Welcome to this year's tutorial series, Fat Quarter Frenzy! Born from the inspiration of my oldest granddaughter, who so kindly pointed out that I had a "butt-load of fat quarters", I'll be sharing six simple quilt tutorials, all using fat quarters as their source of fabric. Of course, you can use yardage or scraps if you choose, but the tutorials are written using fat quarters.
If you're like me, you love to buy fat quarter bundles because they are such a fun way to get your hands on a full fabric line. All those beautiful fabrics just waiting to be turned into quilts - but sometimes they just languish away on the shelf, looking pretty but not much else. So let's use them!
A word here about fat quarters! As I've been prepping my own for use in these tutorials, I have found serious discrepancies in the sizes of fat quarters. By definition, a fat quarter should be 18" x 20-22", but I have found many of my bundled fat quarters to be only approximately 17" wide when squared up. So for purposes of these tutorials, I am assuming that fat quarters are 17" x 20". Yours may be larger than that, and I trust that you will find good use for any scraps that are left over!
With that being said, let's get started with our first quilt tutorial, which I call "Meet Me In St. Louis" in honor of its classic block, the St. Louis 16-patch. I was not familiar with this block before, but it certainly lends itself to fat quarters, as you will see that there is very little waste.
Meet Me In St. Louis
A Fat Quarter Friendly Quilt
Materials:
16 Fat Quarters (FQ) measuring (squared up) a minimum of 17” x 20”:
8 light (L) FQ, 8 dark (D) FQ *or two contrasting colors can be used*
Cutting:
Square up your FQ, using the selvage edge as your constant straight. Line it up on the straight of your cutting mat, then trim the right and left edges to straight.
Leaving the FQ in place on the mat, cut four strips 4.25” wide by 20”+ long.
Repeat for all 16 FQs. You should now have 32 llght strips and 32 dark strips.
Assembly:
Divide your strips into 16 sets, pairing two identical light (L) strips with two identical dark (D) strips.
Assemble strip sets, alternating the strips in a LDLD pattern. I recommend starting sewing from the selvage ends so the sets are basically straight on that end for economy’s sake.
Press seams towards the dark strips. (If you are using contrasting colors, press toward the same color on all strip sets)
Crosscut the strip sets in the following manner: laying your strip set with the strips running horizontal on the mat, line up the straight bottom with the straight on your mat. Cut off the selvage edges.
Then cut the strip set into 4 4.25” wide block strips. Repeat for all strip sets, being sure to keep the block strips from each strip set together.
Take the four block strips and arrange them in a checkerboard 16-patch pattern. Your seams should nest into each other. Assemble the block. Repeat for all 16 blocks.
Arrange your 16-patch blocks and assemble your quilt!
Yields one approximately 60” square quilt.
I was just thinking this would make a great comfort quilt, very pretty!
ReplyDeleteI have always found fq's vary in size but I love them anyway
ReplyDeleteThank you for I too have a butt-load of fat quarters. Looking forward to the series! Smithcindyk@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial--a very doable quilt! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing this! I am saving your posts (as I often do, anyway) as your ideas are wonderful. It's a simple quilt but are often the most well-received when given to others. Having a variety of patterns & ideas just makes the quilting that much more enjoyable - and this type of quilt lends itself to using scraps, which is what I sew with 95% of the time now. I swear they multiply overnight...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that pattern and working out the "bugs" so to speak. I will be sure to double check my FQ's from now on. Great idea for using FQ's and so quick.
ReplyDeleteVery nice! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a boat load of fat quarters, but I do have many, many scraps. Your tutorial will lead to some wonderful quilts! Simple quilts are fast to make and are such great gifts. How kind you are for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial! I tend to buy feature fabric rather than precuts, but I do get the attraction and have a few stacks hanging around. I look forward to the series.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to have a series using fat quarters, I looked backwards on your blog and love your free tutorial on using strips/strings which have always been a favourite of mine, there are two examples there which are tempting me!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea for a fat quarter bundle! Thanks for sharing your tutorial.
ReplyDeleteThat is quick. I bet it would also be neat if you mix and matched strips. LOL
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!! Love it!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your tutorials and all the great things you share on your blog. I started this quilt with my grandkids. We are making a quilt for their mother for Christmas. They're loving learning to sew with me.
ReplyDeleteBut.... I found there is an error. Shouldn't it say 16 fat quarters - 8 dark and 8 light?