Help Question about layer cake/patterns
 

My cousin is pretty new to quilting. I got her started. She is also on a very tight budget. I just can't get her interested in doing scrappy (which is a lot cheaper because you can use shirts etc)
She also has specific likes and dislikes.
I bought the "deal of the Day from Missouri Star which was a layer cake.
My question to you is what would be a good pattern for her to use on the layer cake, So........ I want it to look hard but be easy!!! Any ideas. I do want her to do some cutting because it needs to also be a learning adventure.

Thank you all so much I know someone out there will come up with the perfect pattern for her

How about a very basic but versatile block like a half square triangle. Using layer cakes, she could cut down each 10" square into 4, then do the parallel diagonal stitching lines on pairs of 5 inch squares to make 4.5" finished HST. Or she could half the 10" squares, then half those again and have quarter block triangles. The layouts for HST or qST are plentiful, giving her lots of design opportunities.

RST

What about MSQC's double slice layer cake. The pattern and tutorial is on their website and it's free. Jenny also has the tutorial on You Tube.

If it's a pretty fabric, and she's a newbie, have her set those layer cakes in an "on point" setting. She won't have to cut the layer cakes, but she will have to cut a sash for each block, and binding (both of which could be scrappy! Just a thought.) Plus she will need to cut out the half squares to fill around the edges of the blocks. So that's learning to cut straight, accurate strip pieces (not all that easy) plus putting the blocks on the diagonal, so a different kind of sewing, and adding the sashing, a skill all its own.

SlightlyOff--thanks for that pattern. I'd not seen it before, and it's a clever way to construct the blocks-- definitely adding to my collection of "must make" quilts.

Perhaps just simple sashing? That would keep it from looking too scrappy (though for me too scrappy isn't possible!)--she would get practice cutting and sewing strips, and she would have a fairly quick finish which can be helpful and gratifying for a beginning quilter.

log cabin is a good way to get a grip on 1/4 in seam allowance.

The double slice layer cake that Ragquilter mentioned might work. Probably the layer cake you bought has coordinated fabric, so it wouldn't look so scrappy. Just google Double Slice Layer Cake quilt pattern, and the video from Missouri Star should come up. I have done a couple. I will see if I can find them, in case the pattern interests you. It is easy to make.

Dina

I have made jenny doak merry go round ? It was very very easy and went together quickly.
I used fabric lengths not layer cake as I wanted specie colour scheme.