New Quilt Finish; The Blue Ribbon Shortcut Quilt
I’m excited to share all the details for what might be my favorite quilt finish of the summer: the Blue Ribbon Shortcut quilt! This beginner-friendly, quick piece quilt is created using precut fabrics, making it a breeze to create!
I was joking with my daughter the other day that this past summer felt like the “summer of quilts”. I may have finished more quilts this summer than any in the past!
Before you are too impressed, though, you should know that my WIP quilt bin in my sewing room is still overflowing! I have at least 10 completed quilt tops that still need to be bound and quilted!
One of the reasons I’ve been able to complete so many quilts this summer is that I’ve been mostly creating “quick piece” quilts that feature piecing shortcuts (like strip piecing, or quilts made with pre-cut fabric).
Quilt Inspiration
As my team and I brainstormed ideas for our summer releases of Polka Dot Drops quilt kits, we knew we wanted something quick, given that many people are short on time in the summer due to travel and outdoor activities.
I felt like this quilt ticked all our requirements. It’s quick to sew, beginner-friendly, features bright and breezy fabrics, and the lap size is perfect for summer road trips or cool evenings on the porch!
Why It’s Called Blue Ribbon Shortcut Quilt
Since this quilt pattern features precut fabrics, most of the cutting in this quilt pattern is done during the block construction process! The uneven nine-patch blocks are created using a shortcut piecing method!
The quilt is created from:
- One 5″ Precut Stack Print Fabric
- One 5″ Precut Stack Background Fabric
- One 10″ Precut Stack of Background Fabric
The 5″ precut stacks are “cut as you sew,” and the 10″ precut stack features minimal cutting.
Where to Get the Quilt Pattern
You can purchase a quilt pattern or a kit for this quilt in our shop!
- Blue Ribbon Shortcut Quilt Pattern – PDF
- Blue Ribbon Shortcut Quilt Pattern – Printed Copy
- Blue Ribbon and Bluegrass Charm Quilt Kit
- Shop the Pattern on Etsy if you’re Outside of the USA
Why We Love Precut Fabrics
Personally, I love sewing with 5″ precut squares, often called charm packs, because they make it easy to start a project without spending time cutting.
Each pack usually includes a wide variety of prints from a fabric collection, giving you a scrappy, coordinated look since the designer of the fabric line took the time to plan out the prints and colors in the fabric for you!
Since charm packs include dozens of different prints in one bundle, you get a broad sampling of an entire fabric collection at a lower cost than buying yardage of each print. This makes it easy to experiment with new colors and patterns.
Finished Quilt Details
- Pattern: Blue Ribbon Shortcut
- Long Arm Quilting Pantograph: Marmalade, purchased on Urban Elementz
- Print Fabric: Bluegrass Charm by Riley Blake
- Background Fabric: Sparkler in White by Riley Blake
- Size: 59 1/2″ x 76 1/2″
- Quilt Kit Available
I quilted the quilt on my long arm machine and decided to branch out a bit from my normal geometric pantographs and choose something more organic. The Pantograph is called Marmalade and I love how all of the swirls and curves complement the straight lines and squares of the quilt blocks in this pattern.
I still have a couple of summer quilts that I REALLY want to finish before it’s officially fall (my American flag quilt and an aqua version of my Gathered Quarters Quilt). Still, I’m feeling pretty good with my quilting progress so far this summer!
