Seasonal Projects | Missouri Star Blog

February 23, 2021

Hop Into Spring – 10 Favorite Spring Projects

The Spring Dresdens Quilt from Missouri Star Quilt Co.

Spring is just around the corner and there is no better time than the present to start planning all your creative seasonal projects! Whether you’re using your quilt for a picnic blanket (we promise that’s ok to do!) or decorating your house with floral themed wall hangings, spring is the perfect time to let your creativity blossom. Go bold with bright colors, such as vibrant sunshine yellows and meadow greens, and craft from the world around you.

If you’re looking for some inspiration to beat those winter blues, check out some of our favorite spring projects and new lines of spring fabrics to start warming your creative spark. While we patiently wait for the sun to melt away the snow, get stitching on these spring projects so that when the time is right, you’ll be enjoying the outdoors as soon as possible!

Bloom and Grow Quilt

Nothing says traditional quilting like the Dresden Plate block, and nothing says spring like planting flowers! Get the best of both worlds with this adorable Bloom and Grow quilt featuring easy applique flower pots bursting with dresden flowers. For this project, you’ll need 5″ squares of precut quilting fabric and the Missouri Star Large Dresden Plate Template for 10″ Squares.

Spring is so full of color and is meant to be fun, so let yourself be a little whimsical with your fabric choices! A Blooming Bunch is a collection that’s just bursting with fun flowers, plaid prints, stripes, and other floral prints in bright and happy colors that will not only give your Bloom and Grow quilt the perfect spring palette, but will keep it lighthearted and fun as well!

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Get the Quilt Supplies >

Totally Tulips Quilt

Tulips are a symbol of spring and the perfect block to make any quilt a spring staple. These gorgeous tulip blocks are created using 10″ squares of precut quilting fabric and come together in a flash, creating a beautiful flower block with both petals and stem. Create this project using your favorite floral fabrics and you’ll have a quilt that is so full of life that your garden will be jealous!

This quilt features a bold design that is uniquely fit for spring, so select a fabric that is bright and bold as well! Artisan Batiks Hummingbird Lane Ten Squares by Lunn Studios for Robert Kaufman are a gorgeous collection featuring colorful florals, foliage prints, and of course, hummingbirds in batik styles. Not only will your quilt be full of color, but closer inspection will reveal a world full of fabulous spring elements inside each bloom!

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Get the Quilt Supplies >

Quick and Easy Spring Projects

Artsi2™ Spring Bunnie Quilt Board Kit

Turn your fabric stash into art! These fun-to-do, no-sew foam core quilt boards are for all ages. Using the back of a small seam ripper, just tuck your pieces of fabric into the precut grooves of the adhesive backed quilt board. In no time at all, you’ll have your very own handcrafted piece of Easter home decor.

Click HERE to learn more!

Sweet Season Cardinals Kit

Easy precut fusible appliqué! Kit, designed by Sue Pritt, includes her pattern and batik fabrics for the background and precut fusible appliqué shapes. You add the inside and outside borders, binding and backing. In no time at all, you’ll be celebrating the return of spring with this beautiful cardinal themed kit.

Click HERE to learn more!

Sweet Stitched Easter Eggs Kit

Get crafty with this adorable wool felt Easter egg project! The kit, designed by Barri Sue Gaudet, for the 6 appliqué and embroidered wool felt eggs includes a pattern, wool felt, and cotton floss. Share this project with the little ones in your life and make your Easter egg hunt extra special this year.

Click HERE to learn more!

Vintage Blossom Quilt

This blast from the past may look familiar, but thanks to Jenny Doan’s new twist on this classic quilt block, the Vintage Blossom quilt has never looked better. Using 5″ squares of precut quilting fabric, 2.5″ strips of fabric, and the Missouri Star Small Half Hexagon Template for 5″ Charm Packs & 2.5″ Jelly Rolls, you can recreate this vintage design quickly and easily.

A classic such as this deserve classic elements, consider using an Easter Egg Hunt Fat Quarter Bundle by Natalia Juan Abello for Riley Blake to not only add a traditional soft color palette, but for the ease of cutting your fabrics from a fat quarter. Not only will you appreciate the evolution of quilting while you prepare this project in traditional fashion, but the subtle bunny rabbits, carrots, and colorful eggs on light springy colors will give this quilt both a modern and classic feel. Plus, the line is just so darn cute!

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Get the Quilt Supplies >

Spring Dresdens Quilt

Many of us who love quilting also love getting our hands dirty in the garden. Once your flower bed has come into full bloom, potting a few to bring into your home brightens the ambiance of the room and reminds you daily of the world outside. The Spring Dresdens Quilt uses a variety of precut quilting fabric, the Missouri Star Large Dresden Plate Template for 10″ Squares, the Missouri Star Small Tumbler Template for 5″ Charm Packs, and HeatnBond Lite Iron-On Adhesive to create a phenomenal potted spring dresdens design!

This easy applique project can become a work of art by using Moody Bloom! These fabrics from the Create Joy Project for Moda Fabrics, feature digitally printed watercolor florals and colors that will make your next project a bouquet of beauty. Not only will your dresden flowers burst with color, but the variety of colors in this floral watercolor fabric will allow you to keep the pots subtle while the flowers steal the show.

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Get the Quilt Supplies >

Get it All With a Spring Themed Kit

Botanica Place Mat Kit

Set your table with these floral place mats adorned with peonies, butterflies, and other foliage and enjoy them every time you sit down to dine. Exclusively for Missouri Star, this digitally printed panel kit contains a pattern and Botanica fabric for the top, binding, and backing, by Michel Design Works for Northcott.

Click HERE to Learn More!

Heart in Bloom Watercolor Kit

Try your hand at watercolor quilting with this easy piecing kit that includes pattern with graph and the precut 2″ background squares that are presorted by value. You provide the borders, binding, and backing of your choice.

Click HERE to Learn More!

Cut Sew Create – Easter Basket and Eggs

Designed to teach sewing and creating for the next generation of makers, each Cut Sew Create kit has skill building levels from beginner to intermediate to advanced. This intermediate kit, by Stacy Iest Hsu for Moda, includes instructions and 100% cotton panel to make a Easter basket tote plus 3 stuffed bunnies.

Click HERE to Learn More!

January 26, 2021January 25, 2021

Last Minute Game Day Projects

Are you watching the Big Game soon? Chances are, you or someone you love is! Whether you love the game or not, you can’t deny that it’s a great chance to get together and be surrounded by friends and good snacks!

In the Doan family, we take any chance we can get to get together and throw a party. We love a good theme and going all out! In that spirit, here are a few projects that you can whip up in no time and make extra special, with the addition of some fabric representing your favorite sports teams.

Easy One-Size, One-Yard Apron

Turn this apron into your favorite Game Day kitchen adornment with just a switch up of the fabric! Choose some solids or print fabrics in the colors of your sport team or choose some sports logo fabric for your apron and boldly show off your love of your team! All you need is one yard of fabric to get started. Sew up this project with Misty here!

Quilt Block Pot Holder

You can never have too many pot holders around the kitchen—and you surely can’t go wrong with a potholder made out of your favorite team’s fabric! In this easy tutorial, you simply take a block you already have (or stitch up a new one quickly), layer some insul-bright, add a piece for backing, and stitch them all together! Sew up this project and find the material list here!

Casserole Carrier

Carry your hot dips and snacks to the party in style in a casserole carrier! Grab some fabric celebrating your team and stitch up your new favorite potluck buddy. Learn how to make one for yourself or gift one to your #1 football lovin’ cook here!

Blipper Quilt

It’s always cold in Hamilton, Missouri when the Big Game comes around. What better time to snuggle up and watch the game in a new blanket? Stitch up this “Blipper” Quilt in your favorite fleece and get ready to cozy up and cheer on your team (or laugh at all of the great commercials!). This is no normal quilt – this one comes with an added pocket for your feet! Make one for you or a loved one here.

Do you enjoy watching sporting events with family and friends? Have you made anything quilty to support your love of the game? Leave a comment and let us know!

January 19, 2021January 18, 2021

Celebrate Love with 6 Easy Valentine’s Day Projects

Love is more than turning a blind eye when an unexpected shipment of fabric arrives. Love is a gift. Valentine’s Day is closely approaching and this year, share your love of quilting and crafts with someone special in your life. Gifts made from the heart are the best kind of present; nothing is more treasured than a handmade Valentine that shows the time and commitment of the crafting process.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your Valentine this year, look no further! We’ve collected six of our favorite quick and easy Valentine’s Day projects that you can make today. Whether you’re creating a beautiful new quilt to snuggle under or a scrap busting token of affection, remember to add each stitch with love!

Zigzag Place Mats & Napkins

What’s the perfect complement to a Valentine’s Day homemade candle lit dinner? An adorable table setting! The Zigzag Place Mats and Napkins project is a quick and easy addition to your Valentine’s Day celebration that creates a beautiful atmosphere to get lost in your sweethearts company in. By using your favorite 5″ squares of precut quilting fabric, you can add a truly individualized touch to this fantastic table setting.

If you’re looking for inspiration or just wanting to go all out (it’s cute when it’s over the top isn’t it?), consider picking up a heart themed charm pack to really tie your place mats together. Heart to Heart Batiks Stamps by Kathy Engle for Island Batik are a sweet chic collection of groovy hearts, check, dots, and much more in a red, black, and white color scheme. These classic colors and symbols of love are perfect when illuminated by candle light!

Watch the LIVE Replay >

Get the Pattern >

Inside Out Heart Quilt

February can be a cold month, especially here in Hamilton, Missouri. Although the days are short and the nights are frigid, we can always count on our quilts to keep us warm. Keep it simple this Valentine’s Day and create a new quilt to cuddle under with your loved one! The Inside Out Heart quilt is a stunning geometric design that will not only be perfect for a Valentine’s Day at home, but also for a spring picnic when the weather is warm.

Jenny suggests using a colorful solid layer cake for this pattern as to not draw attention to the fabric and away from the design. The pastel spectrum will be your friend for this pattern, creating a muted and soft design that you just can’t help but smile at. Confetti Cottons Pastel 10″ Stackers for Riley Blake are perfect for this project; they are exactly the vibrancy you’ll be looking for and offer a wide variety of color choices! Don’t forget to expedite your quilt making with a Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmer A to get this 36″ x 36″ lap quilt done in time to celebrate.

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Get the Supplies >

Loads of Love Tea Towel

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be fun, it doesn’t have to be all candlelit dinners and roses! Spruce up your home this season with a Loads of Love Tea Towel featuring an oh-so-cute applique truck that is loaded with love! This project can be completed in a day and the applique pattern is completely free and ready to print!

You’ll need a tea towel for this project, but don’t be afraid to just use one that’s been in your kitchen for years. With just a little scrap fabric and some Heat N Bond, you can upcycle it into a treasured seasonal decoration that you’ll use for years to come!

Download the Free Printable >

Watch the LIVE Replay >

Love is in the Air Wall Hanging

If you’re looking for more traditional décor, a Love is in the Air Wall Hanging is the way to go! This project is simple to create, like the Loads of Love Tea Towel, because it comes together quickly by using applique. Classic Valentine’s Day elements such as hearts and sprawling vines come together to create this piece of art that will be the perfect addition to your home or sewing room.

You’ll need a Layer Cake for this project, but you can certainly have some fun with the fabric! From the Heart 10″ Stackers from Sandy Gervais for Riley Blake feature red and cream 10″ squares of flowers, hearts, stripes, and other Valentine’s Day prints that are perfect for the mood of this project. These fun designs will better complement this project as they mirror the design!

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Shop Layer Cakes >

Mug Rug

When in doubt, the Mug Rug is a great go-to project for any level of quilter! There’s almost nothing better than a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa and now you can make each cup extra special by serving it on a custom made Mug Rug that’s stitched with love. Not only will this quick and easy project protect your table from the heat and condensation of your cup, it makes waking up each morning extra special!

Bust out your Wacky Web template and a love-inspired Charm Pack and you’ll be halfway done with this fast moving project! If you’re gifting this project to your Valentine (we won’t judge if you want to make one for yourself) then Sending Love 5″ Stackers by My Mind’s Eye for Riley Blake will help bolster the emotional appeal of the season. As this can easily be an everyday use item however, you can always get a little creative and use a favorite color palette or design!

Watch the Free Mug Rug Tutorial >

Browse Charm Packs >

Artsi2 Valentine’s Quilt Board

Turn your fabric stash into art with an Artsi2 Valentine’s Quilt Board! These no-fuss boards require no sewing at all and can be ready in a flash to help decorate your home for the holiday. Using the back of a small seam ripper, just tuck your pieces of fabric into the precut grooves of the adhesive backed quilt board and there you have it; a unique decorative piece of art with little effort!

Quilt boards are great for inspiring others to start crafting, so instead of making this one for your secret admirer (or not so secret!), make it a date where you both can share the fun of creating something together.

Watch the LIVE Replay >

Shop Artsi2 Quilt Boards >

December 2, 2020December 3, 2020

Have Yourself a Crafty Christmas – 6 Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

Christmas from the Main Shop of the Missouri Star Quilt Co. in Hamilton Missouri. — Christmas time at Missouri Star Quilt Co. Main Shop in Hamilton, Missouri.

Ready or not – Christmas is coming! The holidays are such a special time for crafters because it lets us share our creative gifts with friends, family and those in need. There is no better time of year to warm the hearts of your near and dear with a homemade gift (that just happens to show off your crafty abilities).

Shorter days and holiday activities can make it feel like there isn’t time to make handmade gifts (it’s already December!). While tackling a brand new quilt may be daunting, there are many festive projects that can be created quickly and bring cheer to those who receive them. And in a year like 2020, when social distancing means breaking time-honored traditions for the safety of our friends and loved ones, there is no better gift than something made from the heart and by your own hands.

Christmas Stocking

What is more classic than a Christmas Stocking hung by the chimney with care? This holiday gift has an extra bonus – it’s already gift wrapped! Stitch up a quick and easy Quilted Christmas Stocking using 2.5 inch strips of precut fabric, and then fill them with all kinds of handy quilting notions, Missouri Star Gift Cards and sewing thread for a merry gift to the maker in your life! Even if sewing isn’t your recipient’s passion, that beautiful, handmade holiday stocking will become a part of their traditions every year.

For this quick and easy project, pick a festive fabric (we like Winter’s Grandeur 8 Holiday Metallic Roll Up by Liza Bea Studio for Robert Kaufman). These red, green and gold 2.5″ strips of quilting fabric sparkle with poinsettias, snowflakes, cardinals and plaid, adding charm to each square of your stocking. Cuff the top in a lovely plaid for a magical winter wonder.

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Shop Precut Fabric Here >

One Yard Apron

A lot of the Christmas season takes place in the kitchen with holiday baking, festive family dinners and plenty of hot cocoa! The incredibly simple One Yard Apron is the perfect gift for the hostess in your life. It’s such a fast, easy project, you can use it to teach the kiddos in your life the joy of handmade gifts – with only one yard of your favorite fabric!

If you want to follow Misty’s lead, use Cozy Critters – Buffalo Check Red Yardage by M.J. Merrill for Wilmington Prints. This black and red plaid check fabric ties in well for the holidays, but is perfect for any home chef year round! If your stash needs to be reduced, just use ANY yard of fabric you have on hand!

Watch the Missouri Star LIVE Replay >

Shop Fabric by the Yard Here >

Mug Rug

This little Mug Rug is such an easy project, you’ll probably make a few for yourself along the way! Using a pack of 5″ squares of precut fabric, these cute table-savers keep your Christmas cocoa cozy. As a holiday bonus – this fast little gift is perfect for beginners!

When selecting your fabric, it’s not just about snowmen and snowflakes. Keep in mind the mug rug will serve as a protective layer for a hot drink, and also might soak up spilled drinks after enthusiastic cookie dunking! Avoid light fabrics that stain and try a thick flannel fabric such as a Woolies Flannel Holiday Warmth Charm Pack by Bonnie Sullivan for Maywood Studio. If you’re feeling ambitious, swap out the charm pack for a Layer Cake (10″ square of precut fabric) and create gorgeous table protectors for your holiday feast!

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Shop Precut Fabric Here >

Tree Skirt

More so than all the other decorations, the Christmas tree is always the focal point of the holiday season – that’s where the presents go! Gifts get the perfect showcase when arranged on a quilted fabric Tree Skirt. This little quilt for your tree comes together simply with 5″ squares of precut quilting fabric.

The fabric is what makes this project shine! Of course you can design the exact skirt to suit your holiday style if you want to whip this up for yourself. If you’re making it for someone else, consider solids or batiks so it’s more likely to match their decorations. Season’s Splendor Batiks Stamps by Kathy Engle for Island Batik is a perfect combination of festive Christmas colors and classic motifs.

Watch the Free Quilting Tutorial >

Shop Precut Fabric Here >

Easy Zipper Pouch

Give the gift of functionality this Christmas with the Easy Zipper Pouch, featuring the all new Missouri Star Fancy Zips! In this Missouri Star LIVE, Jenny and Misty teach us how to stitch up this extremely useful project that, with a little festive fabric from your stash, makes a thoughtful last minute gift idea. There are so many uses for this handy little bag. Add some vinyl to the interior for a cosmetics bag or add some batting for a notion holder!

You’ll need cut yardage no smaller than 14″ in length (the necessary length to add a Missouri Star Fancy Zip). For a festive holiday bag, select a beautiful cut of Christmas fabric by the yard. If you need a little extra help with this project, you can purchase a digital download of the Easy Zipper Pouch pattern so that you can start stitching immediately!

Watch the LIVE Replay >

Shop Fabric by the Yard Here>

Missouri Star Gift Card

If it’s the night before Christmas and you’re still having doubts, keep it simple and crafty and gift card it out! If there’s a quilter on your list who has it all, give them the gift of choice with a Missouri Star gift card! Available in both physical gift cards (definitely consider a holiday gift card holder for big MSQC fans!) and digital gift cards (that can be emailed same day), this last minute gift idea will save Christmas when your crafting time has run out.

Shop Missouri Star Gift Cards Here >

October 20, 2020October 21, 2020

Misty’s Into the Woods Kit – Make this Beautiful Quilt with Missouri Star

Misty Doan is many things. She’s a mom, wife, city councilwoman, model, quilter, Missouri Star LIVE host, and now… a designer!

Misty recently created this quilt pattern, Into the Woods! Check it out HERE!

Get to know Misty and all about her inspiration behind her latest creation and her favorite holiday traditions!

Where do you look for inspiration in your work?

Inspiration strikes in all different ways for me. But, everything I make or design is usually with a specific person or purpose in mind. So I think a lot about that- Who is it for? What do they love? What would make this quilt meaningful to them? What would make this project stand out? I like to challenge myself during the design process by asking lots of questions and that helps guide me to the final result.

What are your must have tools for working on quick kit projects?

Before I sit down to start on any quilt project, I always make sure I have my diagonal seam tape on my machine, a seam guide handy, and a few bobbins wound and ready to go. I do all my cutting first, label my pieces with trusty post-it notes, and then I can just sit and sew, sew, sew!

What tips do you have for new quilters?

Finished really is better than perfect. Take your time, enjoy the process, and remember- it’s only fabric and thread. Jenny always says, “Sewing is a learned skill. Sew an hour today and tomorrow you’re an hour better!”

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

There are almost too many to name. We try to make every holiday special at our house, but Christmas is especially magical. We always decorate the day after Thanksgiving- singing along to our favorite Christmas music and decking the halls together. The kids also make handmade gifts for each other every year that they exchange on Christmas Eve, so Jake and I love helping them with that. (It’s always a trick to keep their plans a secret from the others.)

Which projects do you work on specifically for Christmastime?

I always try to make handmade gifts for a few special people each year. What I make is different each year, depending on who it’s for, but there’s something truly special about making time to make something with someone special in mind.

What inspired Into the Woods? Why did you choose those three blocks?

My boys have been spending a lot of time playing in the woods behind our house lately. They’re always adventuring and exploring- bringing back treasures that they find and building forts. I recently made a quilt with my daughter and loved spending time helping her- so it seemed like it was time to make something that the boys would love. The quilt really seemed to design itself once I started. I knew I wanted to use the simple wedge to make the rows of trees, so that’s really where it all started. Then, I decided to include the log cabin blocks as a nod to the ramshackle fort that they’re so proud of building. And lastly the bearpaw blocks just naturally seemed to tie it all together.