What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

In 1825, 14-year-old Jane Valentine started an Irish Chain quilt. Five years and 10,092 blocks later, her quilt was finally complete. 

According to the National Museum of American History, Jane used 130 different cotton prints and a plain white background that is quilted “6 stitches per inch with a flower motif.” 

(Keep in mind, every one of those tiny stitches was done by hand. No wonder it took 5 years!)

This week Jenny whipped up a new version of the Irish Chain based on our quick and easy Irish Change pattern. The addition of a sweet little flower block ...

The first time Jenny Doan made a self-binding baby quilt, her husband was skeptical. “I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to work, dear…”

Undaunted, Jenny replied, “Just you watch!” And guess what? It did work, and it was fab-u-lous!

Over the years, Jenny’s Self-Binding Baby Blanket tutorial has been watched millions of times. (Imagine all the babies who have been wrapped in those sweet little quilts ...

The 4th of July is getting close. Let’s celebrate with stars!

The original American flag had just 13 stars—one for each state, and we’ve added a star with every new state. 

Imagine those poor flag makers. Just as they mastered one design, they’d get the news: “Hold up, everyone! Kentucky is now a state! Start unpicking, and rearrange your stars!” 

(Sometimes the layout was changed every single year. That’s a lot of star shuffling!)

This week we’re stitching up a Star Sashed Nine-Patch in ...

In the olden days, tumbler quilts were often made with scraps gathered from friends and neighbors. A bit of paisley from Aunt Maude. A stripe or two from Granny.  A pretty toile from Jane next door.

Four Patch Tumbler

These quilts represented community and the magic of sisterhood. It’s little wonder they came to be called “charm quilts!”

Patchwork Tumbler

For this month’s Triple ...

Did you know today is National Walnut Day? Of course you did, who could ever forget such a major holiday! We here at Missouri Star Quilt Co. are big fans of this special day because walnuts can be your new best friend when it comes to quilting and sewing! Crushed walnut shells are often used as stuffing material for pincushions because, not only do they hold their shape and make a great pincushion, the oil from the walnut shells has restorative properties that keep our needles sharp.

So grab some fabric from ...

There’s a beautiful, old Goose Tracks quilt at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. 

It was made 150 years ago by Mrs. Ellen Parsons of Shelbyville, Tennessee. A hand-written note explains: “Mrs. Parsons planted and grew the cotton in her garden. She picked the cotton and spun it into thread. She wove the threads into cloth to make the lining for the quilt. She pieced and quilted it by hand.” Phew! That’s a lot of work!

This week, Jenny is whipping up a quick and easy version of the Goose Tracks pattern using precut charm packs. 

She ...

Quilters on the American frontier were inspired by the world around them. They stitched up log cabins, rail fences, bear paws, and flying geese. And, of course, they stitched up windmills. 

You see, windmills dotted the Great Plains, pumping water from deep underground. When dry spells left the earth parched, a windmill could pump enough water to cook, bathe, wash, and water crops. Now that’s a quilt-worthy feat!

This week Jenny is whipping up a simple Breezy Windmills quilt using precut 2.5 inch strips. It’s a pretty jelly ...

When Jenny Doan was a child, she lived in an idyllic little town called Spreckels, California. 

In the center of town stood a park circled by a wide sidewalk, the perfect canvas for chalk artists to create all sorts of interesting scenes: Fields of poppies, snow-capped mountains, coral reefs filled with rainbow-hued fish.

How she wished to hop right in – Mary Poppins style – to explore those magical worlds!

This week, Jenny is working on a Playground quilt that is as charming as that small-town park. It’s a beautiful jelly roll + layer cake pattern made with easy flying geese, square ...

This year for Mother’s Day, give mom a gift truly from the heart by stitching up a new quilt just for her. We celebrate our mother’s because they have always been there for us; they are both our providers and protectors. This year instead of the traditional route of flowers, blanket her in the warmth and comfort of a quilt to let her know that when she needs you most, you’ll always be there to comfort her.

We’ve picked out five great quilting projects that are ...

Handy Andy is a traditional 19th century quilt block. It’s sometimes called Footstool or Mrs. Jones’ Favorite. And, truth be told, it’s ALWAYS made with bajillions of tiny pieces. (Bajillions!) 

But don’t worry! You can count on Jenny to make it easy!

Using 2.5 inch precut strips and our beloved Clearly Slotted Trimmers, Jenny whips up scores of little half-square triangles and hourglass blocks without breaking a sweat. Best of all, the leftover scraps become a piano-key border! 

We’re calling this charming jelly roll quilt Handy Dandy, but whatever the name, this pattern is an ...

Quilters are some of the most resourceful, green people we know! We are always saving up scraps and asking other quilters for ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle quilting and sewing materials. We never want to throw anything away if we don’t have to!

In recognition of Earth Day and being green, here are a few ways that we choose to reduce, reuse, and recycle to demonstrate our support for the environment!

Found Fabrics

Found fabric is fabric that you can find . . . anywhere! Make a trip into your closet, into a loved ones closet, to the closest thrift ...

Years ago – when Missouri Star was just starting out – we held monthly “Friday night sews” at our one tiny quilt shop. 

10 or 12 of us gathered to chat, snack, and quilt. We took turns choosing patterns: Churn dash, log cabin, bowtie. 

When it came time for Jenny to pick a block, she chose the Missouri Star, and … everyone kind of groaned. The Missouri Star was waaay too tricky! Boy, have things changed! 

Jenny’s Design

Natalie’s Design

Misty’s Design

This month’s Triple Play tutorial is all about the Missouri Star. And with a few new tips ...

Jenny is a rescuer of old, antique blocks. 

She sifts through stacks of orphan blocks at yard sales and antique shops, imagining the quilters who started – but never finished – so many years ago.

When Jenny spotted a long-forgotten Mother’s Choice block, she fell in love! And then…she used a sprinkling of Missouri Star magic to make that pattern new again!

Mother’s Choice Remake is a beautiful, simplified version of the old-fashioned Mother’s Choice. This pretty jelly roll quilt is made easy with half-square triangles, flying geese, snowballed corners, and – best of all – zero Y-seams! 

You may ...

Spring is here and summer is on its way and with them comes beautiful, warm weather! It’s getting harder and harder to want to spend your days completely indoors when you could be out soaking up the sun.

With hand work, you’re never confined to any specific space – the world is yours for the taking (and making!). Get outside and create to your heart’s content!

Quilt-As-You-Go (QAYG) and English Paper-Piecing

Both QAYG and English Paper-Piecing are perfect ways to continue stitching up beautiful projects wherever you roam! Take your pieces on the go, all you need are ...

In winter, quilts are for snuggling. We wrap them ‘round our shoulders like thick, cozy cocoons and pile them on our beds to stay toasty through the night.

But in summertime … those quilts take on a whole new life!

We carry them to picnics and t-ball games. We spread them out for fireworks and parades. They join us on camping trips and days at the beach. Summer is adventure time for quilts! 

This week Jenny is working on a brand new Summer Squares quilt. It’s a pretty jelly roll pattern based on one of our all-time favorites, Summer in ...

When pioneers trekked west, they took only what could fit in one small covered wagon. Most worldly treasures were left behind. 

But quilts? Quilts were an absolute necessity. They were used as shelter; they were used for warmth. Quilts swaddled babies and protected fragile family heirlooms as they bumped and jostled along the dusty Oregon Trail.

Those antique pioneer quilts were made from scraps, skillfully stitched by hand into simple 9-patches, log cabins, and pinwheels. 200 years later, we are making those same old-fashioned patterns, and they’re just as pretty as ever! 

This week Jenny is working on a ...

Did you know? The world’s biggest spool of thread is located right here in Hamilton, Missouri! It’s 22 feet tall, 8 feet wide, and wrapped with ONE MILLION yards of thread. Come for a visit, and you can add a few yards of your own!

Jenny’s Design

It’s no secret we love thread, so our newest Triple Play tutorial is all about spools! We’re using charm packs, layer cakes, and 2.5 inch strips to create big spools, little spools, and everything in between! Fun fact: Jenny’s larger-than-life spool quilt pattern is actually a ...

The closest star in the night sky is about 25 trillion miles away, give or take. If you plan to visit, be sure to pack a lunch; it will take 75,000 years to arrive. Of course, if you’re short on time, you can create your own gorgeous stars at home!

This week Jenny is stitching together a breathtaking star quilt made with jelly rolls and the Missouri Star Equilateral 60 Degree Triangle Ruler. 

This pattern produces very little waste, and the bits of extra are used to make a fun, pieced strip for the back of the quilt!

Once upon a time, the Lady of the Lake emerged from the waters of Avalon to bestow a magical sword on young King Arthur. Arthur took that sword to war and…was mortally wounded. What a shame! What if she had given him a fancy new sewing machine instead? Just imagine the quilts he could have made! 

The Lady of the Lake quilt pattern is an old-fashioned favorite made entirely of half-square triangles. Jenny used layer cakes in bright white and “Horizon,” the 2021 Kona Color of the Year to create a two-color quilt that is lovely as a fairytale ...

Are you anxiously waiting for spring to arrive? You are not alone! The residents of Longyearbyen, Norway, have lived in darkness since October 25th. That’s 3,000 hours with no sunshine at all! 

But on March 8th, the sun will finally peek over the horizon, and the townsfolk are ready to par-tay with a week-long festival called Solfestuka. Choir children dress like sunbeams, folks feast on sunshiny pastries, and a few brave souls dress in swimsuits and sunglasses! 

Of course, no celebration is complete without a quilt, so Jenny has whipped up a gorgeous new pattern to welcome the ...