If you’ve taken it for granted that the Christmas holiday season is the only time of year to make wreath quilts, I hope this little autumn leaf quilt will make you think again. I like making wreath quilts at any season, and every season has its own motifs that can be turned into wreaths. This…
The bear paw quilt block is an old favorite that dates back to the days when real bears used to lurk in the woods around most towns, villages, and settlements. This tutorial shows you how to make three different variations on the bear’s paw block, each one featuring a really fast and simple raw-edged layering…
Finished Block Size: 13-1/2″ x 13-1/2″ What says “autumn” more beautifully than a maple leaf quilt block? This tutorial shows you how to make the block with a super-quick and easy raw-edged layering method I love, because it requires no marking and almost no trimming. A maple leaf block is a type of nine-patch block…
I hear from lots of New Quilters readers who want to learn more easy free-motion quilting designs. This tutorial video from Laura at Sew Very Easy shows you a motif you can use as an all-over pattern on just about any quilt. Perfection is not required! Laura also has some good general machine quilting advice…
I was idly looking at Christmas quilts on the Internet a few days ago when I came across a fun-looking tutorial for a Christmas table runner on the Samelia’s Mum blog and decided, “Why not?” The table runner is made of Disappearing 9-patch blocks, which are 9-patch blocks that you piece, cut up, rearrange into a…
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…
Every quilter should have a few star blocks in her bag of tricks. This week’s easy quilt block, the Friendship Star, is one of the simplest star blocks you can make. I also like it best among the star blocks because of its charming pinwheel quality. The block is made by combining squares with half-square…
I was doing some quilt blog-hopping the other day when I saw this tutorial on how to take an ordinary four-patch block, cut it up, and turn it into a cool new block that looks much more interesting than the original. I just had to try it for myself. I started with four five-inch squares,…
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…
One reason we all love wearing t-shirts is because they are made from such soft, stretchy knit fabric. When it comes to making t-shirt quilts, though, their stretchiness poses a problem. The same give that makes t-shirts so comfortable also makes them get distorted and wonky if you sew them without preparing them in advance….
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…