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WHEN I GET HOME FROM WORK, I’M TIRED. GRANTED, I HAVE A GREAT JOB! I spend much of the day looking at quilts, writing about quilts, fine-tuning the instructions for quilt patterns, and helping put all the articles, patterns, and quilt stories into a cohesive magazine. But there are also deadlines, delayed shipments, stories that run too short (or too long), budgets, filing (not my strong suit!), and mastering ever-changing software upgrades. So at night, I’m tired. Yet, having been immersed in the quilt world all day, I’m also really, really ready to get to my own quilting projects. I go straight to my sewing studio after dinner, stand around for a bit, and then default to a comfy chair to read or knit—neither of which are bad options, just…

this simple table topper was inspired by my twofold desire to use my growing stash of graphic scraps while reinterpreting one of my favorite traditional shapes: the hexagon. I played with fabrics from my scrap box and pieced the hexagons so they would appear slightly elongated. To keep the project feeling fresh and contemporary, I limited the background to two shades of charcoal and quilted the topper with a simple free-motion spiral. Gather your scraps and create your own version of this modern and easy-to-make table topper. MATERIALS Finished size: 20" × 24" » Assorted scraps of 9 different prints, each measuring at least 7" × 8" » Background fabric, 2 tones of gray, 1 fat quarter each » Backing fabric, ¾ yd. » Binding fabric, ¼ yd. » Batting,…

inspired by a stack of sweet, modern prints, I created these place mats as a practical canvas on which to practice straight line machine quilting. The easy and unstructured piecing allows for lots of creativity and individual variation. MATERIALS For 4 place mats 12" × 17½" each » Fabric – P lace mat tops, 8–10 fat eighths (9" × 22") of coordinating fabrics – Backing, 1 yd. or 4 fat quarters – Binding, ½ yd. or 2 fat quarters » Batting, 4 pieces, 18" × 13"3 DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼". Press all seam allowances open unless otherwise noted. CUT THE FABRICS 1| Choose 4 fat eighths to feature more prominently in the place mats. From each of those fabrics, cut a strip 5½ " × 22". Sub-cut each strip…

The Drunkard’s Path block is ubiquitous in modern quilts, but some quilters avoid it because they’ve avoided learning how to sew curves. Like many things, piecing curves takes a little practice. With these tips, you’ll soon be creating smooth curved seams like a pro! 1. Cut a convex quarter circle piece and a concave L-shaped piece from contrasting fabrics. Fold each piece in half. Finger press at the curved centers. 2. With right sides together and the L-shaped piece on top, align press marks and pin in the center of the block. 3. Pin the outside edges together with the straight edges matching. 4. You might find it necessary to add more pins between the 3 original pins, but this step is optional. 5. Sew the curve. Sew slowly and…

inspired by a vintage textile design, this quilt features simple half-square triangles. Ten prints come together to form “Harajuku”, a quilt as lively and colorful as its namesake area of Tokyo. MATERIALS Finished quilt: 60 ½ " × 60 ½ " » Fabric for quilt top – P rints A, C: 1 yd. each – P rint B: 1½ yds.(includes binding) – P rints D–J: ⅜ yd. each » Fabric-safe marker » Backing, 3¾ yd. » Batting, full/double » Spinning cutting mat DIRECTIONS Seams are ¼ ". Press all seams open. WOF = width of fabric 1| Use the cutting chart to cut the fabric. TIP: For the strips, it is faster to cut the fabric into 4½" × WOF strips. Then, subcut the individual pieces from the strips, starting…

A well made binding will protect the edges of your quilt, add to the overall design, and make it last longer. The following technique is for creating a French-fold binding, also known as a double-fold binding. PREPARE THE BINDING 1. Measure the perimeter of your quilt and add approximately 24". The additional length will accommodate the mitered corners and the finished ends of the binding, and give you a few inches to spare. 2. Cut enough 2 . "-wide strips to equal the desired length. 3. Join the strips together using diagonal seams. To do this, place two strips, right sides together at right angles. The area where the strips overlap forms a square. Sew diagonally across the square. Trim the excess fabric . " from the seam line and…

after seeing these fun prints, I wanted to create a pillow that would showcase the sweet bird fabric. MATERIALS Finished pillow: 18" × 18" » Fabric for pillow front – Bird print, ⅜ yd. – Magenta tone-on-tone,⅜ yd. – Blue tone-on-tone, fat eighth – Green tone-on-tone,fat eighth – Floral print, ⅜ yd. » Backing, 18½ " × 18½ " » Batting, 20" × 20" » 18" × 18" pillow form DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼ ". CUT THE FABRIC 1| From the bird print, fussy cut 1 square 9½ " × 9½ " as the centerpiece for the pillow. 2| From the magenta fabric, cut 4 squares 3½ " × 3½ ", 4 rectangles 2" × 3½ ", and 4 inner border strips 1½ " × 24". 3| From the…

sometimes a quilt speaks through intricate piecing, but sometimes the fabric itself needs room to shout. These oversized Hourglass Blocks give the fabric the space to do just that. Choose colors with enough contrast in hue and value to bring dimension into play. This striking layout calls for straight line quilting to complement the triangle shapes. MATERIALS Finished block: 20" × 20" Finished quilt: 50" × 50" » Fabric for quilt top – A ssorted prints and solids,16 fat quarters, 18" × 22" – Border, ⅞ yd. – Binding, ½ yd. » Backing, 3 yds. » Batting, 58" × 58" » Binding, ½ yd. » Template material » 18"-square pillow form DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼". WOF = width of fabric. CUT THE FABRIC 1| For the triangle template, draw…

i was totally smitten by these fabrics with their nubby texture and retro sensibility, the fabrics are a playful nod to the barkcloth of the 1950s. Making this collection into a tote was a great way to show off one design from the collection. This project is elegant and functional, with enough room for your shopping treasures and an outer patchwork pocket for your cell phone or shopping list. The construction is so simple you may want to make more than one! MATERIALS » Midweight fabric, 1⅜ yds.(Barkcloth, denim, canvas,or home décor fabrics are good choices.) » Lining fabric, ⅝ yd. (Fabric must be 44" from selvedge to selvedge) » Double-fold bias tape, ½ ",2½ yds. » Pocket fabric, coordinating solid, fat eighth (I used pink.) » Pocket fabric, contrast,fat…

keep all your double-pointed needles organized—or at least in the same place— and in style. This handy needle case uses three fun bicyle fabrics and is tied with a fun striped ribbon. MATERIALS » Fabric, 3 fat quarters » Low-loft batting, 14" × 20" » 3" arc or a cup measuring 3"in diameter (to trace for rounding corners) » Ribbon for tie, 1 yd. » Large shank button DIRECTIONS All seam allowances are ¼ ". 1| Choose 1 fat quarter for the interior and 1 for the exterior of the knitting case. From each fat quarter, cut a 14" × 20" rectangle. 2| Create a quilt sandwich by layering the batting between the 2 pieces of fabric, and quilt as desired. I quilted diagonal lines 2" apart. 3| Lightly press…

the Inn Street Clutch uses handmade bias tape embellishment arranged with improv flair. The design was inspired by the crisscrossing leather straps of my daughter’s Sunday shoes. These clutches would make the perfect gift for a friend, teacher—or for you! DIRECTIONS MATERIALS Finished size: 9" × 4¼ " » Inn Street Clutch template » Template material » Exterior, fat quarter (18" × 22"), preferably linen or canvas weight » Lining/bias embellishment,fat quarter » HeatnBond® Fusible Interfacing, Craft Extra Firm,Non-Woven, 12" × 12" » 9" zipper, plastic teeth » Clover Bias Tape Maker,12mm (½ ") PREPARE THE FABRIC 1| Trace the Inn Street Clutch template onto the template material. Cut out. 2| Using the template, cut 2 from the exterior fabric, the lining, and the fusible interfacing (6 pieces). 3| Fuse…

fall Lanterns is a simple block that will build confidence in your paper-piecing skills. Make four blocks in colors reminiscent of autumn and sew up a table runner that is perfect for celebrating the changing seasons. Because table runners are smaller than a quilt, they’re fast and easy to put together and perfect for practicing a variety of skills. FALL LANTERNS BLOCK Fall Lanterns has the sharp look of a paper-pieced block, but with very few seams to line up and only two pieces of fabric per template, it’s easier than most to perfect. Choose a few different prints and solids in the same colorway and a neutral background to make the colors pop. FINISHED BLOCK SIZE: 8" × 8" TEMPLATES REQUIRED: 2 each: Fall Lanterns A, B, C, and…

i am enamored with hexagons and love to use them in my patterns. Allow the fabric to do some of the design work by strip piecing two together and then cutting them on a 60° angle. Modern fabrics like these bright, primary, low-volume prints are perfect for this project. MATERIALS For 2 trivets Finished size: 13¾ " point to point » 2 contrasting fabrics,¼ yd. each » Backing, ½ yd. » Template A » Template plastic or cardboard » Batting, 30" × 15" » Sewing machine with walking foot Optional » 60° ruler » Cotton batting, 26" × 30" DIRECTIONS All seam allowances are ¼ ". 1| From each contrasting fabric, cut 2 strips 3½ " × WOF (width of fabric). Sew pairs together, 1 of each fabric, along the…

inspired by the works of the artist Victor Vasarely and by Brazilian tiles designed to ventilate buildings, this quilt includes large negative spaces and solid fabrics surrounding the blocks to achieve a modern, graphic quilt. I named this quilt “Cobogó” after the rich red of the fired clay tiles. MATERIALS Finished block 12" × 12" Finished quilt 51" × 65" » Fabric for the quilt top (I used Kona® Cotton from Robert Kaufman Fabrics.) – White, 2 ½ yds. – R ich red, 1 ¼ yds. » Backing, 3 ¼ yds. » Batting, 59" × 73" » Binding, navy, ½ yard » Templates A and B » Template material » Chalk or fabric marker » Tweezers DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼ ". WOF = width of fabric CUT THE FABRIC…

this lovely quilt is quick and easy to make. The design uses a roll of precut 2½ " strips as the focal point, and alternates with strips of white fabric in the background. Because most of the cutting has been done in advance, it comes together quickly and easily— an unexpected treasure indeed! MATERIALS Finished size: 62½ " × 74½ " » Patterned fabrics, 1 jelly roll or 20 strips 2½ " × width of fabric from assorted prints » White background fabric,2¼ yds. » Green border fabric, 1¼ yds. » Binding fabric, ¾ yd. » Backing fabric, 3⅔ yds. » Low loft batting, 65" × 77" DIRECTIONS All seam allowances are ¼ ". 1| Join the patterned jelly roll strips into 1 long strip with diagonal seams. To do…

thanks to fresh, vibrant colors this traditional quilt block has acquired a new, modern breath. With a wide palette of solid colors in many shades, you can customize this pillow to give your own home a bit of spring freshness. Echo quilting adds energy to the modern colors. MATERIALS Finished pillow: 15½ ” × 15½ ” » Triangle templates D, E, G » Template material » Fabric for flower blocks, ⅛ yd. each of 8 fabrics (I used Kona® Cotton in Graphite, Ice Frappe,Azure, Red, Zucchini, Curry,Burgundy, and Mango by Robert Kaufman Fabrics.) » Pillow front and binding fabric,⅜ yd., white » Pillow back fabric, ⅜ yd. » Muslin, ½ yd. » Batting, ½ yd. » 2 buttons » Sewing machine with free-motion capabilities » Pillow form, 16" × 16"…

Use these simple directions to finish pillows with an envelope closure. Binding or no binding? That’s up to you. MATERIALS • Pillow top • Backing fabric • Pillow form • Bamboo point turner • Binding strips: 2 . ” x the pillow perimeter + 5” (for the envelope back with binding option only) ENVELOPE BACK WITHOUT BINDING 1. Cut 2 pieces of backing fabric, each the height of the finished pillow plus . ” (for seam allowances) and the width of the finished pillow plus 6” (for overlap). As an example, for a 16” x 16” pillow, cut 2 rectangles, each 16 . ” x 22”. 2. Fold and press the rectangles in half widthwise, wrong sides facing. (In our example, the rectangles would be 16 . ” x 11”.)…

this stunning runner will add a modern and sophisticated flair to any table. Colorful balls made of strips of bright fabrics roll across its surface, and are held in place with hand or machine appliqué. This piece includes a variety of bright prints that pop againtst the rich black linen background. MATERIALS Finished size: 42" × 21" » Background fabric, 1 yd.(I used black linen.) » Print fabric, 18 assorted 1½ " × 12" bright strips » Backing fabric, ¾ yd. » Light-weight black fusible interfacing, 1 yd. » Black thread » Batting, 25" × 50" » Binding, ¼ yd. » Marking pen or pencil » Pinking shears DIRECTIONS All seam allowances are ¼ ". CUT THE FABRIC AND PREPARE THE BACKGROUND 1| Cut a 21" × WOF (width of…

bring a hot dish to a potluck dinner or a friend’s house in style. This clever and useful casserole cover will not only protect your dinner from minor spills; it is also a great way to keep a hot dish hot! Made with geometric prints in a warm color palette and special insulating batting, this is a project any modern hostess would be proud to share. MATERIALS Fits a 9" x 13" casserole dish » Main fabric, 1 yd. » Handles and binding, ½ yd. » Lining, 1 yd. » Insulated batting, 22" x 2¼ yds.or 45" x 1¼ yds. (I used Insul-Shine batting from Warm™ Company.) » Fusible fleece, ¼ yd. » Safety pins or basting spray DIRECTIONS All seam allowances are ¼ ". Width of fabric (WOF) must…

ilove quilt patterns that look more complicated than they are. This quilt uses only one block—Flying Geese—in three sizes. The handcrafted blue fabrics—with their slight variations in color and pattern—add energy. Try rotating the blocks to create your own look. MATERIALS Finished block: 16" × 16" Finished quilt: 64" × 80" KIT: craftofquilting.com » Fabric for the quilt top – Flying Geese, (I used Alison Glass Handcrafted Indigos by Andover.) – ½ yd. each of 5 prints – Fat quarter each of 5 prints – Background (sky) and binding, 3¾ yds. » Backing, 5 yds. » Batting, twin size » Fabric-safe marker DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼ ". Press all seams open. WOF = width of fabric CUT THE FABRIC 1| Follow the cutting chart to cut and label the…

remember the commercial from the ’80s when a cold capsule was opened and all the tiny beads were released? That was my inspiration. Under a deadline and fighting a cold, I found myself making capsules using quarter circles and squares. The result is a colorful quilt with a lot of texture and depth. For a really nice capsule shape, use two different solids for the background colors. MATERIALS Finished quilt: 72" × 72" » Templates A and B » Template plastic or cardboard » 24 fat quarters (FQ) » 2 yds. light gray » 1¾ yds. dark gray (includes binding) » Backing, 4½ yds. » Batting, 80" × 80" or full size Optional » Spray starch » 6½ " square ruler » Spinning cutting mat DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼…

when I created this quilt design, I played with movement within the block and also in the background using basic shapes. Half-square triangles (HSTs) have so many fun options that can change the energy of a quilt. Mastering the technique of making more than one HST at a time speeds this quilt along and makes for a dramatic finished piece. MATERIALS Finished quilt: 72" × 72" » Fabric for quilt top – Background 1 and binding,2½ yds. (I used Kona® Cotton from Robert Kaufman Fabrics in Blush Pink.) – Background 2, 1½ yds.(I used Kona White.) – Pinwheel blocks – Aqua print, ½ yd. – Pinwheel points,16 assorted prints, 9" × 9"or fat eighth each – Star blocks – Aqua/white print, 1 yd. – Star points, 9 assorted prints, 9"…

Half-Square Triangle blocks (HSTs) are some of the most versatile blocks we use in quilting, but the bias-edge seam makes them a bit of a challenge. This quick method for making two identical HST blocks at once eliminates the need to sew along a cut bias edge—you get more blocks with less fuss. 1. Cut 2 squares 7⁄8” larger than the desired finished size of your block. 2. Using a ruler, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the lighter square from the upper left to the lower right corner. 3. With right sides facing, pair a dark square with the marked light square. 4. Stitch ¼ ” on each side of the drawn line. 5. Cut along the drawn line, creating 2 HSTs. 6. Press the seam…

quilted pillows provide all the elements of a full-size quilt in a fun and manageable scale that encourages a sense of immediate accomplishment and excitement. They are a great low-stakes environment for designing your own simple patterns and experimenting with color and fabric combinations. So, if you want to build up your quilting skills, or if you are just looking for a fun, small home-dec project, try your hand at these quilted pillows! MATERIALS Finished Pillow 18" x 18" » (45) 1¾ " × 7" strips of patterned fabric (use 5 different fabrics; cut 9 strips from each fabric) for the blocks » 4½ "-square quilting ruler » (6) 1¾ " × 4½ " strips of white fabric for the vertical sashing between blocks » (2) 1¾ " × 15"…

are these charming coasters the perfect gift? Well, actually, yes! They’re easy and quick to make, small enough to conveniently package, and will please everyone on your list. MATERIALS For two coasters Finished size: 6" diameter » Striped fabric, ⅛ yd. each of 4 contrasting fabrics » Coordinating striped fabric,fat quarter for binding » Cotton or linen for backing,⅛ yd. » Cotton batting scraps,2 pieces 7" × 7" » Freezer paper » Small plate measuring about 6" in diameter, compass, or circle cutter » Quilt basting tools » Hand sewing supplies DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼". WOF = width of fabric. CUT & LABEL YOUR FABRICS For two coasters cut the following strips from striped fabric: » Fabric 1: 8 strips 1½ " × ¾ " » Fabric 2: 8…

i like to use fun fabrics and colorful zippers when I make this bag. It has a secret front pocket and a spacious inside, hence the two zippers! Use fabric strips as zipper pulls, or make more decorative pulls with beads. MATERIALS Finished size: 6½ " × 8" » Focus fabric, 1 fat quarter » Complementary fabric, 1 fat quarter NOTE: Fabrics with nondirectional patterns work best. » Sewing machine with regular sewing foot, walking foot, and zipper foot » Cotton or polyester thread » 2 plastic zippers, 14" DIRECTIONS PREPARE THE FABRICS 1| Cut the focus fabric into 2 pieces 9" × 22". Repeat with the complementary fabric. 2| Pin 1 focus fabric piece and 1 complementary fabric piece wrong sides together. Use the walking foot to sew several…

gwen Marston introduced me to improvisational piecing and the stars on this bag are a tribute to her. I created this tote bag for Carrie Bloomston to showcase her fabric collection. MATERIALS Finished size: 13" × 13" × 4" » Main fabric, ½ yd. » Lining fabric, ¾ yd. » Light-colored fabric, ½ yd. » Accent fabric, ½ yd. (I used assorted prints and large scraps for the lights and brights.) » Cotton batting, 33" × 33" » Cotton webbing, 1" wide,1¼ yds. » Rotary cutting supplies » Sewing machine with free motion capabilities » Pins or clips DIRECTIONS All seams are ¼". WOF = width of fabric. CREATE THE STAR POCKETS 1| From the light-colored fabric, cut 16 squares 3½ " × 3½ " for the background pieces. 2|…