What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Hugs make us happy. 

A good snuggle releases oxytocin, a chemical associated with happiness and less stress. But I wonder…can quilts do the same?

This week Jenny, Misty, and Natalie showcase 3 new projects based on the classic X’s and O’s quilt. And these hugs and kisses are almost as sweet as the real thing!

Jenny’s Design

Jenny calls her quilt “Social Distanced Hugs” because the O’s are separated with a fun sashing. (What a unique way to remember these “unprecedented times!”)

Natalie’s Design

Natalie adds Wonky Star legs to her quilt, creating a ...

Fresh off my frame, and full of fabulously scrumptious feathery texture:

Peacock Flourish Opulence Fabric, Mottled White Multi

You’ve finally made it! You have your supplies in hand and you have a great knowledge of precut quilting fabrics so it’s time to create your very first quilt block! Before we begin, remember Jenny’s favorite phrase, “finished is better than perfect”. Your first quilt block might not be perfect (maybe it will!) but what is most important is that you learned new skills along the way and ...

On cold winter nights, the sky is an icy blanket of twinkling stars. The truth is … I rarely take notice. It’s just too cold for stargazing! 

But if you are willing to bundle up and brave the winter chill, you will be treated to a glittering show far brighter than any summertime stars. 

This week Jenny is whipping up a Winter Star quilt in icy shades of blue and white. This quick and easy layer cake pattern is perfect as a lap quilt or winter wall hanging.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! If you love Marcia Brady as much as we do, get excited! 

Last year, Maureen McCormick (aka Marcia Brady) visited Missouri to meet Jenny. Maureen is an avid quilter and just as sweet in person as she was on TV. (Click HERE to watch the video!)

Now, Maureen has her own fabric collection with Moda, and Jenny used it to whip up a flower applique quilt made with quick and easy half-square triangles. 

These pretty blocks can be laid out in dozens of ways. And whether you choose pinwheels, chevrons, or square-in-a-square, you’ll have a groovy ...

Can you imagine enduring winter in ancient Scandinavia? No electricity. No furnace. No corner grocery store. Just weeks and weeks of darkness, cold, and scarcity. 

During the darkest part of winter, my own Swedish ancestors adorned evergreen wreaths with white candles to celebrate Yule, or midwinter. The evergreen boughs symbolized resilience in harsh conditions; the candles, hope for the warmth and light of spring. 

3,000 years later, I think we can all use a touch of hope, so we’re whipping up a quick and easy Hourglass Wreath quilt. This simple layer cake pattern comes together in a jiffy ...

2020 has been rough. Too much division. Too much loneliness and distress. Too much heartache. But when the world seems to fall apart, we quilters stitch it back together.

“Through Love” is a quick and easy jelly roll pattern with a powerful message: LOVE. It was created by Allie Perry of Taren Studios who says, “We are all connected through love, and when we come together, we can create something beautiful.” 

As you work on this simple strip set quilt, I hope it brings healing and peace to your heart. Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

When Suzy Snowflake comes tap, tap, tappin’ at your windowpane, how do you react? 

Do you welcome winter with open arms or do you wrap up in your thickest quilt and “hibernate” ‘til spring?

Do you curse each icy flake, or do you set up the Christmas tree and drink peppermint cocoa for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Love it or hate it, winter is on its way, and Jenny has just the quilt to get you in the mood:

The Snowball Star is a quick and easy jelly roll pattern. We’re using Ombre Snowflake Metallic strips, and every block ...

Spiders are master weavers. Their webs are made with silk “thread” that is the envy of quilters: 1,000x thinner than human hair and 5x stronger than steel! (Scientists think pencil-thick web could stop a jumbo jet!)  

They work at a dazzling pace, completing incredibly intricate webs in about an hour. But this week, Jenny is giving ‘em a run for their money!

The Disappearing Four-Patch Weave quilt starts as a super-simple 4-patch and then, like all disappearing blocks, we slice it and rearrange the pieces. The result is a gorgeous, woven layer cake pattern that comes together lickety-split. (Our ...

I could stare at Jenny’s Good Fortune quilt for a hundred years and never realize…it’s a simple disappearing 9 patch!

It’s true! All those cute little pieces are nothing more than a chopped-up 9 patch with one fun twist: a snowballed sashing.

And the best part? You can use the leftover fabric to make a 2nd quilt with a whole new layout! (Watch all the way to the end of the tutorial to see how it looks!)

This easy quilt brings warmth and color to your fall home decor. It is a perfect scrappy quilt with modern vibes, fast construction, and comes in two sizes!

Photograph by American Quilter magazine. Used with permission.

Fall Blooms, my newest fall quilt, has just been published in the September 2020 issue of the American Quilter magazine published by the American Quilter’s Society. As pictured above, it measures 66″ x 66″ with 12″ blocks. However, the pattern comes with a queen-size version if you decide to make it for your bed.

This is a great quilt for beginners because you ...

The Framed Pinwheels quilt is a master of disguise. 

It looks like a tricky maze of itty bitty pieces, but don’t be deceived! This block is simply a disappearing nine patch! 

Here’s how it works:  Whip up a nine patch of charms and lil’ pinwheels. Slice up that block. Shuffle the pieces. Stitch ‘em back together. That’s it! 

This pattern was inspired by the creative genius of V and Co, and we’re so excited to share it with you!

Welcome family and friends with this Easy quilting panel Fall pattern I have just released! The border has simple blocks so you can make this quilt in one day. It is perfect for a beginner quilter who is just learning the craft, and ideal for veteran quilters who want a new, but quick, Fall quilt.

Homecoming

Homecoming was made with the Happy Fall Y’all fabric collection by Timeless Treasures. It measures 34-1/2″ x 54-1/2″ and the block size is 2.5″. I chose a simple border because I wanted the messages on the panel to stand out ...

You know how you set something aside for so long and then somehow your mind decides it is going to take forever to finish it and you don’t want to so you just leave it there? Yeah, me too. Last fall I pieced a cute strip quilt using a focus print from Pandalicious. I had yardage in the shop and thought it would be fun to make one and then make up some kits for others to make it.

So I made up the quilt top and got it basted. I started to free motion quilt each ...

Have you ever given up on a quilting project? You’re not alone! Wavy blocks and unmatched seams have frustrated quilters since the invention of needle and thread!

As a result, unfinished quilts are commonly found in antique shops, and quite often, they are Morning Star quilts! This pretty star is certainly breathtaking, but all those Y-seams and tiny bias-cut diamonds have caused many a quilter to call it quits. 

Lucky for us, the magnificent Tara Faughnan designed a modern Morning Star for our MODBlock Magazine, and it’s the perfect blend of quick, easy, and exciting! Click HERE to ...

In the olden days, laundry was scrubbed on washboards, hand-mixed bread was baked in finicky wood-burning stoves, and the Carpenter’s Star was stitched with labor intensive y-seams. It was a lot of work. Thank goodness for modern innovations!

This week, Jenny is whipping up an Easy Carpenter’s Star using big half square triangles. It’s a gorgeous quilt that comes together lickety-split! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

When life feels off-kilter, I find solace in two places: the sewing room and the garden.

Jenny’s Design

Whether I’m up to my elbows in fabric or dirt, creating a bit of order and beauty does wonders for the soul! And combining the two? Well, that’s a slice of heaven!

Misty’s Design

In this week’s Triple Play tutorial, learn how to make 3 new tulip projects with Jenny, Natalie, and Misty.

Natalie’s Design

These pretty quilts will have your home looking as fresh as a spring garden in no time! Click HERE to watch ...

Your sewing machine is probably capable of oodles of decorative stitches…but have you ever used them? Now is your chance to take those flowers, hearts, and loop de loos for a spin!

We’re working on a project inspired by Jenny’s favorite antique crazy quilt. And like a traditional crazy quilt, Stars and Stitches is just begging for some fancy stitchin’! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

They don’t make them like they used to. Many of us were fortunate enough to have learned the art of quilting from our ancestors; parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have long since been the best teachers to pass on the gift that is quilting. They stitched differently, as limited resources required more time and perseverance with each block. Each stitch was made with love though and the quilts survived, being passed down as family heirlooms for generations to come. Those beautiful patterns, bound in time by thread, became classics of the quilting world.

These projects have carried with them ...