In My quilt group..we had alot of beginners at one time, i picked out this pattern for them to learn to follow the directions and cutting,piecing.
the diag. in the pattern shows how your FQ is laid out in front of you,and the cuts needed,and where to make them. i think it is an excellent quilt for beginners.
it can be cheap to make, when FQ's go on sale..
and you can't afford to buy any yardage.
i have seen some really pretty ones!
mybe it is time for a yellow brick road picture show!

Beginner quilers need easy patterns to learn the process. Once you know how a blocks goes together, it can be easy to do a block without buying a pattern.

BUT you have to make a lot of different quilt blocks to determine how the block is constructed. Once you determine that, some quilts may not require you buying the pattern.

Have to admit I look at lots of pic of finished quilts on varioius web sites, save the pics because I like them, want to make them someday, and have figured out the block.

Down size? Always buy way too much fabric.

YBR was the first "big" quilt I made, last year. I used mostly batiks, small foral pattern fabrics, batik pattern with flip flops on it. Very girly and just plain fun for a 9 year old. No batting used, only lime Minky on the back. It was light weight, cuddly and my DGD used it as a cape in some of her more dramatic moments as a princess. I was so happy with the results. I was a beginner and using YBR gave me confidence.
I also used the pattern AGAIN in flannels for a woodsy/camping theme for one of my grandsons. It came out wonderful. I see the more varied patterns used, and giving the quilt a theme can make any easy pattern very interesting...almost entertaining, no matter how simple the blocks are.

Im one who doesnt care for Brick roads or turning twenties. I would hate to waste fabric on them. To me they are very un appealing. I can see for quick projects for charities or maybe baby quilts in bright colors. But we all have different tastes. Im glad we do. More patterns that way!

This quilt is so gentle and welcoming. Great!

I have made this at least 4 times, my favorite is mine in Christmas fabrics.
I have it done in all neutrals and used as the background for applique, that one was stunning! It can be a very effective quilt usning 1930's or other collections such as Kaffe Fassett.

The reason I bought it was that I was new to quilting and thought I could do it. Really I bought it for my daughter to do it. We are working on it with the HAPPY line of fabric.
At teh time I did not know of the freebies on the internet.

I felt the same way about turning twenty. If you have design software, or can use graph paper and a ruler, you can draw squares, rectangles, add your quarter inch all the way around, you can do your own quilt pattern. D in TX

I bought one and made one and do not like it one bit. In the end you have to sit there and figure out where each block goes and it takes forever. No pattern help there. I am not planning on using it again.

I have sewn for years and still need a pattern with very easy instructions due to a condition known as dyscalcula, like dyslexia except this is concerning numbers. I can not do simple math.It makes me crazy sometimes to even begin to cut out fabric,and that is why I always buy extra. I had to take basic math and then algebra 101 3 times and that was with a paid tutor! But you know as they say, Never give up. Have been a Nurse for 25 years and in critical care for 10 or so. (And yes I ALLWAYS have someone else check my doseage calculations lol)

I just don't know why people are so critical, it really bothers me, obviously this is a very successful pattern , lots of folks love it:)

I have the pattern, but have not made it. How about appliquing a "path" from the bottom of the quilt to the top when you have it done.
D

I've made several and it's one of my favorites; it's easy and I think looks good. Just don't buy it.

This was the pattern used in a beginner quilting class I took. I have since made a couple more. I thought as you said, where is the 'road'??, but it is a relatively easy pattern.

I was thinking the same thing...the disapearing nine patch is just as easy, like the looks of it and free.

Here is a free Pattern from Eleanor Burns...Fence Rail http://www.quiltinaday.com/freepatte...namonswirl.pdf (no not a fat Quarter...its just one I was looking at prior to me reading this. Thought I would share.)

I have the pattern and material - just haven't made it yet. I like to do something simple now and then so I can be more creative with my quilting.

I think it is for the new quilter and can be used with fat quarters. A seasoned quilter could look at the picture and figure it out whereas a new quilter could not. It is often used in beginning quilting classes. Another one is the Turning Twenty pattern, very similar.
Michelle G
El Paso, TExas

I agree with the other comments. The pattern uses FQ with very little waste, it is easy for a beginner since the instructions are so clear, and it can be finished quickly. I have finished a top in a few hours. But it doesn't look like an "easy-peasy" quilt to me; I think the variety of fabrics give it a more complex look.

Darren

I do agree with you on the TTs I did one as a backing to a quilt and I hated the quilt ever after :thumbdown:

I bought the pattern for my first quilt because it was easy and it turned out very nice. I made two others after that until I got comfortable cutting and so on. I guess if you bought yellow fabric and placed it to form the road it would look like the Yellow Brick Road.

I often ask myself "why did I buy that pattern" AFTER I've bought it. Alot of times I find myself buying patterns just to patronize the quilt shop. I have so many purse patterns, I have they yellow brick road, turning 20 & some really difficult ones but I tend to see something I like & will wind up making it instead. I have sooooo many patterns that I didn't need to do the project but still bought them! Helps keep the economy going!

I have made several of them. It's great for a beginner quilt; I have use it in alot of my classes.

I love the YBR!! It is the only quilt pattern that I've used repeatedly. It is not boring because no 2 are ever the same. I love fat quarters because you get a sample of so many fabrics in a particular line, and this is a perfect quilt for using those, especially if you belong to any of the fat quarter clubs. It is super fast and super easy!

I bought this pattern back when I was just beginning for the LQS because the one on display was quite attractive in fannel. Then I started to buy fabric to make the YBR and a Wizard of Oz quilt because I just the the Wizard of Oz show. I plan tonuse this material and make a yekkow brick riad through it. These I plan to keep for myself and put them in my yellow room. I can't say when because I'm finishing a few other projects or I want to make someone a quilt for a gift. Never enough time but I do have the material.

I can see why it wouldn't appeal to you, and probably
many others, but that pattern has been around for something
like 15-20 years. I don't know when it actually came out,
but I am guessing in the mid to late 90's. It is still a number
one best seller, and I think every quilt shop in America
carries it. The designer, Terry Atkinson, said that she was
able to put her kids through college on the sales of that
pattern alone. It is a very simple pattern, but every pattern
designer wishes they could come up with a pattern that
'hits', like that one and the Turning Twenty patterns have.
I know the designer of the Turning Twenty series, and those
patterns will carry her well into retirement and beyond. :)

I read on a thread here a posting of someone who needed to make a quilt quickly. She said she was using YBR since it was a quick pattern. She had bought, washed, cut, and pieced it in one day, and was quilting it the next. So I want to make a quilt for my mom for the end of May. I figured I could probably do this one. Her favorite colors are pink and green so that's what I'll use. First time I heard the name I thought it either had a yellow road through it or was somehow connected to W of Oz. But when I saw the pic. of pattern I guessed that the name was b/c yellow rectangular pieces were used. Planning to cut my fabric this after noon.

I made a couple when I was brand spanking new to quilting. It was fun and easy and the pieces were quite large. I am now an achomplished piecer who loves teeny tiny patches of fabric. But this pattern still appeals to me if I need a fast fun quilt.

XOOX Subee
who cannot spell!

I have had this pattern for years and still reach for it! Any FQ's can be used, Simple and easy!!!

I am a huge YBR fan - I have made at least a dozen, and a few of them were from block not used in the other quilts. It's a contemporary look that lends itself to so many fabric choices and palettes. I agree with every reason listed by YBR Fans.

Below, the first YBR photo posted I named "Detour on Yellow Brick Road" because I made a mistake on the first set of cuts, then later on could not find a small stack of pieced units I'd cut just minutes before (could it have been the clutter?!?!?) and ended up cutting and stitching another batch, then found the first stack, and ... and ... and ... one mistake and recovery after the other happened before finishing this quilt. THEN, after I'd stitched together the top, I "hated" it because the lights were "too light" and so I satin-stitch appliqued left over pieces to the centers of several blocks to blend them better. I loved the end result and really hated to give it up to a friend for her 50th birthday.

The second YBR is in autumn colors for another friend, and the third is a queen size YBR wedding quilt for my contemporary style daughter who "secretly" still loves old fashioned florals.

Patterns like YBR are great for when you need to put a quilt together fast - especially if you like scrappy looks or have a lot of scraps to use up.

I found another simple pattern that looks like it's more than it is - it's called "Wickedly Easy," and it really is! :) And it's free on the www.byannie.com site.

http://www.byannie.com/media/images/...s_patterns.pdf

I have made three quilts from this pattern - all three of them in the same group of Texas-themed fabrics - two of them are king sized and one of them full sized. All of them have pieced borders on them.

Like the YBR, if you get enough contrast among your fabrics and a couple of bits of eye-popper colors, the quilt seems to sparkle. I'm done making this for a while, but after I work on something more challenging, I'd do another one.

I have made several of them...my favorite one I used brushed flannel plaids in medium colors for the background, then used brushed almost solids and did leaf shapes and appliqued them on the quilt sort of in a falling leaf arrangement. It makes a great background to do applique on top of.

I make most of my quilt tops in one day and doing the batting/quiliting the next day. Then bind the following day if I start feeling lazy.

I totally agree, I use Quilters Cache most of the time

I've made one only and don't think I will make another, got a few blocks turned around and just didn't like it... JMHO...

I really like Yellow Brick Road. It's a breeze to make and you can use just about any combination of fat quarter colors for it. I like the earth tones with a yellow to perk them up, and this pattern looks great that way. 8-)

It was always known as a great beginner quilt, and the colors used are wonderful. My first one I made was yellow and blues also.

Thanks for the pattern

I've made them in different color combinations and they can be beautiful, depending on what fabric you use. Just a personal choice, but one I've gone back to time and again.

I am making a "Yellow Brick Road" now but it is pretty....depents on the fabrics you use.
My favorite for a quick quilt is "Just Can't Cut It". It is so quick and has been pretty in several different color combinations I have made.

Different fabrics give different results. It's fast and easy. Great for beginners. I made a table topper/runner in Michigan fabrics for my son for their tailgating at the games and it was perfect for maze and blue! :)

Oh....I like this one...Just Can't Cut It - http://www.amazon.com/Just-Cant-Cut-.../dp/156477449X I love when you guys mention patterns of quilts and which ones you like...which ones are easy and which ones are hard.