Finally, another quilt finish! While this is only my second quilt for the year, I do have a couple of new patterns in the works that I’m excited to share fairly soon.
Yesterday I finished a baby version of my Stitches & Stars pattern. I decided to make this to help use up some extra fabric, mostly solids. I also had on hand a variety of colorful bindings from other makes. I attached them all together and came up with a myriad of colors. It’s definitely a fun look and certainly adds some brights, too.
For this baby version, I used soft-colored solids for the stars. The sashing, the “stitches”, are made using a tone-on-tone print by Art Gallery Fabrics. I feel accenting with gray is always a good choice. đ
Since it’s for baby, I thought I’d soften the whole look by using an off-white solid on both the front and back. And to add some extra flair, I sewed together the cut-aways and made a fun stripe on the back.
For the quilting, I ran a vertical serpentine stitch every 1 1/2″ which gives it that lovely, crinkly-quilty look.
I released Stitches & Stars in 2022. It’s a really fun pattern to make, and if you’re one who loves star quilts it would be a perfect pattern for you.
I have decided to put this for sale on my Etsy shop hoping a cute baby will receive it soon!
Pinwheels Galore quilt pattern is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. My last post introduced Pinwheels Galore Mini quilt but if you’d like to try it in a larger size you now have four choices – baby, throw, twin and queen.
My sample shown above is a baby quilt made with Blossom fabrics by Riley Blake.
Here’s some information about the pattern: the pinwheels use 10″ squares making it layer cake friendly and the cut-away waste is minimal. And of course, there’s always the option of going scrappy!
The pieced sashing requires small amounts of yardage. Like the mini, this also goes together quickly because it’s designed for strip piecing and chain piecing.
With so many size options available coupled with a quick finish and cuteness, there’s got to be a perfect size for everyone!
I’m happy to say that my baby quilt Playful Pastels is finally published!
I say ‘finally’ because it was quite a long process. To start, it was early June 2020 when I submitted my project for publication consideration to Better Homes & Gardens’ quilting magazine, Quilts & more. Whenever I do so, I know it’ll take a while to hear back, but when I did it wasn’t until the Fall 2021 issue that there was a spot for it. The timeframe was perfectly fine, but wow, that seems like forever ago!
After accepting the terms and working out the details, I had to make the quilt. Since it was a baby quilt, I wanted to use pastel colors so I chose the Blossom collection by Christopher Thompson. I usually lean toward small prints and this line is just background color with a small white design that looks like tiny flowers. As for the timeline, it was early February 2021 when I requested fabric from Riley Blake Designs.
The fabric arrived quickly but because I had a deadline of March 10, 2021, I started on it right away.
Playful Pastels is a really quick make so I was able to finish by the end of February. Here’s what makes it go so fast…there are only 9 main blocks, the pinwheels. The sashing around them is strip-pieced, meaning you sew the pieces together when they’re long, then cut them down to the size you need. That way you’re not sewing small pieces together.
For the quilting, I did a 1 1/4″ crosshatch design. I learned (the hard way) that you need to use a lot of pins when quilting, so I made sure I did when basting. Constantly moving the pins was pretty time consuming, but the results made it worth the effort.
I was able to ship my quilt out early March; then I could finally relax. đ
Months previously I’d submitted instructions along with diagrams. Once everything was ready to go to print in June, I was given an electronic copy for proofing. It all looked good, so the rest was just waiting until publication in August.
Last week I received the photos I was permitted to use. Here’s a look…
It seems that staying in more than usual made for a productive year. In 2019 I’d completed 11 quilts and thought that was a lot, but in 2020 I surpassed that and made 14! Of the 14, I gave 4 as gifts and I have a few on hand should a gift-giving occasion arise.
Other than having a queen sized quilt ready for longarming, I’d quilted the other 13 myself. That’s quite a bit as I typically have one or two done professionally every year. My goal for 2020 was to use what I had on hand, so I didn’t purchase fabric to make several of these quilts.
Here’s a look at the past year: These two quilts were gifted along with two others that I can’t showâone is to be published in the Quilts & More fall edition, and the other is a pattern currently in the works. The photo on the left is a free pattern, Lucky 13, and the other is an easy tutorial for a beginner, Checkered Baby Quilt.
This is the only two-colored quilt I’ve ever made, for me red and white were the obvious choice. đ It’s a free Moda pattern called Illusions.
My Twinkly Stars quilts are one of my favorite makes, shown in both throw and crib size. It’s available as a PDF download in my Etsy shop. And those cute sashing strips are made from cut-away corners so there’s no waste!
This Scrappy Four Patch Charm is the second quilt I’d made from this free pattern from Robert Kaufman. I just love this design and I wouldn’t be surprised if I make yet another one. For this, I literally took every 5″ square I had, cut a few more and threw it together. It was so fun and it used a lot of what I had on hand.
My Holiday Hemlock quilt was a challenge and a joy to design, not to mention how fun it is to watch it come together. While working on this, I decided on a second, scrappy version for all the scrap lovers out there!
Sweet Stripes is the last of my pattern releases for the year. This cheerful pattern is designed with the beginner quilter in mind. It’s fat quarter friendly and there are 7 different sizes with two layouts versions to choose from. It’s quick AND easy!
I made this baby size Sweet Stripes quilt but I have no baby to give it to, so it’s currently for sale in my Etsy shop. đ
The last quilt finish of the year is my Christmassy Triangle Peaks. I had to make this red and green version for my annual holiday quilt. Even though I finished it mid-December, I’m already planning for this year!
I was surprised that I made only one mini; a section of my Holiday Hemlocks. I put together a center tree and star along with a shorter ribbon and it made a lovely wall hanging. It’s a great way to display part of the quilt if you don’t have time to make a whole one.
I also added another page to my website, color gallery. It showcases several photos with color tiles to help with your color inspiration. Thankfully my family members allowed me use their beautiful images for this project. I think it’s an excellent resource.
Other projects include pillows for my mom, a pillow case for my bird-loving husband, utensil wraps, colorful rope bowls and microwave bowl cozies.
I also added several tips, tutorials, charts and plenty of other quilty posts to my website. And lastly, I updated my logo and I love it.
Coming soon in 2021…a tutorial for the utensil wrap, a new quilt pattern and more tips and sewing inspiration. I’m looking forward to a great year of creating!
If you’re thinking about taking up quilting as a new hobby but aren’t sure where to begin, I’ve got an easy, basic pattern thatâs excellent for the complete beginner, the Checkered Baby Quilt. This quilt is a perfect starter for several reasonsâit’s sewing simple squares together, there are no bias edges (when edges can stretch easily), seams nest (fit into one another stress-free) and it can be made with 5″ precuts. For the quilt top you need only two charm packs. And best of all, there’s no pattern to buy, just download my Checkered Baby Quilt tutorial. Easy, right?
I’ve made a few Checkered Baby Quilts and have given them as gifts and I’ve even made a couple for commission, so it’s definitely a classic that stays in style.
Checkered Baby Quilt made with stackers from Riley Blake’s Little Prince collectionCheckered Baby Quilt made with Moda’s Pepper and Flax and various other prints
The last one I made with Lily and Loom fabric from Craftsy (remember Craftsy?) and Kona Cotton Solid Snow. I chose crosshatch quilting at 2″ apart and a solid binding.
Other reasons why this is great for a new quilter is that it’s a nice sized project suitable for experimenting with color, fabric, thread, quilting designs, etc. All of those quilting elements are part of the learning process plus it’s a lot of fun. So if itâs time to get started, why not grab a couple of charm packs and try this one out?!?
While working on my Twinkly Stars quilt pattern a few months ago, I decided to make a crib size quilt because I think the chunky, whimsical stars make for a darling baby quilt. And since it’s so enjoyable to make, I thought I’d share some interesting things about it.
For fabrics, I chose lovely soft hues in Kona Cotton Solids using six different colors.
The neat thing about this pattern is there’s practically no waste because cut-away corners are saved and used for the sashing. That’s a win-win!
(had to share the trimmed scraps because they were pretty…)
Also, chain piecing…a definite time-saver.
And as always, after finishing a quilt it’s time to try to get good photos. Sometimes it’s easy and goes quick, and sometimes there’s the endless battle with lighting, the set up, wrinkles, winds, etc. Sometimes it doesn’t work at all and I have to try another day.
On the afternoon my husband and I photographed this quilt, it was windy. Here’s our first attempt…while this isn’t the best shot, I do love the buttercups.
Continuing on to another location, we passed a gate that would be the perfect spot IF the wind and light cooperated. Luckily they did, and I’m pleased with the photos. I considered that day an easy photography day. đ
Here’s a closeup look at the quilting. I chose horizontal lines with a serpentine stitch. The wavy lines give it a nice and cozy quilted look.
For the back, I used a cute flannel monkey print. It’s so fun!
This is no doubt one of my favorite makes. There are so many color options that would work great with the pattern, too. You could use red, white and blue, or one color in various shades for the stars. Or light stars with a dark background. Anything goes.
Twinkly Stars is available in 4 sizesâcrib, small and large throw, and twin size. Overall it’s a quick sew, and who doesn’t love a star quilt?!?
Isn’t it funny how quilters automatically go into the ‘I’ve got to make something’ mode when they hear someone is having a baby? That’s exactly what happened to me over the summer when I learned my hair stylist was expecting. I had only one appointment before she’d be taking time off, so that limited me making her something small. I knew some sort of wall hanging was in order, so I searched and searched online, but to no avail. Since I couldn’t find what I wanted, I created my own.
I didn’t know what her decorating would include, colors or otherwise, so I designed something cute, but plain and simple and baby-themed enough that it would go with any decor. Interestingly enough, I wrote the pattern when I was working on my granny square quilt, so it was definitely granny square inspired.
With Love Mini Quilt pattern is available for purchase as a PDF download. It’s easy-to-follow with step-by-step illustrations, and it’s a quick project to make. The design is comprised of two small granny squares (just the centers), a two-piece heart and a snowballed O. It’s also beginner-friendly and lends itself for versatility in fabric choices.
For mine, I used Dear Stella mini dots in pastels and Kona Cotton Solid White for the background. I quilted it in a 1 ÂŒ” crosshatch using Aurifil thread 2021.
And since I’ve been enjoying the look of scrappy binding lately, I chose it for this project as well. The finished mini is 14 Âœ” square so it could also be made into a pillow as a fun alternative.
And of course, when giving any handmade giftâadd your label!
My hair stylist was happy with this little mini, and I was happy to have created it and to have made one for her. If you’ve know anyone that’s expecting, it makes a wonderful gift. And if you do make one, I’d love to see your version! Share on Instagram #withloveminiquilt.
Recently, a friend of mine asked me to make her a quilt as a gift for her friend who just had a baby boy. I don’t usually make commissioned quilts, but of course, for a friend! The baby’s dad is a huge fan of The Little Prince story so I set out to find themed fabric, and to my surprise, I found a Riley Blake collection.
After mulling over pattern designs and how to best showcase all the fabrics, we decided on the easy, basic Checkered Baby Quilt. I like to use flannel backing on baby quilts, so we chose a cute star print that blended nicely with the others. And because I am one who certainly can’t turn down striped binding, we settled on the blue, with yellow stars and green stripes.
Upon the arrival of new fabric, I immediately got to work (more like ‘play’). As in making any quilt, I used some helpful techniques. After pin basting and before any quilting, I ran a long basting stitch across the top edge of the quilt, about an 1/8″ down. This helps to eliminate any pull from quilting and it helps reduce shifting. Also, if the stitches are sewn less than 1/4″ from the edge, you won’t have to remove them before attaching the binding.
Initially, I did the top only but I ended up adding a basting stitch along both sides because of slight puckering when sewing on the binding. It only took a few minutes and solved the problem.
And lastly, if you have labels, be sure to sew one on the backing before quilting!
Here are a few photos of the finished quilt. My friend was pleased with the results, and I hope the new mom and dad are too.
I’d also like to mention that if you’re a beginner quilter or know someone who is, I highly recommend this pattern. Not only is it easy, it’s fun! It’s straight-forward, there are no bias edges, no half square triangles, and no cutting if you use precuts!
Last spring I made a Checkered Baby Quilt as a gift, and at that time I made a tutorial. If you or a friend would like to give it a try, here’s the link to my easy-to-follow tutorial: Checkered Baby Quilt PDF
I’ve had this quilt finished for quite some time and I’m happy to finally release the pattern! If you’ve seen my circus minis, you’ll recognize the elephants in this quilt; they’re based on the same pattern. I reworked it by changing the elephant’s face direction, increased the size and added centered hearts.
And of course I always appreciate the help of my pattern testers, so I’d like to give a big thank you to Ange and Kathie!
Overall, this pattern offers easy-to-follow instructions and it’s suitable for various skill levelsâa confident beginner could make it with ease and it’s also great for the more experienced quilter.
If you’re looking for a fun and easy make, this makes a special, whimsical gift for the expectant parent or anyone who has already welcomed their little one.
Monday Morning Designs 