Originally Posted by
lswan
I make lap quilts to give chemo/cancer patients. I don't get many fabric donations, so I buy most of the fabric myself. I try to find garage sales, not too much luck. However what I need are some pattern ideas for quilts about 52 or so by 60 something (can be flexible) that are:
-don't use just big blocks of fabric sewn together
-don't use a million little small pieces
-are quick, easy, and look nice (time is of the essence when I get a name)
-I don't care if the patterns are free or not, I would buy them
After making the same pattern 10 times in a row, I get crazy. Thank you for reading this. If you can recommend something that would fit the bill, I would be grateful.
Linda
Linda I just finished a quick quilt, may be more work than you want to do, but the blocks go together really fast and it is definitely easy. My blocks were all 9" blocks when finished and they joined together perfectly with seams and points matching when sewn in the rows. This is NOT by design, and I think someone on the board posted this earlier in the year and called it quick and easy block, not sure, but it is easy. I started with a 4" square of one fabric this will be your center of the block, then cut another 4" square of a 2nd fabric. sewed these two pieces right sides together all the way around the square- leave no open edges. Then slightly pulling the 2nd piece of fabric up so as not to cut the 1st, snip in the center of this piece, and from there cut through in a diagonal method to each corner you are making an x when you cut, be sure not to cut through your stitching. Open this out and press with a Dry iron as they will be on the bias and stretch if you use a steam iron.
Don't cut off the dog ears on any of the squares you sew- now you have a larger block, next take fabric # 3, and cut it the size of the square you just formed, laying it right sides together again and sew all around the 4 sides, cut it the same way you did the first one- open press , you now have a larger square, do the same with fabric # 4 making that piece the same size as the square you just made, sew around again and cut, open and press and walla you should have a 9" block. If you don't want this size block you can just use the two or three fabrics. NOTE if your beginning square is larger than 4" you will end up with a huge block if you use 4 different fabrics- ask me how I know lol. I made a sample using a 6" beginning square and ended up with about an 18" block. You could use the same 4 fabrics throughout or different fabrics and make it look really neat and scrappy. I only used the same 4 colors throughout as I had enough on hand that I wanted to use and it will be a Christmas gift. I will try and get a pic. posted later, if this doesn't make sense to you pm me and I will try and get a draft drawn to explain better. Thanks for your great work you do. Hugs Gerbie