Quilt Patterns | Free Resources

 I've not made many quilts from patterns.  I don't often find patterns that are captivating (or approachable enough) to make from a pattern. My quilting journey began 06/22/19.  I documented it in my blog posted called sewing and cursing.  In that post, I describe pulling out my long-unused sewing machines and redeploying them to quilting.

I do less cursing now.  My first quilt pattern was through a purchased, ultra-discounted quilt kit at Hancock's of Paducah.  You can find quilt kits on their site here.  It was a simple pattern with jewel tone oranges, purples, blues, greens with white.  It made a wonderful throw quilt that had all the colors of my daughter's living room.  I couldn't have purchased the material for what the kit costs. It turned out very lovely, and it was a great experience.  The pattern included a foundation pieced block.  I'm sorry to confess that FPP requires me to rewire my brain.  But once you force your brain to work in the obverse universe, it clicks.

Having said all of that, I recently completed two of Material Girl's quilts (Prairie, Windmill). Well, the Windmill is not completed...I have done all of the piecing and layout, but I have to piece all the blocks into rows and quilt top.

Because my approach to quilting is fabric first (purchase high quality close outs and then figure out what to do with them), using a quilt pattern with specifics for fabric type doesn't work so much. My fun comes from seeing quilt patterns and dissecting them, and incorporating elements.  There are many free resources for quilt patterns to include the aforementioned Prairie and Windmill quilts. Both of those were simply one block in different color renditions, but that simplicity does not diminish the value of the free pattern.

There are many quality content providers (Missouri Star, Jordan Fabrics to name two of the most prolific) that demonstrate free patterns.  I wanted to provide some internet resources for  you to check out for free projects. 

Moda Fabrics

Robert Kaufman 

Hancock's of Paducah 

P&B Textiles 

Andover Fabrics 

Windham Fabrics

I was poking about Hancocks' (my favorite place to buy fabric), and I found this beautiful pattern called Betwixt (click for free download). 

I do plan to make this quilt.

 

Here's another free pattern called Lacey Stars from Windham

 Here's an example of where a pattern will allow you to stretch your quilting skills by making the Lacey stars.  These stars are given as templates in the pattern.  The simplicity of the solid blocks softens the intensive piecing of the featured blocks.  I think that I will tackle this pattern too.

I hope that this post has given you a few sources of inspiration of where to find free patterns to inspire you to make something that appeals to your design eye or something that will help you advance your piecing skills.

 

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Bluebirds

Bluebirds don't migrate. They are wonderful year round residents.  During the breeding months, the male diligently defends the territory--my patch--allowing NO interlopers.  We have 3 bird houses to choose from, but there will be only 1 that is occupied by bluebirds.  It is possible that they chose another house that is far out of our sight.  

Bluebirds typically have 2 sets of nestlings in Central Va..  However, we only hosted 1 set this year.  As they chose the bird house that I could easily see from my kitchen window, it was joyful to watch them work. Other nearby neighbors (we have 5-6 acre tracts) have bluebird houses, so they have some choice!

In the winter, there are no territorial fights that I have witnessed.  Rather, there is a gang of 5-6 of them that I have spied.  Until I put suet and mealworms out in the winter, I never saw bluebirds.  Once I started making suet, there were plenty  to see. That first winter, about 5 years ago is what prompted me to learn more about bluebirds and offer them more hospitality.

I have a colony of mealworms that have exploded in the last couple of months.  There is not much demand after the nestlings have fledged in the late summer.  Early spring, though, there are not as many insects as there are later in the summer.  The mealworms, then, become a quick meal gathering for nestlings and the parents...and then the fledged juveniles. It's hard work for a pair of parents to feed and do nest maintenance (take fecal sacs away) for a hungry gang of nestlings. It is fascinating to watch the juveniles fly to the mealworm station and beg all a-tremble for a snack from their parents.  After a short while, the parents say..."Help Yourself".  

 In the lull of waning summer days and early fall, my mealworm colony has had a chance to produce more beatles which in turn means more eggs to be created yielding more worms. It is a simple life style like most of creation: they eat, mate, have offspring, and then die.  You cannot see the eggs, but they slowly grow to mealworm larva which you can see,  You may see their molting discard before you seen the larva.

Within the next month some of my winter birds will arrive.  The white-throated sparrows have a large flock that overwinters in my area. I think that I heard one cal today.  The prefer an overgrowth of muscadine grape vines. It offers them much protection.  I will have brown creeper, yellow bellied sapsucker, warblers that may overwinter.  They arrive at various times.  I'm always happy to see them.

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More on Kaleidoscope Blocks | Traditional

 In this post I discussed the traditional Kaleidoscope Block.  Like the Storm at Sea quilt, the block layout creates the illusion of curves where there are none.

 The layout above is simply a 2 color pattern that has the kaleido middle of the block mirrored.  In one block it is in the 1, 3, 6, 9  (top middle start) position and in the other it is at the 2, 4, 6, 8 position (even/odd numbers).

It's quite a pretty quilt without mussing and fussing with much else.  

My next quilt will be a kaleido.  I have ordered a book by Marti Michell.  I did experiment with the making of these blocks in Eq8.  I was able to duplicate a pattern that I was (exercising block detective skills).  The point of doing that was not to plagiarize, but rather to exercise my skills in (1) understanding how to draw the block in EQ8 and (2) being a block detective.

Would you like a coloring sheet to try you own hand at this?  You can download a PDF here.

Study the image below...see how color placement creates the beautiful patterns.  Yes, this looks much like Edyta Sitar's Alaska Quilt.  I used that example as a case study to understand the construction and the coloring of the quilt block and the quilt. (There are several errors in it). 

Of course there are several compound kaleido blocks as shown below. Deb Tucker would call this a wedge star. Until I started exploring this block, I would have never made the connection.

Controlling color in each of the pieces, to include the intersects, as well as the use of  negative space provides endless possibilities with one block. 

Star quilts and consequently star blocks are my personal favorite.

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The Kaleidoscope Block To Eight Pointed Star Block set on Point

I want to show you how the unassuming square, kaleidoscope block goes from folk singer to diva.

The original kaleidscope block is a square block.  It consists of 8 equal shaped triangles with 4 corner triangles. It is similar to the "stack and whack" octagonal blocks except that it is more full dressed with corner blocks. If take out the corner blocks you have a hexagon.

 

This block can become more complex by subdividing further. For example you can introduce additional triangles, as noted in the pink wedges. 

You could do so again in the black wedges..I have re-rendered here using EQ*   Isn't it beautiful.  Edyta Sitar's Alaska pattern uses a variety of blocks (from simple kaleido to compound kaleido) and shadings to create her beautiful Alaska Pattern which you can find here.

As you can see, this is an Eight-Pointed Star SET ON POINT --dressed up for the opera.

Notice the difference between this and a regular Eight Pointed Star:

The set on point provides lots of design possibilities as Edyta's pattern shows.

Aids to help you make the Wedge Star (I call it Compound Kaleido!)

Edyta Sitar: New ruler from Creative Grids called Alaska.

Deb Tucker has a ruler called a "Wedge Star".

I'll update this post as I find more info.  I hope you found it helpful.

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LeMoyne Star | Let's Do Math

Here is the math for computing any-sized LeMoyne Star. 

❤No, you don't have to read this post if you think your head will explode--mine almost did writing it.  I have done all of the math for you on this LeMoyne Star Calculator Google Docs Spreadsheet.  Just enter your finished block size.  You can also download the sheet for your personal use.

Nebbish notes:  I had to do a little math fidgeting using Precise, Ceiling and Floor math so that the 1/8th measurements came out correctly.  We can only measure to 1/8th, but I had to do some 1/64th rounding etc.  Ugh. To share easily on Google Docs I had to abandon more than 3 decades of Excel knowledge and figure out where everything else is in Google Docs.  It's like shopping in a different grocery store.  You have needful things but you don't f-💣 know where it is.

Ultimately, the finished size of  your block has to equal 2 x corner squares and 2 x diamond width. 

But read on to understand, intrinsically, how all of this works together.  Hopefully it will solidify your understanding, as it did for me. I have excel programmed so I can do this easily.  Further, this block is one that you have to make many times to hone your skills.  There is NO forgiven

Below is the schematic of a LeMoyne Star. Notice the relationship of each of the elements. The LeMoyne Star is composed of three components on the outside of each of its 4 sides.

•  2 squares of equal size 
•  1 triangle which is the hypotenuse of the square
  

Notice that the triangle shares the opposite side of the diamond with the square. Accordingly, we know that measurement is the same length as the square. Therefore, the long side of the triangle is the diagonal or hypotenuse of the square. Pythagoras tells us that length of the hypotenuse is the side of the square multiplied by 1.414 (the square root of 2). 

THEREFORE if we know the square size we can calculate away. How do we do that?

Consider the schematic, and then read on.

 

 

Let's do math! 

 As you can see, we have 3 elements of indeterminate length along each side. What we do know is the finished size of our block!

•  Let X = Finished Size of Square. We have 2 squares.
•  Let 1.414 X = the hypotenuse of the square which is the long edge of the QST. (Cut a square this size and slice on both diagonals.
  

 Now we know the length of the side by expressing the components of the side, 2 squares and a QST each expressed in terms of X. (You remember you past self mumbling about when would you ever use this stuff!).

 THEREFORE: X + X + 1.414 X = Finished Block Size (FB)

                         OR 3.414X (X + X + 1.414X) = FB

THEREFORE Square calculation:   FB/3.414  =  X  + .5" seam allowance for cut size.

THEREFORE  QST Calculation:  ( FB/3.414) * 1.414 = the size of the QST Square  + 1.25" seam allowance for cut size.

THEREFORE  Diamond Calculation:  FB/2 - X + .5" Seam Allowance.  It can also be expressed as .707X (.707 is 1/2 of 1.414)

When traveling the middle of the block (we were crawling around the edge before) the block is comprised of two diamonds and two squares.  

So there you have all of the calculations that you need to compute all of the components of a LeMoyne Star.

 Let's Do More Math with Real Examples! 

 

Let's compute the components of an 11" Finished Block.  I highlighted the square components so that you can easily see how they figure in each of the computations.

 

When computing elements, round up to nearest 8th because you can only measure to that discrete of a unit.  When I originally devised this scheme, I computed each of the components using the math expressed here.  Later, when I purchased my EQ8 program, I checked the math on EACH of the sizes (I did 1/2" increments)

 

Example 1:  Finished Block (FB) = 11. 

• Square = FB/3.414 or 11/3.414 or 3.25 + .5" = cut block of 3.75"

• QST = 1.414 x Square or 3.25 x 1.414 or 4.5 + 1.25" = cut block of 5.75 cut on 2 diagonals. 

• Diamonds: 2 diamonds = 11 - 3.25 - 3.25 or 4.5"
•  1 diamond = 4.5/2 or 2.25 + .5" seam allowance = cut diamond strip height (and width!) of 2.75

Example 2:  Finished Block = 5" 

• Square = FB/3.414 or 5/3.414 or 1.5 + .5 = 2" cut square.
• QST =  Square x 1.414 x 1.5 or 2.125 + 1.25 = 3 3/8 cut square cut on 2 diagonals
• Diamonds = FB - 2 Squares = 2 Diamonds or 5 - 1.5 - 1.5 = 2. 2/2 = 1 + .5 = 1.5" diamond height/width.
• Alternatively  FB/2 - Square = Diamond
  

If you have compound blocks, simply add more X's or 1.414 X's to compute the components of the finished block.  You will use that as your divisor. 

Let's do even more math!

Have a jelly roll that you would like to use as your diamonds?  How is that going to work?

EXAMPLE 1:  Jelly roll 2.5" strip.  Cut strip is a jelly roll that you wish to make your diamonds from:  2.5 is cut.  -.5" = Finished  Therefore we are looking for a block that uses a 2" finished diamond.

The diamond expressed in terms of the square and the size of the FB is the same.  Refer to the drawing.  Another way to express the diamond is below.

X + X + .5(1.414X) + .5(1.414X) = FB

Therefore, a single diamond = .707 (.5*1.414) of X.  .707X=finished diamond.

Our Finished Diamond = 2

THEREFORE    Square = 2/.707 or 2.828. Here we have to round down to 2.75.  

If 2.75 is our square, we know that 2.75*3.414 =  9.5 the size our our finished block.

EXAMPLE 2:  You have 3" strips that you have cut for a project that you don't wish to trim down.  You wonder, "What size LeMoyne Star can I make?"  

Single Diamond Finished = .707X is our finished diamond math.  We know that our finished diamond = 3;   Therefore our square = 3/.707 or 4.25  

FB = 4.25 x 3.414 or 14.5" finished block.

If you wish not to do math, you can simply enter FB sizes in the google docs spreadsheet until you get what you want.  I will call you a math woos!  

Now you can see why I made the calculator of you.

 

 

      

 

 

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Windmill Quilt from Material Girl

While I enjoy watching quilting videos, I'm not always moved to make the quilt demonstrated.  Amanda Castor of Material Girl Quilts has posted two videos of quilts that I was inspired enough to make.  It was the perfect intersect of material that I had on hand with a pattern that I could use it with.

I first made Amanda's "Prairie Quilt" you can read about that here.

The second quilt,  Amanda's "Windmill Quilt", I'm in the process of making.  It is from this video:

Amanda's pattern can be found at her download page here. Here are the highlights of her pattern:

• Written for a 10" layer cake.  
• Pattern makes 16" blocks in 5 rows of 4 blocks.
  
• Uses the eight at a time HST's to make the individual pieces.  
• As opposed to the Four-at-a time HST, which has bias on the outside and is not a method that I use, it has straight of grain on all outside edges.  That means no stretch. Use this method with confidence.
• Sewn together, each HST makes a Flying Goose Unit.  
• Joined the units make hour glass units of whites and print and of prints.
• The pattern is the perfect balance of background and prints which makes it very harmonic to my eye.
  

We can all agree that it is a charming pattern.

While I knew that I wanted to make the pattern,  my preference is never to use two blocks where 1 will do.  I modified the pattern for my construction to make flying geese units.  Flying geese units are comprised of a goose (middle triangle) and sky (flanking, smaller triangles).  

Each 10" square in your layer cake will yield the following:

• 4 Flying Geese when paired with background fabric
• 4 Sky Units
• This pattern requires 160 Flying Geese units in two different configurations
• FGU1:  80 units where the Featured Fabric (FF) is the Goose and the Background Fabric (BF) is the Sky
• FGU2:  80 units where the FF is the Sky and the BF is the Goose.  
• Each block is composed of 4 x FGU1 and 4 x FGU2.  
• Each unit is FGU1 + FGU2 sewn where the points face out (HST created in the middle).  Each block is rotated 1 turn to create the white square in the middle and the blades in the middle.
  

Yes, it is 2 large flocks of geese. Therefore, this pattern lends itself perfectly to the 4x  now waste method (and frankly I would never make geese otherwise unless forced to).  It will allow you to make geese quickly and accurately. Accordingly, do yourself a favor and procure Deb Tucker's Wing Clipper Ruler.  You can find it here. (no I'm not an affiliate). It will be the best $21.20 you spent! 

Watch her video here.  Deb Tucker makes many rulers to help quilter's accelerate their learning curve and achieve frustration-free perfect results.

I used the Wing Clipper and followed the cutting requirements to make 4" x  8" FGU's.  These cuts may differ from other instructions.  These cuts make slightly oversized so that you are trimming them down with just a whisper of fabric as waste.  I don't make any bias-seamed units without using a slightly oversized method and trimming down.  Why?  Even with the most careful of handling/sewing, you can end up a little out of square/short.

•  FGU1 [Featured Fabric is Goose]
  
• (20) 9.5" squares from FF  (Trim your 10" layer cake down to this size)
  
• (40)  5" squares from BF
•  FGU2 [Featured Fabric is Sky]
  
• (20) 9.5" squares from BF 
• (40)  5" squares from FF  (Trim your 10" layer cake down to this size-- cut squares not QST's) 

Here's what each of your 4 units of 2 FGU1 + FGU2 should look like:

 

The above would be the block in the lower right quadrant.  Each of the FGU2 units are on the OUTSIDE of the block.  Now, I confess, that my points are not lining up quite perfectly.  I fixed this issue (although with the last remaining blocks) by employing the following technique of pressing my FG'units.  I'm going to insert the video from Carolyn Gibbs...which is quite excellent.

I employed the technique of pressing one seam in and one seam out.  My blocks nestled perfectly.  Alternatively, you could also snip to the seam line the last quarter of the seam and fold it back to create same. 

Below are a few blocks that I have already made and placed on my design wall.  Once I have all my blocks done, I will disburse colors throughout the quilt.

When I first saw Amanda's pattern, I thought I would rummage around my fat quarters as well as yardage to see what I had.  I had purchase a mystery batik package from Hancock's of Paducah. I had more than enough fabric to complete the quilt top.  The package and all of the pieces you see above. They were generally about a yard or more.  The burgundy, blue, brown, purple hues all worked together.  I had Kona Silver yardage that I used as my background.

My Construction Hacks:   I would like to share with you a couple of hacks that I used to speed the process of making these flying geese units without sacrificing any accuracy. As always, I suggest that you MAKE A TEST BLOCK (on any pattern whether you are using a hack or not) before you cut all of your material or sew all units together.  Why?  Your test block provides immediate, objective feedback that solidifies that (1) cutting of pieces is accurate (right measure and square/true); (2) units are pieced together for the block; (3) seam allowance (scant v. true) is appropriate for your application; (4) finished unit is trimmed correctly; (5) finished unit measures expected unfinished size. Any problems among any of these steps will ensure that you will NOT ACHIEVE expected outcomes or have to resort to short cuts to fix.

I'm a serial glue baster.  The "traditional" way of making 4@time Flying Geese is to set your squares in the corner (nudged slightly in for Deb's method).  I have always put some glue to keep the squares in place without any distortion. (Whether you decide to do the rest of my suggestions here, I would highly encourage you try a little dab will do you glue.

 After making a few of these I had a time saving idea.

 ⏳💡  First Pass:  I drizzled a wavy line of glue across the diagonal of each 9.5" block.

•     Your glue needs to be inside the seam allowance our your block will not open up fully if you've glued outside the lines. 
• You can mark your diagonal using your favorite tool or simply creasing.  I just ran a pencil line on the diagonal.
•   No need to mark two more lines...a spritz of water will easily unset the glue if you get over-zealous. But if you are not feeling fearless, you can mark two lines until you feel confident.
• If you do not have, get a quarter inch ruler.  I have this one .  I like the 2 sizes.  I consider these a must-have time-saver.
  
• Set the two squares by pressing with hot iron. Your small squares should be securely attached and perfectly aligned on the diagonal.  If not, redo.  
• Note that if you do not cut a perfect 5" or 9.5" square you will immediately see this at this time.  
• Take your favorite ruler (that is grippy on the back), and slice a perfect diagonal by aligning the ruler with the corner of the large square which should by rights go straight through your small squares. 
• If your small squares are out of alignment, square them up!  You will have problems later
• Stack up your half-sliced geese until all cut.  Now it is time to set your seam gauge for a perfect quarter inch because you are going to production chain stitch.  A stiletto is your friend here:
  
• Ensure that your first tip of your diagonal is started true.
• Enure that the last tip ends true.
  

Second Pass:   Once you have sewn the half-sliced geese, it is time to add an additional square to each of the halves.  If you are marking a diagonal on the large square for your glue, do it now.

• Set each of the seams by pressing iron on each seam.
• Press this second seam in (as the first pass was pressed out).  (See video above).  This will allow the two geese for this pattern to nestle beautifully in the corner.  It makes a huge difference--or did for me.
• When joining two blocks, I pressed the seam toward the dark goose.  
• When joining pairs of geese to each other (pair 1 to pair 2, pair 3 to pair 4): Take some care here. You may need a seam hopper (foot shim) to go over the points.  Using a shim will minimize distortion.I  pressed the seams open. Joining two pairs of lying geese the points and seams should match (as best you can).
  

 What does this hack achieve?  Manifold benefits

• Squares do not shift (you don't even have to slice them like I did).  Consider glue for this even if you dare not slice.
• Once cut, the squares are now triangles and are firmly attached the the larger triangle unit.
• Sew the edge with a perfect 1/4" seam (no need for scant as you are trimming down).  You can do this twice as fast and more accurately as you can by sewing on a line which does not have a hard backstop (your seam guide)
  
• Each piece can be fed through like a machine gun belt which spits out units not bullets.
• No need for further cutting you've done that already--just set the seam seam and press toward the sky (even if it is lighter).  You could press open, but I avoid that extra step if I can.

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Prarie Quilt

Prarie Quilt in Andover's Warm Fat Quarters by Edyta Sitar

 Amanda Castor at Material Girl provided a free pattern she calls Prarie Quilt.  You can find her video here. 

I had purchased Edyta Sitar's Warm fat quarter bundle at steep discount.  I also have her "cool" bundle which I liked much better.  Most of these warm colors are in the pinky orange family.  I have a recipient in mind, but I don't really care for the fabric.  The cool bundle is totally awesome. But each of us

My quilt is on the design board, so I could not get a full pic of it--nor did I take the greatest of care in editing!

 The pattern is quite striking.  I want to provide a few observations.

• the sharp geometric lines on this quilt are quite nice.
• This is the first block where the seam push is not very intuitive.   
• to get nested seams, you have to push fabric in a way that it does not naturally want to go.
• These are 18" blocks. I think that the quilt would be prettier, to my eye, with a smaller block...maybe 12" instead of 18" which will give more of the pattern to work.

Would I make this again?  Unsure.  The seam push fight was not appealing.  It is not a design issue in the least, but rather a function of the block.  However, I'm sure GLAD that I made it.

This pattern uses the 4 at a time fast flying geese method. 

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