Quick+Easy Quilts December/January 2021

from the editor

Warm & COZY As I write this, there is a blanket of fresh, white snow on the ground in Colorado. It is actually September, but I am grateful to Mother Nature for the inspiration needed to finish up this winter issue! For this installment, our designers were inspired by cold weather, warm mittens, and hot cocoa. They share sweet family traditions, ways to slow down during the holiday season, and quilt patterns that commemorate special memories from their childhood. Charisma Horton designed a quilt inspired by her grandmother’s Icelandic hot chocolate recipe. Along with the pattern for Hot Cocoa, she shares the story of holidays past and how this recipe has become a family tradition she cherishes. In Christmas Presence by Hope Yoder, she gives details about a special holiday tradition that allows her…

about our contributors

Dale Alan-Rowse quiltingcowboy.com Dale is a quilt and fabric designer who taught himself to quilt on a tour bus for a ballet company in 1999. He lives in Palm Springs, California with his husband and rescue dogs. Emily Baily auntemsquilts.com Emily loves to create modern scrappy quilts. Her goal is to make the world a softer, more loving place—no quilt police allowed! She lives in Center-ville, Utah. Natalie Crabtree Instagram @njcrabtree Natalie lived in Kyoto, Japan near the Nishijin Textile district for a year with her husband and considers it the most fulfilling time in her life. She lives in Mason, Ohio. Abigail Dolinger abyquilts.wordpress.com Abigail is the Children’s Ministry Director at her church and enjoys sharing her love of sewing with the children. A lifelong quilter, Abigail is from Lillington, North Carolina. Charisma Horton charismascorner.com Charisma is a wife, mother of six, and…

beginner boot camp

Wool Felt/Felted Wool • you may want to preshrink it if it will be washed—check label for fiber content and suggestions for use • 80/12 or 90/14 needle • 3.0-3.5mm stitch length • standard presser foot • use a pressing cloth—the heat from the iron can damage the wool Felt • do not prewash • 80/12 needle • standard presser foot Terrycloth • buy an extra ¼ yard for every 2 yards to allow for shrinkage • preshrink warm water wash/ regular dryer, and wash twice before using • 80/12 or 90/14 needle • teflon foot • 3.0 stitch length Flannel • shrinks a lot—may need to purchase extra yardage • preshrink hot water/hot dryer • 80/12 needle • standard presser foot Minky • no need for prewash • 90/14 stretch needle • walking foot • 3.0-3.5mm stitch length Polar Fleece • no need for prewash • watch nap as you sew as some fleece has a “direction”…

home & cozy

finished size: 75" × 75" finished blocks: 25 (15") BLOCKS I have to admit, I am somewhat of a homebody and introvert. I far prefer cuddling up on the couch and watching a fun movie with my daughter and husband than going out on the town any day. I am also a lover of fall and winter weather. Those personality traits are just a couple of the reasons why I love quilts. The comfy feeling of a freshly washed quilt and a little chill in the air... The inspiration for Home & Cozy came from thinking of the moments when my heart is most full! Sitting on the couch at home, under a cozy quilt, maybe a dusting of snow or frost on the ground, and my family curled up beside me. Those…

stitch-and-flip corners

1. Place one small square on larger square, right sides facing and aligning raw edges. Draw a line diagonally on wrong side as shown. 2. Sew on drawn line.Trim ¼" beyond stitching. 3. Press open to reveal triangle. 4. Following pattern instructions, repeat for remaining corners to complete unit. Products used: Havel’s Self-Healing Cutting Mat, Havel’s 45mm Rotary Cutter, and Havel’s 6" x 24" Fabric Ruler. Fabric from Garden Glory by Maja Ronnback collection and Abstract Collage by Ampersand collection for Paintbrush Studio Fabrics. Watch this Sew EasyTM Lesson at QuiltingDaily.com/Sew-Easy-Stitch-and-Flip-Corners…

hot cocoa

finished size: 78" × 78" finished blocks: 36 (12") BLOCKS I designed this quilt and it is centered around hot chocolate. My grandmother is from Iceland. She loved/loves to share her family traditions with me. One very important thing that she remembered from her childhood Christmas’ in Iceland was that before church on Christmas morning her father always made homemade hot chocolate from scratch and brought it to her and her sisters in bed. They didn’t have a ton of money and they always knew what they would be getting for gifts. But the hot chocolate was such a treat and she treasured that. In fact, the hot chocolate was made from specific Icelandic chocolate bars that her family would bring to us on visits or ship to us so my grandma could share…