Category: Tips & Tricks

Wonky Stars Tutorial

Learn to make two-at-a-time wonky stars with this fun and free tutorial! These blocks are so much fun to make, once you start you’ll want to make a whole quilt! This wonky stars tutorial will walk you through what you need to make a whole bunch of fun wonky stars! The tutorial will show you 6″ finished wonky stars, but scroll to the bottom of this tutorial for a chart with different finished star sizesContinue reading

Zero Waste Quilting & Scrap Management

Someone recently tagged me in an Instagram post about Zero Waste quilting, and I thought the subject would be a fun one to elaborate on in a blog post, specifically about how I approach zero waste quilting and scrap management in my own quilting practice here at Patchwork & Poodles. What is Zero Waste Quilting? Zero waste quilting is the concept that everything gets used – from the fabric to the thread – and nothingContinue reading

Fat Quarter Friendly Patterns

Got a fat quarter bundle and you’re not sure how to use it? There’s plenty of Patchwork & Poodles patterns that are fat quarter friendly! Keep reading below to see how many fat quarters you’ll need to sew up your favorite throw size P&P pattern! 8 Fat Quarters The throw sizes of Zippy, Spyglass, Zesty, and Modern Crossing all use 8 fat quarters! Related Blog Posts: Scrappy Modern Crossing Quilt Zippy Quilt Zippy Quilt –Continue reading

Using Fat Quarters for the Nordic Star Quilt

One of the questions I field the most is whether Nordic Star is fat quarter friendly. The short answer is no. The long answer is, yes, you can use fat quarters for the Nordic Star quilt, but it’s complicated. Nordic Star was written to use yardage. The ombre version is a gradient and each color gets used more than once. So as written, the pattern is not fat quarter friendly. However, if you wanted toContinue reading

Printable Color-Your-Own Valentines (Free!)

I have something a little different for you today! If you’re looking for a DIY candy free valentines option for your kid’s school party, this is for you! My free printable color-your-own valentines are here! There’s two different options for you to use. Printable Color-your-own Valentines are a great gift for kids because it gives them an activity to do (win), without the sugar high (double win!). Pair this printable color-your-own valentines with crayons orContinue reading

Creating a Monochrome Graffiti Hearts Quilt

When I first designed Graffiti Hearts, I went all BRIGHT and BOLD with my color choices. I wanted the hearts to be a showstopper of a block, and I love the resulting quilt. I like to showcase the range of a pattern, so in making more Graffiti Hearts quilts with different color variations, I decided to make a monochrome Graffiti Hearts quilt. Shop Graffiti Hearts: Making a Monochrome Graffiti Hearts Quilt: Graffiti Hearts uses 11Continue reading

Creating an Ombre Nordic Star Quilt

Want to create your own ombre Nordic Star quilt but unsure where to start with your fabric selection? Read on for tips on selecting fabrics and bundles for creating the perfect ombre quilt! The Ombre version of Nordic Star uses the following number of fabrics: Lap size (12 blocks): 8 fabrics Throw size (20 blocks): 8 fabrics Bed size (36 blocks): 10 fabrics Shop Nordic Star: Nordic Star is created to use two main dominantContinue reading

All About the Nordic Star Quilt!

I’ve gotten a ton of requests for fabric requirements for the Nordic Star Quilt. But more than just providing those, I wanted to write a post that helped you create the quilt of your dreams. It should be no surprise to you if you’ve been following me for a while that I like to provide variations and ideas in all my quilt patterns to help you create the quilt you’re imagining. Nordic Star is anContinue reading

Creating the Ultimate Quilting Room

Organizing your space can seem daunting. Too much fabric, too little shelving? That’s a problem I’ve encountered more than once as my love for quilting has grown and my space has… well, not. Redfin has a great article where they asked a bunch of us quilters to weigh in on how to create the ultimate quilting room. You can read all the tips from various quilters here. As for me? My biggest tip is toContinue reading

Washing and Mending a Vintage Quilt

I recently bought a vintage quilt online, sight unseen, to use as part of my Quilt Coat Course. If you’re not a quilter, you can still make a quilt coat by using an existing quilt! I got a great deal on this quilt, but mainly because it came to me filthy dirty. Like, I didn’t want to touch it without gloves dirty. I went down a rabbit hole of how to wash this quilt andContinue reading

Tips for Better Machine Binding Quilts

Machine binding your quilt can be as beautiful as it is rewarding! When I’m not big stitch hand binding, I’m machine binding my quilts for a quick finish. Here’s some great tips for stress-free machine binding: 1. Zig-Zag your quilt sandwich: After trimming your quilt square, even if you’ve performed a Victory Lap, go ahead and zig-zag all the way around your quilt sandwich with a wide zig-zag. This helps keep all those edges together,Continue reading

Victory Lap! A quilt top celebratory stitch!

You’ve stitched that final row on a quilt top together! Time to celebrate with a victory lap! A victory lap in quilting is when you stitch all the way around the perimeter of your quilt top. This keeps all of your seams from unraveling during the basting and quilting process. A victory lap is especially helpful for quilt tops with a lot of seams, since those are more likely to pull on each other andContinue reading