simple quilt ideas?

Question

I'm trying to think of ideas for my next quilt...I'm a beginner and have only made a crazy quilt before...I would like to do something a little more challenging then a crazy quilt, but haven't found anything...does anyone have any ideas? thanks

Answer 1

If you're not quite ready for pieced blocks yet, you might want to try something like a Trip Around the World quilt.... that's just a bunch of squares all the same size, which are sewed together in a pattern that's concentric --it ends up being a sort-of diamond shape (actually a square "on point"). In other words, a row of yellow squares, then a row of blue squares, then a row of purple squares (or any color combination you want).

To make that pattern even more interesting, you can also use *various shades and tints of each color* for the squares, rather than just the same fabric and color for them all... in other words, for blue squares, you could use a number of *different* fabrics --each of which "reads" mainly blue but may have any kind of pattern on it or some other colors ...they'll usually all go together quite nicely and still be seen mostly as "blue. (When that technique for choosing fabrics is used, the quilt is often called a "scrap" quilt though the concept could be used for almost any type of pieced quilt).

Another easier thing to do is something like you've already done maybe --sewing strips of different fabrics together (on their long sides) to create a long enough unit to go all the way down the length of a quilt. Do at least 2 or 3 of those long pieced units, then sew them to each other (on their long sides) with a single long strip of fabric in-between... many of the "African" or "strip" quilts are made that way and can look really cool.

The next thing to do in complexity would be to begin making some of the simpler blocks, then joining them together in a quilt (with or without "lattices" between).
Simpler blocks are those which have only rectangles in them (like Basketweave or Rail Fence), or that have only squares in them (like Nine-Patch) ....and some which have squares along with a few "half-triangles" (half-triangles are a lot easier to do than "quarter-square triangles" or long skinny triangles).

(You can look up quilt examples of any of those names I capitalized above using Google's "Image Search" to see loads of examples and probably even get specific instructions. So start on this page:
http://images.google.com/imghp?tab=wi
...Then just fill in the window with something like:

"Trip Around the World" quilt

OR

"Rail Fence" quilt

(....be sure to use quotation marks around any words that must appear in a certain order, then click "Search Images")



HTH, and have fun!

Diane B.

Answer 2

If you choose the right fabrics and use them in the right combination, you can make a gorgeous quilt out of nothing but strips. It's easier than a crazy quilt, and takes almost no quilting knowledge. For example, I saw a quilt that was varying width strips of white fabric alternating with strips of bright woven fabrics. You could do the same with more muted colors and tan or gray. You don't get much easier than sewing strips together!

You could take that one step farther and sew a bunch of strips together, then cut the long strip sets into smaller sections, then sew the sections together to make a long, relatively narrow column of short strips. Alternate these long columns with plain fabrics.

The next step up would be a rail fence. Again, you create long strips of two, three, four, or more strips sewn together. This time you cut them into sections that are the same width as the full strip set. For example, if you sew three 2" strips together using 1/4" seams, you'll have a strip set that is 5" wide. Cut the strip sets into segments that are 5" wide. Now lay them out so one set goes horizontally, the next vertically, the next horizontally, etc. The second row should be the opposite of the first row. Play with the layout, flipping and turning blocks until you like it. Sew the blocks into rows, and then sew the rows together. This is a little more challenging because when you sew the rows together you need to keep the intersection between blocks aligned from one row to the next. Line it up and pin the heck out of it, and you should be fine.

Check out the links below for some inspirations.

Answer 3

I needed to make a large twin or small double bed quilt in a hurry a couple of years ago and was going to quilt it myself. I bought a red white and blue striped fabrlc and cut ten in squares. then I joined the squares alternating the squares so the stripes were vertical in one block and horizontal in the next. I just continued like that until I had the size I wanted (ie:width ) of the quilt. the next row I reversed the sequence so it was horiz.vert.horiz.vert.horiz and next row was
vert. horiz vert. Horiz vert and then repeated until the quilt was the desired length. It was easy cutting easy assembly and allowed for some creative quilting. the Design when finished looked a lot like a rail fence pattern but much simpler. Hope this is helpful,

Answer 4

If you started with a crazy quilt thats good, they can be pretty tricky. Someone mentioned a strip quilt, you can try a bargello, you simply sew strips of fabric together and after sewing the last one on you sew the first and last together, then cut the tube in strips, this gives you a bunch of rings, you can make them equal in size or varied sizes. Then unsew any seam of your choice for th first ring. Now either unsew in the next ring the next seam up or down, do several in this direction, if you dont have a design wall, stop and sew the first to seams together matching you seams, then attach the next unsewn ring untill all rings are attached. Here are some links you might find interesting.

Answer 5

Years ago I bought '1001 Patchwork Patterns' by Maggie Malone, which is my fall-back. If you haven't done a lot before, why not try making a simple quilt with squares, using a sewing machine to join them together (good practice), or you could trace round the hands of family and friends and use Bondaweb to applique them onto big squares.

Answer 6

I like anything with stars and red, white, and blue for 4th of July. I found with my son that he'd take a nap for an hour in the afternoons and that was just enough time to finish one quilt block.

Answer 7

There must be a million quilt books and patterns. Poke around the fabric shop or web for ideas.

Answer 8

How about a tessellated cat quilt? Easy but unusual.

http://www.jinnybeyer.com/freepatterns/freepattern_large.cfm?category=00016458-4E9D-1269-A60300017F005857&productID=00079021-5654-1269-A60300017F005857&axis_v=2

Answer 9

I have heard of using significant things like your favorite clothes or memories and stitch them up.

Answer 10

http://www.freequiltpatterns.info/