Inspire. Empower. Create.
The tippy tops of the Rocky Mountains are covered with ten feet of snow right now! But underneath that blanket of white, wildflower seeds wait patiently. And when summer arrives, those mountain peaks will be bursting with blooms!
If you’re like me, you can’t wait till summer; we need flowers today! Click HERE to learn how to create your own Mountain Lily blocks out of 2.5” strips!
What are fellow quilters making? Why are these designs and fabrics so popular? Are these trends new or are traditional styles making a comeback?
Don’t worry, we’ve found the answers. We’ve taken a close look into the world of quilting to find out what’s trending. Here are are the top five:
1. Stars
From Memorial Day to Veterans Day, a star quilt can find itself taking center stage all throughout the year and when we aren’t stocked up on red, white, and blue; quilters find stars to be quite innovative. Five points or ten, stars can be adjusted to fit any style from traditional to modern. Thus, the trendy star takes the cake.
Shoot for the stars with this hot trend!
Shop star-themed patterns and let your work shine!
Find fabrics filled with stars big and small.
Pick up something sweet for yourself and fit for a quilter – because you’re a STAR!
2. Hexagons
Hexagons are as old as time – well, as old at 1770 from what we can find in written quilt history. Over the years, quilters have transformed the way we create hexagons and with English paper piecing, fussy cutting, and quilt-as-you-go projects, today’s hexagon quilts are full of unique possibilities.
We’ll put a hex on you with these amazing hexagon items, but don’t worry, this is one spell you won’t want to break:
Hexi Precuts are flying off the shelves! Get them while you can!
Grab the templates you need to create amazing hexagon designs.
Find a new project with these popular hexagon patterns.
3. Curves
Everyone knows quilters are resilient so what do we do when life throws us a curve ball? We make a quilt! Lately, sewists are embracing the challenges that curves bring, and becoming more confident in piecing them together.
Start conquering your own curves with these ideas:
Make an Easy Clamshell (shown above).
Find your way with the Courtyard Path.
Let your curves run wild with the Drunkard’s Path Template.
Need a little help? Take our Piecing Curves with Confidence online class!
4. Appliqué Animals
Sometimes your quilt just needs that extra cute factor and what better than adding an appliqué animal! A perfect addition to a soft, cuddly baby quilt or to add a little fun and imagination to your next project, appliqué animals are so popular because they’re so easy to create!
Check out how these appliqué animals make these projects pop:
Get crafty with woodland creatures.
Are you a dog person or a cat person?
Learn how to finish all your appliqué projects by hand or by machine in our online classes.
5. Modern & Bold
More and more quilters have started testing the waters of the new, modern quilting style! Fresh and colorful with beautiful contrasts, it’s no wonder why modern quilts have become so popular recently.
Step out of your comfort zone and be bold:
Find the most amazing, unique designs you’ve ever seen in our collection of modern-style patterns.
Explore bold colors and intricately designed prints.
Find mountains of inspiration in our ModBLOCK Magazines.
Now through March 21, 2020, receive a Golden Star scratch-off ticket for every $25 you spend! Every ticket wins! Learn more about our Golden Star Sweepstakes >
What’s your favorite trend of the year and which trendy project will you work on next?! Let us know in the comments!
February is the perfect time to start dreaming of warm summer days in the sun. When the cabin fever of being cooped up indoors starts to really set it, take that opportunity to begin planning your summer projects! With summer months right around the corner, now is the perfect opportunity to begin work on wedding quilts, graduation gifts and those fun projects that make us wish for warmer weather!
Needing some inspiration? Here are some great summer quilting projects that will have you stitching up sunnier days in no time!
Document your summer travels and never forget the memories you made with the Road Trip Quilt! Each state is created through an easy appliqué process, but your imagination is the only limit as to which states to include! Make a quilt for each summer road trip or only use your favorite states, the choice is yours! Don’t forget, you can download a FREE Missouri Star Template for each state!
Capture that classic road trip feel with an Explore Layer Cake from Moda Fabrics. Explore features warm, natural colors with outdoor and camping themes. Pile in the back of the station wagon and hit the road as you stitch your itinerary with this beautiful line.
Break out those jelly rolls and get ready to make this easy flower basket quilt! Capture the early days of summer and the beautiful blooming of spring with this simple beginner’s quilt tutorial. All this quilt is missing is a picnic basic and some sunshine for a beautiful day!
Jenny had a great idea with her color palette when creating her May Day Baskets Quilt. Capture the shades of a blooming spring with Braveheart Double Scoops 2.5” Strips from Andover Fabric featuring a sweet collection of florals, vines and berries in a spectrum of red, pink and white. We’re certain this collection will make your project blossom in beauty!
Watch the Free Quilt Tutorial >
Hamilton, Missouri is located in America’s Heartland and when Independence Day comes around, we can’t help but show off our Stars and Stripes. Spread this patriotic quilt across a table at your next Fourth of July BBQ and you’ll steal the show!
Get that true red, white and blue in your quilt with Wilmington Essentials All American 40 Karat Gems 2.5” Strips! This classic take on this quilt will be sure to light up your Independence Day party, but why stop there? Break from the mold and take a risk with Kaffe Classics – Island Design Roll 2.5” Strips and make this quilt fun, unique and filled with fun and bright colors! There’s no limit to what you can imagine when it comes to quilting!
Remember spending your summers at camp? The memories we made in our childhood have a lasting impression on us. Jenny remembers the first quilt she ever made, a classic log-cabin quilt and drawing inspiration from her first days as a quilter, she’s created this gorgeous jelly roll pattern she likes to call the Summer Camp Quilt!
The Summer Camp Quilt is filled with colors and motion! Go bold with this design and consider Monkey Wrench 2.5” Strips from FreeSpirt Fabrics and designer Tula Pink for an amazingly colorful and fabulous design. These strips break from tradition with offbeat colors, florals and animals hidden throughout the layout which will turn your Summer Camp Quilt into a game of hide and seek as you try to locate all the beautiful details of the fabric!
Spending summers on the lake is a fabulous past time. Fresh air, beautiful scenery and if you’re lucky, you can even see a school of fish! You’ll be using 5″ squares to make this lovely charm pack quilt that would be perfect for a summer fishing trip! Trade your bobbins in for bobbers with the Summer School Quilt!
When we think about the Summer School Quilt and all the cute fish swimming across the pattern, we can’t help but to think about Batiks! Consider the Coastal Getaway Batiks Charm Pack from Maywood Studio when creating this quilt, each 5” square marries light seafoam colors with ocean-themed batik backgrounds for a truly fabulous, nautical experience!
Dont’ Forget! Join us for Missouri Star Academy
As you plan your summer projects out, don’t forget that June 10th & 11th is The Missouri Star Academy right here in Quilt Town USA! Join us in Hamilton, Missouri for two days of fun and learning. We’ve even invited a few special guests from the quilting and fabric industry, so don’t miss this opportunity to meet and learn from some of your favorite Sew-lebrities! Mark your calendars today and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest for update the latest updates!
Check out the Missouri Star Events Page >
Tell us, what’s your favorite summer quilt project?
Sometimes after the hustle and bustle of holiday clean up and moving directly into Valentine’s Day, we forget to take the time to appreciate ourselves. Quilters are a giving community, we often will move mountains in order to complete a gift for a friend or a donation for a stranger before we take the time to make something for ourselves. No more however! Take a peek at these five great ideas and create something for yourself! Each project is designed to be filled with love to make a special and super comfy addition to your home!
While this project is perfect for a new addition to lay upon, who doesn’t want to be surrounded by the cuddliest of cuddle? This incredible simple design will test some of your knitting skills (Don’t Worry! Anyone can do it!) to produce one of the softest projects you’ve ever create!
Better than a photo album, the memory quilt will take your treasured fabrics and create a stunning quilt or wall hanging to celebrate your life. Use old ties, t-shirts or any fabric that is near and dear to you to immortalize your memories in an amazing project.
February is a fabulous month for heart themed quilts! The Tender Heart Quilt will make a great addition to your collection, whether you want to wrap yourself in love or create a stunning wall hanging for the holiday!
If your feet get cold while you’re snuggled up in a quilt, then the Blipper is for you! Part blanket, part slipper, the Blipper has a unique pocket at the end of the quilt designed to keep your feet toasty and warm during the cold month of February!
Show off your love for quilting while you’re out on the town with a handmade Reversible Bag! Quilting is usually an at home activity unless you’re attending a quilting bee or a retreat, so why not bring a little of that love with you wherever you go!
Bonus! Treat Yourself to an Online Quilting Class
Still wanting to treat yourself but have too many current unfinished projects? No worries! Join one of our fantastic Missouri Star Academy instructors for an online education course to better develop your quilting skills! Pictured above, one of our phenomenal instructors, Courtenay Hughes, offers a course on Beginning Hand Appliqué and trust us, you won’t want to miss having her as your instructor!
Jenny loves to give quilts as wedding presents, but not super-fancy-never-to-be-used quilts. She gives picnic quilts! Jenny wants her quilts to be taken on adventures near and far. She wants them to be loved and used!
Summer Stars was created for a special grandson and his beautiful bride. It’s a cute picnic quilt made up of two of our favorite patterns: Summer in the Park and Wonky Stars.
