All about patchwork and quilting

Rail Fence Quilt Block

By Hatun Comak → Wednesday, March 26, 2025

If you are looking for something different but easy to make, rail fence block is the right choice. It is a beginner friendly quilt block which can also be made uniquely different in so many ways. This quilt blok just requires bacis quilting skills and some imagination.

A classical rail fence pattern is made up of a quilt block which is made by sewing three, four or five strips of fabric to get a square. A little playing with colors and direction of the squares you can have various quilting designs.

Here I prepared a tutorial for a 12" rail fence quilt block with three fabrics. I hope you find it helpful. So here we go:

Cutting instructions

With 3 different fabrics cut 2 1/2 x30" strips (You can use longer strips in order to make more blocks at once.)

How to mke rail fence quilt block

Sew the three pieces of strips right sides together. (Always use 1/4" seam allowance)
Press the seams open. The strip set measures 6 1/2x30" including seam allowances.

Cut strips into 6 1/2"x 6 1/2" squares. With one strip set you will get four squares.

Next step is placing the squares, then sew together squares in pairs. Press the seams open. When you join the pairs, you make a rail fence quilt block. The finished size of the clock is 12 1/2" with seam allowances.

This quilt block is so easy and quick to make but once finished it looks fabuluous. By placing the squares differently you hace the chance to get different designs.

quilting

Free plus quilt patterns

By Hatun Comak → Thursday, August 29, 2024

One of the easiest beginner quilt designs, plus quilt can be made using different techniques including english paper piecing method which is my favourite. It is easy to make and totally beginner friendly, but still it looks complex. You can make plus quilts either with EPP (English Paper Piecing) method, or by just cutting and sewing. I've collected some plus quilt ideas using both methods. You can choose whichever you would like to.

So here we go! Just choose the one which fits you and enjoy the process.

Plus Quilt Pattern by For the Love of George

This comes with a tutorial in different size. This lovely quilt is so easy to make, just includes cutting the pieces in certain size and sewing them together.

EPP Plus Quilt by me

I started making plus quilt using English Paper Piecing Method. It is not as quick as the other method but still it is fun to make. The progress is slow and I am not in a hurry. While watching something on TV, dealing with my plus pieces is quite enjoyable.

Baby Plus Quilt by Hello Melly Designs

Baby quilts are easy to make for a beginner rather than dealing with a bigger size quilt and they are also perfect to make gifts.

Modern Plus Quilt by in Color Order

As I've mentioned before, plus quilt csan be made in different ways. This plus quilt is made of only using squares. This makes it even more practical.

Scrap Buster Plus Quilt by Scrap Fabric Love

I love the way she makes plus quilt using all scraps. I'm sure you will like this, too.

You may be surfing the net looking for some ideas and inspiration. Here I present you some choices that you may likely give a try.

T-shirt memory quilt

By Hatun Comak → Friday, September 1, 2023

Making a memory quilt has been on my to-do-list for a long time. Planning this quilt, I have put aside my son's T-shirts while he grows up. NOW is the right time to make a memory quilt as I have collected enough T-shirts of my son.

It is a nice way of using these old, small T-shirts since my son gets older. Making a memory quilt should be on every quilter's list. As time passes quickly, it will be nice remembering these days when the kids were small. I took some photos during the process so that it may help you, too.

Here we go!

To start working, you need a pile of t-shirts. As I have mentioned I kept my son's T-shirts as they got smaller. There are T-shirt quilt kits which make the work easier but I do not have one. So all you need is some creativity. Instead of T-shirt Transformation ruler, I prepared a template of cardboard. You can prepare the template according to the size of the T-shirts. My template is 10"x10"

The first thing to do is to cut the front piece of the T-shirt and if needed the back also. I used the backs of the T-shirts, as well.

Adding some interfacimg to the back of the T-shirt is a good idea so it doesn't stretch while sewing. Cut inrerfacing 1" larger than the T-shirt piece size. Center the interfacing over the wrong side of the T-shirt and press with iron to make it stick.

Cutting time. Put the template on the T-shirt, mark the places to be cut, place the ruler on edge if needed and cut along the edge of the ruler.

The first T-shirt piece is cut. Since the interfacing is adhered to the back, you do not have to worry about any streching. Repeat this process for the other T-shirt pieces.

Once you have cut all your T-shirts, you are ready to start making the quilt top. Decide the size you want to make. Mine is lap size 60"×75"

Playing around with your T-shirt pieces, decide your desisn layout. My quilts design belongs to my son. He says since these are his T-shirts he will decide the layout. That was okey for me.

This is what we have planned. The next step is sewimg them together. You go row by row and then you sew the rows together.

The quilt top is not ready yet. I cut pieces of fabric 10" wide and added a frame around the T-shirts.

Top is ready now. You quilters know what is next; basting, quilting and binding before completing the quilt.

quilt blocks

most popular quilt blocks

By Hatun Comak → Monday, December 19, 2022

Quilt blocks are square or rectangle pieces that are joined together to form a quilt top. There are thousands of quilt blocks with many names given to them. Here I collected only some of these quilt blocks that are the most popular and widely used. I also share a link to these quilt blocks with tutorials in case you would like to learn how to make them.

Some of these traditional quilt blocks may seem simple but with the right choice of fabric and color, you can turn your quilts to lovely and beautiful ones. Also some of these quilt blocks look complicated but these quilt blocks with tutorials giving clear instructions are notthat complicated to make. When you click on the title, you get to the tutorial.

Here we go!

Carpenter's Star Quilt Block

It has some other names and variations, one of which is carpenter's wheel.In fabric choices make sure that you have a good contrast between the background fabric, medium fabric and the dark fabric to ensure the design of the pattern will stand out. The nice outcome of the pattern depends on your colour choices

Friendship Star Quilt Block

The friendship star is another perfect quilt block for beginners. It is really simple and quick to make with half square triangles (HSTs). It is not only simple but also looks cute. I like how it looks and I'm sure you'll love yours, too.

Maple Leaf Quilt Block

The maple leaf quilt block is a perfect pattern for autumn time. It is an old, classic pattern which is made in two contrasting colors with one light, three dark squares and four half square triangles. The stem is a strip of dark color constructed diagonally on light fabric.

Pineapple Quilt Block

Pineapple quilt block is one of the most remarkable pattern of all the quilts. At first pineapple quilts may look complicated but they are comparatively easy to make. Actually, pineapple quilt blocks are a variation of log cabin quilts. The only difference is that the corners are cut off. When you contrast the colors between the rows, it can be striking. They are perfect to play with colors and you can create amazing pineapple quilts with your own choice of colors.

Cathedral Window Quilt Block

Cathedral window quilts always look beautiful and fascinating to me. The pattern may seem harder to make but actually it is easier than it looks.
In fact it isn't a real quilt since it is not made by using background and batting and no quilting. But still it is one of the favourite patterns of quilters both for beginners and experts.

Cathedral window requires a technique with a lot of folding, pressing and pinning. The most desired colour combinations are a solid white for the background and printed, colorful fabrics for the windows. You will have the opportunity to play with colors, which is the funniest part.

Flying Geese Quilt Block

Flying geese quilt block is simple and quick to make and versatile. You can make a single quilt with flying geese quilt block or match it with another quilt block. It can either stand alone as a single block to make a quilt or be used to make some other quilts. It depends on your creativity.

Sawtooth Star Quilt Block

The Sawtooth Star is a traditional eight point star and one of the most classical and popular one amongst the quilters. It possibly have some other names also. It is a versatile quilt pattern; with color and fabric variations you can create amazing quilts.

Labyrinth Quilt Block

Labyrinth quilt block pattern which is a star with two interwoven borders is definitely my favourite. Look how delicate it is.

Disappearing Nine Patch Quilt Block

Disappearing nine patch quilt is perfect to make a quick pieced quilt blocks and quilts. A simple nine patch block is sliced in half twice to create four smaller units so that you can make disappearing nine patch quilts.

Hunter's Star Quilt Block

The original hunter's star quilt was designed with diamond shapes but now we are able to create the same look with half square triangle units and square patches.

Hunter's star quilt may seem confusing due to its layout. Each quilt block is actually a combination of four different patchwork sections which are rotated and then joined for a larger quilt block. When the blocks are sewn together, a secondary design emerges.

Churn dash quilt block

Churn dash, classic quilt block which has been around for about 150 years is still popular. It looks nice and it is so simple to make. Here you can find a super simple tutorial for churn dash quilt block.

Woven quilt block

Here comes another easy and quick quilt block. It is easy, simple but still it catches your eye. Look how delicate it looks. It is such an easy quilt block to make but it is not simple or boring. Woven quilt block is made up of only squares and rectangles. The key is the placement of the pieces in order to get the woven effect.

churn dash quilt block tutorial

By Hatun Comak → Thursday, July 28, 2022

Churn dash is a classic quilt block which has been around for about 150 years. And it is still popular. It looks nice and it is so simple to make. Here you can find a super simple tutorial for churn dash quilt block.

Fabric requirements and measurements are available both for 6" x 6" blocks and 12" x 12" blocks.

Cutting instructions for 6"x6" churn dash quilt blocks

Background (white) fabric:

1 square 2,5" x 2,5"
2 squares 3" x 3"
1 strip 1,5" x 10"

Contrast (red) fabric:

2 squares 3" x 3"
1 strip 1,5" x 10,5"

how to make churn dash quilt block

We have cut and prepared all our fabric and now we can start sewing the pieces together.

First of all sew the two strips together.

Match up two sets of 3"x3" squares right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on the back of the white fabric and sew on both sides of the line. ( All the sew allowances must be 1/4")

Cut squares in half on the diagonal line so that you have four half-square triangle blocks.

Cut strips into four squares measuring 2,5" x 2,5". Also square up HST blocks to 2,5" x 2,5".

Layout 2,5"x2,5" blocks in three rows as can be seen in the image below.

First assemle the rows and then sew the rows together. And you have already finished!

Cutting instructions for 12"x12" churn dash quilt blocks

Background fabric:

1 square 4,5"x 4,5"
2 squares 5"x 5"
1 strip 2,5"x 18,5"

Contrast fabric:

2 squares 5"x 5"
1 strip 2,5"x 18,5"

12" × 12" churn dash quilt block tutorial

Sew the two strips together. Match up the 5" × 5" squares together. Draw a diagonal line on the back of the white fabric and sew along on both sides of the line.
Cut squares on the diagonal line and you have four half-square triangles. Press the seams open and cut the exess pieces.
Cut strips into four squares 4.5" × 4.5". Also square up HST blocks 4.5"× 4.5".

Layout blocks in three rows. Sew them together.

And you have finished! Super simple and quilt block to make.

sewing tutorial

cat pillow sewing tutorial

By Hatun Comak → Friday, July 15, 2022

A perfect project for cat lovers. These handmade cat pillows are fun to make and also great as gifts. I'm sure many of you like cats and as you see these lovely cat patterns, you will probably want to sew one either for yourself or someone around who loves cats.

These are numerous cat sewing patterns around in various shapes, sizes and models. Even choosing the one to make is not easy since you probably cannot decide which one to make since they are all lovely.

Here finally I chose to make one, an 14"x14" square pillow with a cat hiding behind it. You can only see the cat's head, paws and the tail. I enjoyed making it and most probably continue sewing cat cushions with different paterns. Here I want to share the pattern and how I made the cat pillow with step-by-step tutorial.

How to sew cat pillow

First you need to prepare the cat's head, paws and tail. For that, download the free pattern I share below. Print out, cut out the pieces. For the head, attach the template to the fabric and cut out a front and back piece.

DOWNLOAD CAT PATTERN

Before sewing the head pieces together, hand stitch the cat's eyes, or you can use buttons.

Right sides together machine sew front and back of the head pieces together. Leave downwords unsewn, this part will be attached to the pillow. Turn the head right side out and then stuff it with fiberfill.

Do the same process for the tail and the paws. So now you have the cat's head, tail and two paws ready.

The finished size of the tail is 14" X 14". So cut the front piece 15" X 15" and for the back the same.

Lay the front side of the pillow with right side on. Place the head, paws and tha tail as seen in the image below. Put the back side on, right sides together. Pin the edges so that the cat's, paws and tail wont move while sewing around the pillow.

Sew all around the pillow and turn it from the opening below. You have already finished! Now place the pillow inside and it is ready!

You can use this as a part of your home decoration or give it as a gift to a cat lover. This lovely pillow will be placed on my son's bed who is an absolute cat lover. It was fun to make it and you can be sure that more cat pillows will be coming.

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