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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Oh I want to win this, but I don’t have any craft or DIY projects to link to. Sigh.
Melissa- 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!
I love your model!!!!
cute cute, can’t wait to take a peek at the quilt!
Hi Melissa! I just saw you on Jennifer Paganelli’s blog! What an honor. The quilt is cute.
You made an excellent choice in fabrics and color combos on both your quilt and hand bag! Nicely done!
Very pretty!
LOVE this bag!
P.S. the link doesn’t work to the pattern, but I found it 🙂
I 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
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I love the bag. I think I’ll be whipping that up with my daughter this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Do you have any tips on accurately finding 1/3″ on a quilting ruler that is marked in eighths?
Thanks,
Katie
Yes, 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.
Hey,
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
Hi!
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!
I 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!
How 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!
How did you bind this quilt? Binding width..? final quilt size? It wasn’t in the written instructions
Thanks
What size is the finished quilt?
What size is the finished quilt?
Hi!
I love your quilt!! I was wondering where you purchased it? 🙂 I want to make this as my first quilt!! Thanks!!
It’s so old (from 2009), I don’t remember I’m sorry!
** purchased the fabric! Was it a set?