Table of contents for June/July 2023 in Quick+Easy Quilts

TEACHING KIDS Are you looking for something fun to do this summer? Why not teach a young person in your life how to sew? For years, I designed patterns for kids learning to sew and even taught classes at my local quilt shop. It was incredibly fulfilling and fun. In this issue, you will find patterns, books, and tools perfect for young people. Our cover beauty is Patriotic Rail Fence by Carol Wilhoit—easy enough for a young person to make but inspiring enough to share as a Quilt of Valor® pattern. Would you believe that Carol made this quilt with leftovers from another project? Don't miss the Casey and Gray Pillows by Jen Daly. Small, fun to sew, and absolutely adorable—they are sure to be popular with kids. Imagine the…

finished size: 56” X 4” finished blocks: 4”, 6”, 8”, 10” BLOCKS I love sampler quilts. They are so interesting to look at. Scrappy is best! The more fabric, the better. With the different blocks and fabrics, you just have to keep looking at the quilt. I love the combination of appliqué, curved piecing, and classic patchwork. This quilt makes me think of a vintage quilt made with feed sacks. I love the farming and rural community that I come from, and the sense of history and family that this kind of environment brings. Kari Plan Part four of our sampler series features techniques that you have already tried and some new ones. Curved piecing is a love/hate technique for many quilters, but we think you just need to find…

Products used: Havel's Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Havel's 6½” Fabric Ruler, Havel's 45mm Rotary Cutter, and Havel's 3½” Straight-Tip Embroidery Scissors. Fabric from Garden Glory collection by Maja Ronnback and Abstract Collage collection by Ampersand, both for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. Watch this Sew EasyTM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/sew-easy-paper-foundation-piecing…

Older Books That Are Great for a Beginner's Library Sewing School Series (4 books) by Amie Petronis Plumley and Andrea Lisle Storey, 2010-2019 This wonderful series starts kids off with hand sewing and fun fiber projects and works up to quilting and even fashion sewing. I love books that show finished projects that actual kids made—unpolished and imperfectly perfect! These books share the basics of sewing with fun projects that can be as easy or complex as the child can handle. There are lots of projects and inspiration for kids as young as 6 –12 years of age. storey.com My First Hand Sewing Book: Learn to Sew: Kids by Alison McNicol CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2010 This is a sweet book, perfect for the littlest sewists. With hearts, cupcakes, birds,…

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. Jen Daly jendalyquilts.com Jen is a designer, quilt book author, and Etsy shop owner. A soon-tobe empty-nester, she plans to lean heavily on her Goldendoodle Casey to make the transition. She lives in Grantham, New Hampshire. Susan Deshensky ladybluequilts.com In addition to being a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician, Susan enjoys community service, animals, and boating on Long Island Sound. She loves paper piecing and teaching, and is a Quiltworx Certified Instructor. Susan resides in Westchester County, New York. Michelle Freedman @stitchwellandprosper Michelle is a quilt day-dreamer and textile adventure-seeker! She recently planted a…

The Drunkard's Path is a block that goes back centuries. While there is usually a discussion about the block name referring to the Temperance movement of the 19th century, the shape actually goes back to ancient Egypt and Solomon's Puzzle—a similar block that is joined to create a circle. These complex curves may seem intimidating, but they should not be feared. You may even find them fun to make once you find a technique that works for you! Here we share a few techniques for sewing a curved seam. Try each as you make the Drunkard's Path block to find the one you like best. TOP TIPS! • If your machine has a needle-down function, engage it. It will help hold the patches in place while you adjust the fabric…

Products used: Havel's Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Havel's 6” × 24” Fabric Ruler, and Havel's 45mm Rotary Cutter. Fabric from Garden Glory collection by Maja Ronnback and Abstract Collage collection by Ampersand, both for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. TIP: This method works for any size Flying Geese unit. Cut the small squares ⅞” larger than the finished height and the large square 1¼” larger than the finished width. Watch this Sew EasyTM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/Sew-Easy-Quick-Pieced-Flying-Geese-Units…

Sewing Machine Basics for Children: A fun step-by-step guide to machine sewing by Angela Pressley CicoKidz, 2022 If your kids want to learn to sew, this just might be the perfect book to get them started. Chock full of 30 fun and exciting projects for kids, Sewing Machine Basics for Children is a sensational addition to the market. What fun it will be to choose a project from these pages and set off on a sewing adventure! Projects include clothing, bags, stuffed animals—and accessories for the stuffies—as well as pillows, and messenger bags. Adult supervision is required since there is rotary cutting, ironing, template enlargement, and sometimes body measurements involved in making everything from accessories to installing zippers. Children ages 7 and up will love the colorful projects and learning…

finished size: 64” × 75” finished blocks: 24 (8” × 15”) BLOCKS The idea for my Sole Mates quilt came to me when I noticed my friend Lori was wearing two different colored socks. She explained that she had a grandson with Down syndrome and that wearing two different socks was for awareness. Folks with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome, and chromosomes under a microscope look like colorful socks! I thought about how fun it would be to make a sock-inspired quilt to raise awareness for Down syndrome. I chose an indigo-colored background to represent wearing denim jeans with fun socks—but also, when I researched the information about chromosomes, I was struck by images I saw that were on a dark background. There are three sock blocks representing three…

finished size: 85” × 97” finished blocks: 25 (15”) BLOCKS 34 (5”) BLOCKS Every month, I promise myself that this will be the month I get organized and get control of my mountain of fabric—especially my scraps! I wonder why I can't be more like my daughter, whose entire fabric collection is showcased on a wall, perfectly folded and displayed in rainbow order. Even when petting her new fabric purchases, she always arranges them in rainbow order. As I gazed at my collection, my thoughts wandered to my daughter's love of traditional Nine-Patch blocks and my love of stars. A vision of the perfect use of all those lovely rainbow colors begins to formulate in my mind, and before long, Rainbow Order emerges. I rationalize and tell myself that if…

When a child shows interest in sewing, how do you start? For some quilters, teaching is structured with practicing ¼” seams and projects that build skills. For others, they teach in an organic way that allows the child to experience the tactile nature of cloth and just have fun. We asked our contributors how they teach the kids in their life to sew and quilt. We got varying answers, but the smiles on the kid's faces—well, that says it all! CONSTANZE TOPLANSKY “I have been teaching my son how to sew since he was two years old. At first, he would just collect scraps and I would help him pin them to a fat quarter, then he would sit in my lap while I machine stitched on top. Now that…

Products used: Havel's Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Havel's 6” Serrated-Blade Fabric Scissors with larger finger loop, and performance icon™ by PFAFF®. Fabric from Garden Glory collection by Maja Ronnback and Abstract Collage collection by Ampersand, both for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. TIP: Patience is a virtue. Take your time when piecing curves to get the best result. Watch this Sew EasyTM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/Sew-Easy-Curved-Piecing…

TIP: This method works for any size triangle-square. Cut squares the finished size of trianglesquares plus 7⁄8”. Products used: Havel's Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Havel's 6” × 24” Fabric Ruler, and Havel's 45mm Rotary Cutter. Fabric from Abstract Collage collection by Ampersand and Garden Glory collection by Maja Ronnback, both for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. Watch this Sew EasyTM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/Sew-Easy-Quick-Pieced-Triangle-Squares…

finished size: 18” × 18” finished blocks: 2 (18”) BLOCKS My Goldendoodle Casey is the inspiration behind my dog and cat pillows. We don't have a cat, but I wanted to be sure cat lovers out there were represented as well. I designed these dog and cat blocks to be 15”, but I thought it might be fun to have an extra border to make them 18” square. The smallest piece in the blocks is 2”. Jen kid-friendly PROJECT Plan Cuddle up to these adorable pet pillows! If you're not a pillow person, skip the instructions for the pillow backs and turn them into petite wall hangings. Or combine several blocks to make a fun quilt. Jen has made her cat and dog designs so simple to assemble (with most units…

“Before I became informed about Down syndrome, I thought that it was something sad, something to fear, and it is not. My grandson, Silas, is delightful! He is not very verbal—but that is improving by the day. Things are so different now in that from the time he was born, he was doing physical therapy and occupational therapy. They check for heart conditions in babies born with Down syndrome before they even leave the hospital. Even the way society looks at people with Down syndrome has changed! There are organizations that reach out to parents before they even leave the hospital, so they have a support system in place, and they celebrate the birthdays of the kids with parties, too. There are people with Down syndrome graduating from college now.…

finished size: 40” × 40” finished blocks: 16 (10”) BLOCKS I love ice cream and summer! Ice cream brings. My memories and longing for warmer weather. My husband and I like to go to a local ice cream shop on Wednesday nights for their ‘buy one sundae, get one free’ deal. He always goes for chocolate, peanut butter, and fudge. I don't mind trying different flavors, but my favorite is butter pecan. The ice cream cones and popsicles are appliquéd. This quilt and the ice cream flavors could be easily adapted to your favorites! Susan kid-friendly PROJECT Plan Choose fabrics that mimic your favorite frozen flavors or create something fresh and exciting for this summertime treat! If you're new to appliqué, this is an ideal quilt to get you started. With…

kid-friendly PROJECT finished size: 54” × 64” finished blocks: 96 (5”) BLOCKS Graphic and bold, this quilt is perfect for a tween or teen who is looking for a more “grown-up” quilt. With rock-and-roll style and large, chunky triangle-squares, this pattern can be stitched up in a weekend. If pinks and purples aren't quite right for the recipient, look to our color option at the end of the pattern for design inspiration. Maybe blue is more up to speed. Think outside the box and make a Bowie Ziggy Stardust -inspired quilt. We can even imagine a “Lightning McQueen” version for the littles. This pattern might just be like potato chips—you can't make just one! Angie Milligan DES MOINES, IA Plan Get ready to perfect your 8-at-aTime Triangle-Squares with this energetic quilt…