013, and I have made a lot of quilts since then. Here's how to use it when washing your quilt: Disclaimer: The results I've acheived using the following steps have worked for me, but I cannot guarantee that they will work for you. Please follow these instructions at your own risk and use your own judgement to decide what is right for you, your quilts, and your washing machine. 1. You'll want to start with a finished quilt! I am always so excited to wash mine so I usually get right up from my machine when I finish binding and head for our laundry nook. 2. Add your quilt to the washing machine. For either a top loading (what I've got!), or a front loading, add 1/2 cup - 1 cup of table salt to the machine, right in with the quilt. I use more or less depending on the size of the quilt. (I usually only do this step the first time I wash a quilt, but if I'm particularly worried about bleeds I'll do it on subsequent washes too.) 3. Add your preferred laundry detergent. I like to use a laundry detergent without fragrance or dyes (I use these tablets* specifically). It's surprising how many conventional laundry products have dye in them. If your liquid (or pod) detergent has a color to it, it most likely is from a synthetic dye. I recommend avoiding this if you can, when washing a handmade quilt. This is the liquid detergent* I used for years before switching to tablets, which is available at most big box or grocery stores. 4. Set your machine to a gentle cycle and wash with cold water. 5. SET A TIMER. This is so important. Probably the most important thing you can do to prevent fabric bleeding in your quilt. You want your wet quilt to sit in the machine, after the wash cycle has finished, for as little time as possible. In my experience, letting wet fabric sit against wet fabric often results in fabric bleeding. 10-15 minutes shouldn't be anything to panic about, but I would try to avoid anything longer than that. Definitely would not recommend throwing a quilt in the wash before you go out to run errands or something! 6. Check your quilt for stains or bleeds before drying it. It's easier to deal with them before they head into the dryer and get set. 7. Dry your quilt. There is a lot of room for personal preference here. For me, I absolutely love the wrinkle crinkle on a finished quilt, so I dry my quilt completely in the dryer, usually on medium heat. I used wool dryer balls* to help it dry evenly, minimize static and make it nice and fluffy! If your quilt is particularly delicate or you want to minimize shrinking, I would recommend drying it on lower heat and pulling it out of the dryer early to let it air dry the rest of the way. An interesting thing about this trick is that if you search "salt fabric bleeding" or "using salt in laundry" it actually pulls up a few "laundry hacks that didn't work" type of articles. This is a good reminder that it may not work in every situation for every person. I feel confident sharing this trick anyways because it has worked for me for the last 50+ quilts I've made. Just remember to pair it with good quilt washing practices like using cold water and not letting the quilt sit wet in the washer for too long. I wanted to share a few specific quilts as testimontials to this method. The following quilts were washed using these steps and came through unscathed with no bleeds. A few were quilts with blocks made by a group of people (so a large variety of fabrics), and or quilts with high-contrast and/or deep colors. Black and White Heart Quilt for Amanda Fantastic Leftovers Quilt Finished Scrappy Pineapple Quilt Tula Pink Kaleidoscope Quilt I hope you've enjoyed this informational tutorial! I have lots of other tutorials for everything from quilts, pillows, bags, and holiday items to informational series and techniques. Find all my tutorials here: Tutorials. My online shop is filled with patterns for quilts and bags. Find my patterns here: Jeni Baker Patterns If you make something using one of my tutorials or patterns, I hope you'll tag me @jenib320 and use my hashtag #jenibaker on instagram! Don't forget to pin this post to your Pinterest for future reference! :) Happy Sewing! *Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Are you ready to make the easiest quilt ever? If so, read on to see how I made this easy quilt with no measuring or pattern required!
A modern take on a classic American heirloom, the Stillwater Floral Quilt’s bold color-blocking and symmetry pay homage to traditional applique, while its mirrored floral motif makes it easy to style in either direction. The perfect layering piece throughout the seasons, this jacquard woven textile’s cozy weight and lived-in texture are sure to be forever cherished. Made in Portugal from 100% cotton. A Schoolhouse Original. • A Schoolhouse Original • Handcrafted from 100% cotton • Cozy, jacquard woven textile
Hi friends! Today I have a really special (long) post for you! Today I want to share a quilt that took me two years and about 85 hours to complete - my Postage Stamp quilt! I got so many questions on Instagram every time I posted pictures of this project so I will try to cover all the FAQ's here. First, let me start at the beginning... THE INSPIRATION My grandmother passed away in October 2019. She was the one who taught me how to quilt and who my pattern company is named after. After she passed, my mom and aunt asked if I would finish a couple of the quilts she had been working on so we could give them to family members. This red, yellow, and green 9-Patch quilt one was one of them. I don't know the name of the pattern but I know it came from a magazine. I remember her working on this quilt over the years and I know each individual square finished at 3/4". Can you believe that!?! The quilt top was finished many years ago so I just got it longarm quilted (with a Baptist Fan pattern) and then I bound it by hand. The back was white with colorful buttons and the binding is black with red and yellow flowers on it, as you can see here. The backing fabric was hanging with the quilt top in her closet and I believe I picked out the binding fabric from her stash. This quilt went to my aunt Janet and her husband Dave. The other quilt I finished at that time (I have 2 more I still need to finish!) was this little baby quilt. I think the squares finished at 1-1/4". My aunt and I chose the back and binding fabrics from my grandmother's fabric stash and then I had it longarm quilted with the Interlocking Orange Peel panto by Karlee Porter. This quilt went to one of my cousins. So after finishing both of those quilts made by my grandmother, I was inspired. I never thought I would make a Postage Stamp quilt; too intense for me! But I got the itch around that time to make something with tiny squares and a little while later I made my first blocks. CUTTING I cut 1-1/2" squares that would finish at 1" each. I did not do all my cutting at once. I found that I liked to cut batches of squares, both bright and white, whenever I was running low or got tired of the ones I had in my pile. It was a nice way to break up all of the sewing. When I was actively working on my Postage Stamp quilt I would keep piles of squares by my machine so I could easily grab and sew. I didn't put too much thought into what fabric went where. I just tried to space out colors to create balance. When I needed a break from that project I simply put the squares in a ziplock bag. They didn't get wrinkly so it was easy to pick up where I left off the next time I was ready to work on my quilt. FABRIC I used lots of different whites, creams and low volumes for my "whites". If you look closely at some of the following pictures you'll be able to tell. From far away, everything reads as white but the quilt still has a really scrappy feel to it. Plus it was a great way to use up scraps! As far as the brights go, I used alll the colors. My only requirement was there had to be enough contrast between the brights and whites. There are several fabrics of my grandmother's in this quilt. Including a few squares that have remnants of her embroidery! Those are my favorite! ASSEMBLY There are several ways to assemble a Postage Stamp quilt. You can strip-piece units together. But since I used scraps for all of my pieces I cut squares and sewed them together one-by-one. I didn't mind; in fact I preferred to do it that way so it would be extra scrappy! But of course, you could strip piece if you wanted. For the most part, I chain-pieced rows together to make regular, small 9-Patches (above). I made some that had brights in the corners and some that had whites in the corners. This was such mindless sewing and I quite enjoyed it! Immediate satisfaction! Then I sewed nine of those 9-Patches together to make big 9-Patches that had 81 squares in each block. I figured out it took me about 45 minutes to make a block (maybe about an hour with cutting). Towards the end of this project, I switched from making small 9-Patches to just chain piecing squares together to make a row for the big 9-Patches. I started by sewing tons of pairs of bright and white squares together. When I got bored I separated the pairs and then sewed them together to make units of 4 squares each. Once I had all those sewn together I sewed 2 of those units together plus one extra square to make a row of 9 squares. PRESSING After I made each block row, I pressed the seam allowances toward the dark/bright fabrics. After I sewed the rows together, I pressed the seams open. I pressed everything as I went. It may seem daunting but I honestly got faster the more I did it. It really wasn't too bad. I definitely recommend pressing as you go and pressing the seams open will help your quilt lay nice and flat. Quick side note here: I never pin when I piece. If you're really accurate in your cutting and piecing all of your seam allowances should be able to nest together nicely. I'm sure that saved me a lot of time while making this quilt. I have some tips saved in my Instagram highlight bubbles on precision piecing and cutting. Check it out @gigis_thimble. As I worked on this project, I found it helpful to set little goals for myself. I started by making two blocks and kept trying to double the number of blocks I had until I finished. One month I challenged myself to make 100 little 9-Patches and towards the end of this project, I challenged myself to make 1 big 9-Patch a day until I was done making all of my blocks. I always tell myself, "A little progress every day adds up to big results!" and that is definitely the case with a Postage Stamp quilt! Because there are a gazillion seams in this quilt, it is heavier than normal. The seams can start to stretch apart because of the weight and become harder to match up. So I would recommend that you make two halves of your quilt; press the row seams and then sew the 2 halves together to complete your quilt. Here I am at the halfway point: And here is the finished quilt top. An exciting moment! FINISHING I bound the quilt in this red and white gingham fabric that I had in my stash. I also had this rainbow fabric in my stash that I had bought recently for another project (that didn't turn out how I wanted so I gave it away). The fabric is 55218-20 from the fabric line Shine On by Bonnie and Camille for Moda. I used it for the back of my quilt and I love it. My friend Jen Ostler quilted it with the Scribble Hearts panto. She always hides an object in her quilting for her clients to find so this time she did a rainbow. It took me forever to find but I think it's darling. It's much easier to find from the backside of the quilt than the front! One of my Instagram followers sent me a picture of her Postage Stamp quilt that had been quilted with the Scribble Hearts panto and I thought it was sweet and fun so I decided to do the same on mine. I love the quilting community where we can all inspire and learn from each other! I've been buying custom quilt labels from Ever Emblem for the last couple of years. I get the 2" cotton fold-over, sew-in labels and I've been really happy with them. They're really inexpensive and a quick way to label your quilt. Well that's it! I think I addressed all of the FAQ's! Please let me know if I missed anything. Just to recap here is a quick breakdown of all of the details... DETAILS Finished size of individual squares: 1". Finished quilt size: 72" x 90" Total number of big 9-Patch blocks: 80 Layout: 8 x 10 blocks Total number of 1" squares: 6,480 Start date: December 27, 2019 Finish date: November 3, 2021 Longarm quilter: Jen Ostler in Highland, UT (@drycreekquilter on Intstagram) Quilt panto: Scribble Hearts Hidden object in the quilting: rainbow Backing: Rainbow 55218-20 by Bonnie + Camille for Moda Approximate time to make this quilt: 85 hours Batting: 100% cotton Machine pieced Hand-bound 1/4" seams I hope you enjoyed this post! Like I said, please let me know if you have any questions. I'd love to know what you think about this project and whether or not YOU might make a Postage Stamp quilt someday! Happy quilting!
52 of my favorite modern quilts from QuiltCon 2024.
DIY Bookcase Quilt Free Sewing Patterns
I told myself I'd never make another puff quilt. Yet, here I am.....sharing about my second puff quilt. (haha!) Don't get me wrong, I loved the process of making my first puff quilt, which you can read about here, but I honestly thought that we'd never have the need for another one. Well, over the last year, I slowly forgot how much work they are (haha) and I started getting the itch to do the process all over again! Peter uses my original puff quilt alllllll the time. He loves the weight of it, but his only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. I made the
Never make the mistake of forgetting these 4 important things to include when you gift a quilt! You'll be so glad that you did #4!!
Traditional American quilting techniques are a fount of inspiration for both Ogden and the brand
One Block Takes On Many Different Looks! Deep, rich colors are simply stunning in this inviting quilt. It’s so easy to imagine curling up with it during cold weather. Part of the quilt’s charm is that each block is different. Actually, every block is the same but they’re all colored differently. Variations in color and …
Learn how to make a wholecloth quilt with this step-by-step photo tutorial that includes tips for Kantha-style stitching!
Tutorial on how to use scraps of fabrics to make a magic quilt that sews itself as you are making another quilt.
Happy March 1st! And because it is the first Wednesday in March, we are once again opening our monthly theme for the Modern Quilt Along series that we are doing in 2017. If you need a refresher of what this series is, go HERE to read the introduction post on the why’s and how’s. The theme […]
This month for Quilt Block Mania, we're going Traditional with a Twist. I've taken the prompt literally this time and have created this Twisted Log Cabin block, which does exactly what it says on the tin :-) It's a traditional log cabin block, but turned on point to make a fun-looking block that can be used for bigger
I am making slow but steady progress on my UFOs without adding too many more to the bottom of the list. This quilt was at the top. I am embarrassed to admit that DH and I chose these fabrics in 2010 The top has been pieced for some time - edited to add that the squares finish at 6" and I ordered wool batting last year and then spent some time on my hands and knees: In December, I set to quilting it. The NFR (National Finals Rodeo) allowed me to make good progress on it. 10 nights of championship rodeo and DH's quilt was quilted! My only regret is that I didn't make it bigger. I seem to do that a lot...talk about making bigger quilts. It finishes at 70 x 70. I hemmed and hawed over a quilting design, but DH asked for simple. No swirls or doo-dads. No brands or western motifs. Simple. Unassuming. I asked several times while I was working on it and the answer was always the same. As I was finishing up the squares and about to move onto the triangles on the edge, I realized I was going to run out of the yarn I'd been using. A quick search online told me that it had been discontinued so I called the store in Brady where I originally purchased it probably 3 years ago, maybe more. They had expanded and opened another store in Fredricksburg and moved all of their wool, and much of their yarn there. Phone call #2 brought success. Yes, they had the yarn and they were kind enough to send it to me. I also needed some wool for the binding. I gave DH the quilt at Christmas, but it lacked the binding so I stopped into the shop when I was driving through a few weeks ago and chose wool for the binding. They have a wonderful selection of wool and I will admit to hovering over the bolts and contemplating another wool quilt. However, common sense quickly prevailed. It gets cold in New Mexico, but unless we move to Alaska or Tibet, I'm fairly certain we won't be needing a stack of wool quilts. Once I was back home, stitching commenced, but the double fold binding I always make was just too thick so un-stitching took place. I had already hand stitched down one side. I kept asking DH what he thought and he didn't want me to have to un-stitch it all, but we both thought the binding was awfully thick so I took it all off and trimmed down the binding. Now that its finished, I'm glad I did. Much better. DH loves it. When I had added the last stitch, clipped the thread, and presented it to him, he commented, "Just in time for our first 80 degree day!" Rascal.
Explore the many free jelly roll quilt patterns as well as other jelly roll projects. These fun precuts reduce cutting and speed up sewing!
With its visual field of deep black velvet and twinkling white stitches this African-American signature quilt is as powerful and mysterious as the universe.
Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission from the sale if you click through and purchase. Are you scared of sewing with curves? Have no fear! Today I am sharing a few tips and tricks that have been helpful for me. Give this post a read and try out the Sunroom Quilt Pattern. The quilt pattern above is The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern . 1. Sew slow. It's tempting to put the pedal to the metal when you're comfortable sewing, but with curves it's all about slow sewing. You want to take your time and ease that curve slowly through the machine. 2. Needle Down. I set my machine in the needle down position when I sew. That means every time I lift my foot off the pedal the machine stops with the needle down. This helps to hold all the layers in place so that I can lift the presser foot and adjust around the curve. This will help you make that curve nice and smooth. Every few stitches, I raise the foot and turn the fabric slightly around the curve. 3. Pin, Pin, Pin!! Don't be stingy with those pins. As you pin your curved pieces together make sure you pin all the way around that curve to the very end. I also find it most helpful to start in the middle, work my way to one end, back to the middle and to the other end. 4. Steam Iron. I personally find that using steam is helpful. First of all it helps work out all those wrinkles from the pins so you can see if there are any puckers. Second, I think it helps ease out any accidental puckers if there are any. This is simply personal preference. I know there are mixed opinions on using a steam iron while quilting. I make sure not to pull or stretch the fabric too much since the steam will cause that to happen on it's own a little. 5. Tailor's Clapper! Alright this might be a new tool you haven't heard of before. I use this handmade clapper from Lamb and Loom. It makes such a difference to me! When I'm ready to press I open the seam, press and then quickly place the clapper over the seam and let it sit while I move on to the next piece. Then I repeat that process. The clapper helps to hold the heat on the seam and really make it crisp! I'm hooked on my clapper. The pattern above makes great practice - The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern. If you feel like you can conquer the curves try out the Sunroom Quilt Pattern. This pattern was my first attempt at sewing curves. You can do this! You have all the skills you need now. Good luck! Here are some additional blog posts you might enjoy: Sewing with Triangles Quilting Curves Making Half-Square Triangles The quilt pattern above is The Natural Harmony Quilt Pattern.
Susan Brubaker Knapp is fiber artist, author, teacher, host of Quilting Arts TV and a Bernina Ambassador. And, also makes amazing art quilts!
Binding is the final step of quilting and it must be perfect. Otherwise, all your efforts will be wasted!
Done!
One of our most loved/used quilts in our house is the Prairie Picnic quilt I made several years ago- it has the perfect amount of simplicity, crinkly goodness, and coverage. It was no question that…
This is the ENGLISH VERSION of the pattern. The pattern includes specifications for two different quilt sizes. The quilt background can. be constructed in two different ways (single fabric or multicolor background). The pattern also contains detailed instructions for the construction of the stars and the construction of the complete quilt top. Coloring sheets for both quilt sizes and background options help you with the planning step. The pattern is great for using up fabric scraps - even very small ones! Of course you can also use yardage. difficulty level: confident beginner and of course advanced quilters. It´s the perfect project to make a big dent in your piles of scraps! The instructions do not include basting, quilting and binding steps. After purchase you receive a link for the digital download of the pattern via email. Please save a copy for your personal use straight away. The amount of downloads possible is 5, the download link ist valid for 3 months. Please respect our copyright rules, you can find the under 'Terms & Conditions'.
This is a quilt series inspired by tree bark. Each quilt represents a differnt type of tree bark. Click through to see which one you like.
the creation of a Convergence Quilt, based on the book by Ricky Tims
Yes, that’s a lot to cover!! However, life is busy. So I thought a one and done blog/email, would be great. I’ll get to the quilts in just a few minutes, first I wanted to remind you of the sales going on. Not only on my website, but also the 20% code from
How To Make A Puff Quilt The Easy Way ~Bubble Quilt ~ Puffer Quilt. Free sewing Tutorial
