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…
This week’s easy quilt block is made of nine small fabric squares arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The graphic above shows the two kinds of nine-patch blocks you can make from two fabrics. That’s what I will show you how to do in this post. Supply List Here’s what you will need: Fabric strips in…
When you want to make a lot of four-patch quilt blocks from the same two fabrics, strip piecing is the way to go. It’s fast, it’s accurate, and it’s easy. It’s also a good way to make use of a precut jelly roll of 2-1/2″ strips. Here’s an illustrated guide to strip piecing a set…
Snowball quilt blocks: they’re not just for winter or Christmas quilts! You can make snowballs at any season, with any combination of fabrics from traditional to fanciful. Here’s a mini-gallery that shows just a few of the different looks you can create with snowball blocks: In this post, I’m going to show you how to sew…
Like most things in quilting, strip piecing works a lot better if you use a few tips worked out by experienced quilters. Here are nine ways to make your strip piecing go smoothly and quickly. Starch your fabric. Stiff, starched fabric makes cutting and sewing much easier. Use enough starch to make your fabric as stiff…
The Courthouse Steps block is a variation on the traditional Log Cabin quilt block. Like other Log Cabin blocks, Courthouse Steps is made from light and dark quilting fabrics arranged in a step formation around a central “hearth” square. The arrangement of the logs in two sets of graduated light and dark “steps” gives the…
The Rail Fence quilt block is one of my favorites because it is so easy to strip piece and because it shows off a pretty fabric so well. This post shows you how to make Rail Fence blocks in several sizes and configurations. I usually make 6-1/2″ blocks, but I’ve also included cutting instructions for…
I love Log Cabin blocks for their history, their homey look, and the many different quilt patterns you can create with them. They are easy to make, too. You can strip piece a whole quilt’s worth of Log Cabin blocks in just a few hours. A Log Cabin block consists of two sets of “logs,”…