jelly roll quilt | Missouri Star Blog

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021

Stargazer Quilt

The ancient peoples of the earth knew a lot about stars.

Egyptians watched for Sirius’ predawn appearance to signal the annual flooding of the Nile. Polynesian navigators traversed the vast Pacific Ocean with nothing but the stars to guide them. And the Maya used the movement of the heavens to create the most accurate calendar in the world.

I, on the other hand, struggle to spot the Big Dipper. (But I sure can stitch up a pretty star quilt!)

This week, Jenny has created a celestial wonder of her own with jelly roll strips and a bit of yardage. The Stargazer quilt comes together like a simple log cabin with snowballed corners. It’s quick, easy, and so fun to make!

Watch the Latest Tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Co!

September 9, 2021September 9, 2021

Spool Stars and Stitches Quilt

Spools and Stitches Quilt by Jenny Doan for the Missouri Star Quilt Company.

In 1820 – for the very first time – thread was sold on spools. (Before that, it was skeins or hanks. Can you imagine the tangles?!)

The spools were made by a local woodturner, and the thread was wound by hand at the Clark Brothers’ factory in Paisley, Scotland. Like old fashioned soda bottles, these wooden spools came with an extra half-penny charge that was refunded when the empty spool was returned to the shop. My, how times have changed!

Spools and Stitches by Jenny Doan for the Missouri Star Quilt Company.

This week, Jenny is whipping up a homage to the magnificent spool with a brand new jelly roll quilt.

Spool Stars and Stitches starts like a classic fence rail with easy strip sets. Then, a bit of clever cutting transforms those basic strips into pretty little cross-stitch x blocks and stars made of spools! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

September 2, 2021September 2, 2021

Grandma Mae’s Economy Block

Mae Emma Plumb was a talented lady.

She sewed and painted and baked excellent pies. She kept a lovely flower garden and volunteered countless hours crafting costumes and planning skits for the local Boy Scout troop. And, best of all, she made quilts.

Years and years have passed – four generations, in fact – but by some magic, one of Mae’s quilts still exists. It belongs to Mae’s great-granddaughter Kate, our very own Missouri Star marketing manager.

Of course, when Jenny saw Grandma Mae’s antique quilt, she fell head-over-heels in love! She did a bit of research and found the pattern in a 1933 issue of the Kansas City Star under the name Economy Block, though some folks call it The Garden of Eden quilt.

This week, we’re using precut jelly roll strips to whip up a show-stopping replica of this treasured family heirloom. It’s called Grandma Mae’s Economy Block, and it comes together easy-as-pie with snowballed corners and sashing that never has to match up!

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021

Lakeview Terrace Quilt

I’ve never met a sunset I didn’t love.

Big-city sunsets always impress, with skyscrapers silhouetted against a golden sky. Winter sunsets transform freshly-fallen snow into acres of pink cotton candy.

But nothing compares to sunset on the lake. Those colors dance on rippling water, creating a light show like nothing on earth!

This week Jenny is whipping up a Lakeview Terrace jelly roll quilt with colorful bargello chevrons that remind us of sunset-tipped waves. What a dream!

Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

May 6, 2021May 6, 2021

Breezy Windmills Quilt

Quilters on the American frontier were inspired by the world around them. They stitched up log cabins, rail fences, bear paws, and flying geese. And, of course, they stitched up windmills.

You see, windmills dotted the Great Plains, pumping water from deep underground. When dry spells left the earth parched, a windmill could pump enough water to cook, bathe, wash, and water crops. Now that’s a quilt-worthy feat!

This week Jenny is whipping up a simple Breezy Windmills quilt using precut 2.5 inch strips. It’s a pretty jelly roll pattern that comes together quickly with strip sets in every color of the rainbow!