Table of contents for February/March 2022 in Quick+Easy Quilts

We have two adorable heart-inspired quilts to get us through Valentine’s day. Jennifer McClanahan made a lovely heart quilt in beautiful Liberty fabrics. The quilt is called Love Notes and it is as sweet as can be. Kisses for Baby by Andi Stanfield is an “X’s and O’s” quilt with a twist. Lending by Rachelle Craig is the perfect quilt for the bibliophile in your life. Find some fabric that reminds you of leather or quilt the names of your favorite literary works on this bookish quilt! Let the Fabric Shine by Patti Sparks is a fat-quarter friendly pattern that definitely fills the “Quick + Easy” bill. She loves quilts that are easy to sew, big enough for the bed, and not too dear that your furry friends can’t enjoy…

There are several quilters online who have very active systems for organizing their stashes. Author, fabric designer, and pattern designer, Lori Holt, brings home fabric and almost always cuts it immediately into patches and strips. She has a large closet where bins hold scraps sorted by size—from 1½" up to yardage. This system works well for her scrappy quilt style. (https://beeinmybonnetco.blogspot.com/2013/08/from-myquilty-studiohow-i-save-my.html ) Author, designer, and quilt-retreat center owner, Bonnie Hunter, has a “Scrap User’s System” that works with her rulers and patterns. She sorts in 1½", 2", 2½", 3" and 3½" sizes, though she does save strings as small as 1½"-wide that she can’t throw away. She also sub-sorts into light and dark. This system is what works best for her, and her followers love it! ( https://quiltville.com/scrapusersystem.shtml)…

Seams Smart The direction you press your seams is a matter of personal preference. However sticking with the way you learned might not be your best option. Take into consideration the block you are making, then decide. Your construction will improve and your blocks will lay flatter. Pressing vs. Ironing These words often are used interchangeably, however, knowing the difference can affect your piecing in a big way! Learning the right pressing techniques can help you take your piecing to the next level. We’re Biased You may know the importance of not stretching the bias in patches, but did you know that you can use it to your advantage? Ironing bias strips prior to appliquéing them in place helps to create curves prior to sewing them down, which makes it…

finished size: 32" × 36" finished blocks: 2 (18") BLOCKS 2 (14" X 16") BLOCKS I had just finished an Irish Chain quilt and was thinking about my next project. I like to think of my quilts as portable hugs, which led my train of thought to the classic XOXO design. Putting it all together with 2½" strips and squares makes everything come together quickly—my favorite type of quilt! I love the pixelated nature of this design that is put together with one basic square unit. There is so much potential to adjust the size—it goes from a baby quilt to a throw quilt just by swapping in 5" charm squares for 2½" strips! And, you could make a totally scrappy version too! Plan For this quilt, choose three colors…

finished size: 81" × 91" finished blocks: 72 (9") BLOCKS This quilt was inspired by a beautiful fabric collection. I love fabric designs and wanted a quilt that showcased the work of the fabric designer and the high-quality printing. I also like quilts that are useful—large enough for a queen bed and not so fussy that the pets cannot sit on it. I started with the block and then played in Electric Quilt 8 until I got a quilt I liked. I am a very lazy quilter, so I use a lot of sashing strips (no matching points here!). Plan This quilt is perfect for grabbing that fat quarter stack you have been wondering what to do with and making a fun quilt in no time! You will need 20…

finished size: 54" × 63" finished blocks: 30 (8") BLOCKS Are you missing all the beautiful posies in your garden? Spring is just around the corner! To welcome the new season, why not gather some fresh floral fabrics to make this delightful quilt? Jane’s design uses just 10 coordinating fat quarters, a light background print, and a colorful floral for the border. These easy-to-assemble blocks with Pinwheel centers will blossom into a gorgeous throw that’s perfect for any time of the year! Plan A beautiful bouquet of florals and prints inspired Jane’s gorgeous design. Our Sew Easy techniques for making 8-at-a-Time Triangle-Squares and Quick-Pieced Flying Geese will make assembly of these colorful blocks a breeze! Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit…

1. To make a band, pair two strips with right sides facing and raw edges aligned. Stitch with ¼" seam. Press flat to set stitches. 2. Fold top strip back and gently press seam open to one side. Band should be straight, without any distortion along outside edges. 3. Add third strip to complete band and press as described in previous steps. 4. Measure height of band to ensure it matches the required measurements.Aligning horizontal lines on ruler with long edge and seam lines of strip set,trim uneven end of strip set. 5. Keeping horizontal lines on ruler aligned with band, cut required width segments. 6. If making bands with more than three strips, join strips in pairs and then sew pairs together. TIP If combining units from multiple bands,…

finished size: 60" × 60" finished blocks: 16 (10") BLOCKS I love decorating for the holidays with holiday quilts. I also love modern quilts. This quilt allows both the modern and traditional quilter in everyone to use their creativity with fabric choices. The longarmer in me loves to design quilts that allow for negative space, offering so many options for quilting the quilt. Plan Choose some fabrics you love for this sweetheart of a quilt. Lay out the quilt top on a design wall or the floor prior to sewing it together for best results. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Shop Fabric yardage assumes 40" usable width of fabric (WOF) unless otherwise noted. • White solid 23/8 yds.…

Emily Bailey auntemsquilts.com Emily is a quilt designer and author who especially enjoys designing for scraps and precuts. She aspires to make the world a softer, more loving place by sharing her skills, pattterns, and knowledge. She resides in Centerville, Utah. Carolyn Beam Carolyn is a former editor for several of our magazines and is currently the Editor of Quilter’s World. She lives in Longmont, Colorado. Rachelle Craig rachellehandmade.com Rachelle is a civil engineer by trade who enjoys the entire process of quilt making—from the spark of inspiration to the tangible quilt. She lives in Wonewoc, Wisconsin with her husband and two cats. Abigail Dolinger abyquilts.wordpress.com Abigail is the Children’s Ministry Director at her church and enjoys sharing her love of sewing with the children. A lifelong quilter, Abigail is…

finished size: 16" × 44" finished blocks: 3 (12") BLOCKS A dark background helps the intense color of the batiks stand out in the fresh, happy colors of spring. When displayed on my dining table, it reminds me of the bright flowers that will soon bloom in my garden and along the roadsides. Vibrant color emerging from the past dark days of winter. The Paddle Star block lends itself to a scrappy quilt design; a constant fabric or color for triangles and cornerstones would offer cohesiveness. The Four-Patches in the design support the spinning illusion of the triangles, adding interest to the simple Friendship Star. I enjoy designing within the size parameters of pre-cuts; I am happy to find that this block can be quickly and easily made from 5"…

finished size: 45" × 58" finished blocks: 12 (12") BLOCKS Winter quilts are my favorites! The cool colors of white, blue, and silvery gray work well in my decor. I’m finding we are using more small throw-sized quilts lately. This is the perfect size for snuggling on the couch or recliner while watching TV. Plan This quilt looks like it’s very complicated with inset seams. However, easy stitch-and-flip corners make this quilt a breeze! You are going to love making this star-studded quilt. Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Shop Fabric yardage assumes 40" usable width of fabric (WOF) unless otherwise noted. • Gray tonal 15/8 yds. for blocks and border• White Tonal 1¾ yds. for blocks and sashes•…

finished size: 64½" × 82" finished blocks: 12 (16½") BLOCKS Emily took a fun technique used to create the Delectable Mountain block and put her own spin on it. Make an oversized triangle-square, slice it, rearrange it and you have a fun block. But you get something really special when you combine four blocks. If you’ve never tried partial seams, this might seem a bit tricky. Once you get the hang of it, a whole host of quilt blocks open up to you. Be sure to watch the Sew Easy Lesson videos for Partial Seams on QuiltingDaily.com for added help. Plan This is a fun quilt to make using a collection of bright print 10" squares. Emily came up with the setting when playing with a variation of Delectable Mountain…

Old Standbys Our editorial team has a combined total of over 220 quilting years—that’s a lot of experience! During a recent “water cooler” chat, we began waxing on about products that were considered staples to every sewing basket years ago that aren’t so common today. A very interesting conversation ensued! Here are the not-so-common products we use. Denise Tracy, one of my all-time favorites is Bag Balm. Great for lots of things! Tracy Oh my gosh, I forgot about Bag Balm! I used to love that stuff. I always had some in my house back when I did all my quilting by hand. Eileen Remember Orvus Soap? Some quilters in an online group were looking for that recently. Gigi They’re not an obscure product (what even is Bag Balm?? ),…

Rose in Bloom Block of the Month by Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique It’s Sew Emma, 2021 Vanessa Goertzen designed her lovely Rose in Bloom quilt as a tribute to her grandmother Marguerite, who loved flower gardens, painting, and literature. Vanessa’s block of the month book includes everything you need to know to recreate this 84" x 84" beauty, including fabric requirements and suggestions, easy-to-follow instructions for the ten blocks, a fabulous floral-inspired layout, and even a fun pieced quilt backing. A bit of spring gardening—with a quilty twist! itssewemma.com Fat Quarter Patchwork Quilts: 12 Beginner Patterns to Make with Precut Bundles by Stephanie Soebbing Landauer, 2021 You’ve mastered collecting fat quarter bundles. Stephanie Soebbing’s Fat Quarter Patchwork Quilts book is just what you need to use them. You’ll find…

finished size: 77" × 91" finished blocks: 30 (14") BLOCKS This design was made from my rainbow of scraps. I tend to make many quilts from solids and basics because I design many quilts based on color. When I make scrap quilts, they seem a bit more controlled scrappy even though I don’t intentionally do that—it’s just the nature of my scraps. When I was a young girl, I remember the first time I got a “bed in a bag” comforter set with matching sheets, pillowcase, and comforter. It was a big moment for me because I had always seen them in JC Penney’s catalog, and I had never had anything like that. It was bubblegum machines and colorful gumballs scattered. It seems that made an impression on me that…

finished size: 66" × 66" finished blocks: 36 (11") BLOCKS Log Cabin is Carolyn’s favorite block for design inspiration. So many interesting patterns emerge just from different block arrangements. Red, white, and blue blocks in this layout make a perfect Quilt of Valor® . Plan A patriotic star appears from the creative placement of red and blue Log Cabin blocks. Use a variety of prints in each color to add interest to this Quilt of Valor® . Use an accurate ¼" seam allowance throughout to ensure all elements of the quilt fit together well. Shop Fabric yardage assumes 40" usable width of fabric (WOF) unless otherwise noted. • Assorted red prints 1¼ yds. total for blocks• Assorted cream prints 2¼ yds. total for blocks• Assorted blue prints 2½ yds. total…

finished size: 56" × 56" finished blocks: 46 (8") BLOCKS The idea for this quilt was inspired by the colorful friendship bracelets that kids make in summer camp. During the pandemic, I thought a lot about how we were connecting with each other in different ways and how those bracelets always symbolized a friendship connection. When I drew the initial block, I noticed it was the same any way it rotated. I played with the layout of the quilt and was delighted when I discovered that if I offset the blocks every other row, that it created a diagonal line. This is a fun quilt to make in a weekend—it’s fast! Strip sets can be sewn, subcut, then chain piece the pairs together. Before you know it, you have a…

1. Place one small square on larger square, right sides facing and aligning raw edges. Draw a line diagonally on wrong side as shown. 2. Sew on drawn line.Trim ¼" beyond stitching. 3. Press open to reveal triangle. 4. Following pattern instructions, repeat for remaining corners to complete unit. Products used: Havel’s Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Havel’s 45mm Rotary Cutter, and Havel’s 6" x 24" Fabric Ruler. Fabric from Garden Glory by Maja Ronnback collection and Abstract Collage by Ampersand collection for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. Watch this Sew Easy TM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/Sew-Easy-Stitch-and-Flip-Corners…

1. With right sides together, align corner edges of square and first unit as shown. Sew from center of square to left edge, creating a partial seam. 2. Working clockwise, join second unit, sewing entire length of seam. Press away from square. 3. In same manner, join third unit. 4. To join fourth unit, fold block over to align edges of fourth unit with square and first unit, pinning in place. 5. Finish by sewing from partial seam to outside edge of block. 6. Press seam allowance away from center square to complete block. Products used: Havel’s Self-Healing Cutting Mat. Fabrics from Garden Glory collection by Maja Ronnback and Abstract Collage collection by Ampersand, both for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. Watch this Sew Easy TM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/Sew-Easy-Partial-Seams…

finished size: 72" × 72" finished blocks: 25 (12") BLOCKS I’ve always been an avid reader and can spend hours in a library or bookstore. Last year, with the help of books and resources from my local library, I turned my love of quilting into my new quilt pattern design business. It’s been the most scary and challenging, but the most rewarding, adventure of my life. Lending is a strip pieced quilt inspired by my love of libraries and books. The use of strip piecing makes one think the design is complex, but the pattern will be enjoyed for its simplicity of construction. Plan Simple strip piecing for bands is all you need to know to make this delightful quilt for the book lover in your life. The hardest part…

finished size: 51" × 61" finished blocks: 30 (9") BLOCKS Do you want to make a throw for your favorite little sports enthusiast? (Maybe that’s you!) Team up fun prints from an assortment of 10" squares for the simple Four-Patch units in these blocks. By the seventh inning stretch, your quilt top will be assembled and ready for quilting. Designer Emily Bailey is happy when she’s designing new quilts and sharing them with other quilters. She loves the creative process and says meeting wonderful quilters through her ventures is a bonus. Plan Emily selected a colorful collection of 10" squares and a white background for this quick-to-assemble throw. Think of all the possibilities! Use whimsical novelties for that fun kid's quilt. Find colors to represent your favorite sports team. How…