This quilt pattern and tutorial sews up fast and makes use of 10″ pre cut squares (or layer cakes). If you like this project you may also love this free hexagon quilt pattern.
1 Layer cake, I used Hunky Dory by Chez Moi
1/2 yard fabric for binding
Cotton Batting (I use quilters dream cotton)
2 yds Snuggles for backing
thread to match backing fabric
Applique letters or machine embroidery
Sort your layer cake into piles based on the predominant color. It is very important to pick out all of your layer cake pieces before you start cutting, otherwise you won’t have enough of each color to complete the pattern.
The colors I chose were pinks, creams, yellows, blues, greens.
Save out one layer cake piece that you really like (one with a large or unique print) for your center block.
Set aside 6 each of 3 different colors for your strip blocks.
Set aside 8 blocks of one of your other colors (blue in my case)
Set aside 8 blocks of your last color (green in my example)
Take your 3 strip colors of and begin cutting the layer cake pieces into strips. Cut them to 3 1/3″ wide (leave them 10″ tall for now).
When you are done you should have
18 pink strips
18 creams strips
18 yellow strips.
With the cream in the center, begin sewing the 3 colored strips together, taking care to vary the patterns so that you do not have 2 blocks that are exactly the same.
Press your seams to one side.
Trim your entire block to 9″ x 9″
Repeat until you have 18 sewn blocks.
Take 8 blue blocks and trim them to 9×9. Do the same for your 8 green blocks, and your center feature block.
If desired applique or machine embroidered a name to the center of your center feature piece.
Begin sewing the blocks into rows using the diagram below.
Press seams to one side, alternating each row (example press the seams of all of the odd rows to the right and the seams of all the even rows to the left).
When your quilt top is assembled, cut a piece of cotton batting and your snuggles about 3″ wider on each side than your quilt top.
Using basting spray, assemble your quilt “sandwich”.
With a fabric pen/pencil (something that will wash off) draw diagonal lines on the quilt top according to the diagram above (the dashed lines are your stitching lines).
I chose to use a thread that would match the snuggles but contrast the top of the quilt. Using a walking foot, first quilt a stitch in the ditch down the long side on each side of the center column, then once down the short side on both sides of the center row. This will stabilize your quilt to help prevent stretching as you finish quilting it. Stitch in the ditch the remaining rows/columns of the quilt. (you are quilting around each square).
Then quilt along the diagonal lines you drew.
Also…
I’m hosting a giveaway over at Finding Fabulous today!! I’m giving away one of my March Bags! (pattern available here) It’s made with my brand new So St. Croix fabric... I didn’t want to cut it.. it’s so pretty!! But I did and am so happy with how the bag turned out. (you can NOT enter here… you have to enter over at their site)…
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Meghan says
March 12, 2010 at 10:25 AMOh I want to win this, but I don’t have any craft or DIY projects to link to. Sigh.
Ashleigh says
March 12, 2010 at 12:44 PMMelissa- Thanks for the pattern. I am very excited to make this. I just have a little question. I have never sewn with minky before. Is it hard? Are there any tips you have? Does it go through your machine just like any other fabric? I’m just a little intimidated by that, if you could calm my nerves or give me a tip, that would be so fab!
Jennifer says
March 12, 2010 at 1:30 PMI love your model!!!!
Anna says
March 12, 2010 at 3:10 PMcute cute, can’t wait to take a peek at the quilt!
Melissa Stramel says
March 12, 2010 at 5:12 PMHi Melissa! I just saw you on Jennifer Paganelli’s blog! What an honor. The quilt is cute.
EvaBabeDesigns says
March 12, 2010 at 6:58 PMYou made an excellent choice in fabrics and color combos on both your quilt and hand bag! Nicely done!
Mama Lusco says
March 12, 2010 at 11:42 PMVery pretty!
Julie says
March 14, 2010 at 7:43 PMLOVE this bag!
P.S. the link doesn’t work to the pattern, but I found it 🙂
Darcy says
March 16, 2010 at 1:54 AMI love that fabric for the March bag, I have my pattern already now I just the fabric!!! Any tips on sewing with minky??? Whenever I do it always changes shape, my next project is to make this quilt for my kids, and I love them minky idea?? Thanks
[email protected]
Life in Rehab says
March 16, 2010 at 12:50 PMI love the bag. I think I’ll be whipping that up with my daughter this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Katie says
July 30, 2013 at 6:46 PMDo you have any tips on accurately finding 1/3″ on a quilting ruler that is marked in eighths?
Thanks,
Katie
Melissa Mortenson says
August 2, 2013 at 2:48 PMYes, once you find the 1/3” mark, use some painters tape to mark it on your quilt ruler, then you’ll be sure to have an accurate measurement for each cut.
Kimberly says
November 8, 2013 at 1:07 AMHey,
I am thinking of embarking on making my first quilt and i love the simplicity of the squares- nothing extravagant, but i want to use my own fabric. Do you have any measurements if i was to choose my own fabric instead of buying a pack like you did here? I was trying to follow along with your handmade christmas gifts and i liked the one you did for your youngest daughter with the 6′ squares, but i am just not sure on how much fabric, or batting or binding and i cant find any simple patterns that end up like that- any help is much appreciated!
Kim
Melissa Mortenson says
November 11, 2013 at 2:29 PMHi!
Yes, the squares are cut into 10” x 10” squares. You can get 12 10” squares per 1 yard of fabric. I hope that helps!
Carri says
January 11, 2015 at 12:59 PMI know this must be a “duh” question, but to cut a 10×10 square to 9×9, you are taking 1/2 inch off the top and the side, right? This will be my first quilt, and I am just trying to walk through in my head how this works! Thanks so much!
Molly Darnell says
September 2, 2017 at 2:20 PMHow did you bind this quilt and what is binding width? What is the final size, as well as seam widths?
I am making one for my middle granddaughter.
Thanks for your help!
Chandra says
September 14, 2017 at 10:09 PMHow did you bind this quilt? Binding width..? final quilt size? It wasn’t in the written instructions
Thanks
Maureen Paul says
October 13, 2017 at 12:06 PMWhat size is the finished quilt?
Wendy says
October 8, 2018 at 9:08 AMWhat size is the finished quilt?
Kristi Hatanaka says
January 5, 2019 at 5:29 PMHi!
I love your quilt!! I was wondering where you purchased it? 🙂 I want to make this as my first quilt!! Thanks!!
Melissa Mortenson says
January 9, 2019 at 3:25 PMIt’s so old (from 2009), I don’t remember I’m sorry!
Kristi Hatanaka says
January 5, 2019 at 6:05 PM** purchased the fabric! Was it a set?