Learn basic quilting techniques with step-by-step photo instructions.
I like making small quilts, especially when I want to try out a new quilting technique. That way, if something goes wrong, it’s only a teeny little disaster, not a huge one. That’s one reason I made this little table runner. It was my first-ever self-bound quilt — that is, a quilt where you fold the…
Here’s a quick way to make four half-square triangle quilt blocks from two fabric squares. Start with two same-size squares. Mine were 10″, the size square that comes in layer cake precut packages. Lay the squares with right sides together. Carefully align the edges and corners. Sew all around the outside of the squares, using a…
26″ Square Table Topper This pretty little quilt makes a great table topper or small wall quilt for any celebration. You can use fabrics that work with any holiday: Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, Halloween — or just choose any fabrics that appeal to you. Here’s a little gallery of table toppers I’ve…
Your quilt is almost done! You see the finish line ahead. Do you really want to take the extra time to put on a quilt label now? Absolutely. In just an hour or two, you can create a permanent record that your quilt will carry with it as long as it survives. A good quilt label…
If you live in a climate where the weather gets cold, you can’t beat polyester fleece as a quilt backing. Fleece is soft, light, warm, and washes and dries well. Where I live in Northern California, the nights are chilly almost all year round, so I back almost all my quilts with polar fleece fabric…
The Windmill quilt block is an easy block made by arranging four Rail Fence blocks into a larger block that looks like — you guessed it — the turning blades of a windmill. The block needs only two fabrics, one lighter and one darker. The more contrast you have between the two fabrics, the…
Here’s an easy way to make half-square triangle blocks from two fabric squares. Each set of two squares will make two mirror-image triangle blocks. Step-by-Step Instructions Start with two squares of the same size from two fabrics that look good together. I cut one square from this cute cherry fabric and paired it with a…
Do you ever have a piece of fabric you’d love to use for a quilt backing, but it isn’t quite big enough to cover the whole area of the quilt? That’s the problem I ran into with this little baby quilt (38″ x 38″). I had a large scrap piece of flannel that would be…
Make your gift extra-special by wrapping it in one of these beautiful, reusable fabric bags. I’ve given gifts in these bags for years, and many times, the recipient likes the bag just as much as the gift inside! It’s like adding a little extra treat to your gift. Use the instructions in this post to…
Table Runner Finished Size: 14″ x 42″. Skill level: Absolute Beginner Who else likes to make projects that are super-quick and show off some adorable new fabric you just had to buy? Here’s a table runner you can make from start to finish in about half an hour. The author of the original tutorial from Iowa…
Whenever a beginning quilter me asks what kind of quilt is best to start out with, I always recommend making a pieced strip quilt. Anyone who can sew a reasonably straight line can sew strips together. If you aren’t completely confident of your ability to choose colors that look together, making your quilt from a…
Once you have a quilt top finished and the quilt layers basted, the next step is stitching the layers together. How do you start? For me, that’s an easy decision: I always start by anchoring the quilt layers together with straight-line machine quilting. I do this by stitching along existing seam lines in the quilt…