What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Summer is just around the corner and that means it’s time now to start stitching up those beautiful, patriotic quilts for your summer picnics and Independence Day celebrations! Quilting has been an American past-time since the beginning days of our country, so celebrate the history of our craft and nation this year with a red, white and blue color palette!

If you’re needing some inspiration, we’ve gather five of our favorite patriotic quilt projects that would be just perfect ...

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 ...

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!

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 ...

You’ve gathered your supplies, you’ve studied your basic skills, and you’ve even put together your first quilt block, but what comes next? Using templates and notions to create one-of-a-kind quilting designs is even more simple than you may have imagined. In fact, if you’re using a ruler to line up your cuts, then you’re already experience in the process! The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a template as “something that establishes or serves as a pattern”, so that handy ruler you’ve been using is the first step ...

The night sky is an ocean of glittering stars. Have you ever tried to count them? In our galaxy alone, there are 100 billion, and we plan to quilt at least that many! 

Over the years, Jenny has stitched up stars galore. This week, she’s adding one more to the bunch.

The Outstanding Star is a quick and easy layer cake pattern made in a patriotic palette of red, white and blue batiks.

Imagine the perfect neighborhood. Are the homes quaint and colorful? Are the streets lined with stately oaks? (Is there an ice cream shop on the corner??) 

Best of all, who lives next door? Is it your dearest friend? Your grandkids? Maybe it’s Jenny Doan!

This week you can stitch up the neighborhood of your dreams with tiny houses, big houses, two-story houses, and even trees made with the scraps! Click HERE to learn how to make this quick and easy layer cake pattern!

Never judge a quilt by its name—even if that name is Swamp Angel, Corn and Beans, or Oklahoma Boomer.

Because if wack-a-doo names scare you off, you will miss gems like this week’s new quilt: Hearts and Gizzards. (Yep, Hearts…and Gizzards.)

Hearts and Gizzards is a gorgeous, old-fashioned layer cake pattern composed of pretty hearts that form flowers (or gizzards?). It’s dainty. It’s feminine. And its name is absolutely weird!

Click HERE to watch the tutorial, and keep an eye out for a bonus table runner at the end!

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 ...

In the “olden days”, little girls learned to sew at a very young age. Their tiny hands were trained to stitch up four patches, hourglasses, and shooflies—all without rulers, rotary cutters, or even sewing machines!

This week, Jenny is using those same old-fashioned beginner blocks to whip up a dazzling Sunshine Shoofly quilt. And like all our favorite patterns, this super-simple layer cake quilt looks SO much trickier than it really is! Click HERE to watch the video! 

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 ...

Before Jenny Doan, there was Nancy Cabot.

During the 1930s, Nancy wrote a column for the Chicago Daily Tribune featuring a new quilt pattern every single day. A diagram of the daily block was printed next to helpful tips and bits of quilt history. (The pattern could be purchased for “5 cents in stamps or coin.”)

Nancy’s column was chatty and casual, like a tea time conversation between friends. I think I would have loved her!

On January 27, 1933, Nancy highlighted a simple half-square triangle pattern called The Old Gray Goose. Of course, like all old-fashioned blocks, it ...

If you’re interested in learning about the basics of quilting, then you’re in the right place! 

Getting started with something new is usually the hardest part. Quilting can be a laborious process — it requires many steps that can seem really overwhelming when you’re new to it all! Many beginner quilters can get stuck when thinking about piecing together their first blocks, but we’re here to help! Today we’re going to be talking about the steps before you start piecing. A good foundation is ...