Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts Book

Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts is filled with 12 unique quilt projects, each of them fat quarter friendly. 

Fat quarters have long been my favorite way to shop for fabric.  They're a quick way to grab a few favorite prints without having to wait at a cutting counter.  I love that you can buy them as singles, in a pre-packaged bundle from a manufacturer, or in a custom bundle created by your favorite quilt shop.  

So often I see quilters (my friends, people in quilt shops, and even myself!) pick up a bundle of fabric and declare their love for it, but then the very next thing they say is "but I don't know what to make with it."  I wanted to help solve that problem!

My hope for this book is that it becomes a reference book of sorts for you.

The table of contents is arranged so that you can quickly see what you you can make with that pretty bundle of fabric.

The projects range from baby size quilts to queen size and I made them as easy to piece as possible.  I also included short cuts and quick-piecing techniques scattered throughout.

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You can find copies of Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts book in the following locations:

• here on Amazon
• here on Barnes and Noble
• want an autographed copy?  They're available in my shop here 

• You can also purchase Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts here from Martingale.  They also have an e-book version to use on your tablet or laptop if you prefer that instead.  How's that for convenient?
• or ask your local quilt shop to order copies wholesale from Checker, Brewer, United Notions, or Martingale.

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The projects

Along with the following projects, you'll find tips for choosing fabrics, creating your own FQ bundles, techniques to improve accuracy, shortcuts and quick-piecing techniques, along with other tips and tricks.  

Lucky Star (6 fat quarters, 45" x 45")  -  I love how fast baby quilts are to make.  And this one is especially fast because it has just four large star blocks.  This one looks great in any fabric and makes a awesome gift!

Cut Glass (6 fat quarters, 57" x 68")  - I found the inspiration for this quilt in a tile design right under my feet one day as I sat in a waiting area.  The hourglass blocks create a fun secondary design. By choosing a fabric with some texture, you can add interest to the quilt without drawing attention away from the main prints.  

The Cut Glass pattern uses strip piecing to speed things up, and includes tips for accurate strip piecing.  And to make it even easier, I use a "borderless border" technique to float the blocks away from the binding without the extra steps of cutting and sewing a border.  You'll love it.  

Sweet Wishes (8 fat quarters, 50" x 66") - The pinwheel blocks share the spotlight and make up the centers of these sweet flower blocks.  

Nervous about creating your own custom FQ bundles?  On these pages you'll find suggestions for starting to combine fabrics on your own.   

Perfect Picnic (8 fat quarters, 71" x 71") -  If you've always wanted to make a medallion quilt but worried it was too much work, this one is for you.  This is my take on a simplified medallion quilt and it looks more complicated than it is - I promise!  

Penelope (10 fat quarters, 61" x 81") - I love the pairing of star blocks + chain blocks.  I removed one "link" from these chain blocks to let them float a little and give them a more modern feel.  That also helps to draw more attention to the star blocks.  

Strip piecing tips help this quilt top come together quickly!  You'll want a fair amount of contrast between the light and dark prints used in the star blocks to make that nine-patch block in the center stand out.

Winsome (10 fat quarters, 67" x 83") - The blocks in this quilt are a fun hybrid of a pinwheel block and a card trick block.  These unique blocks plus the off-set layout really gives great movement to the quilt top.  This was one of my favorites to make!

I knew I wanted to have one quilt in my book made from reproduction / feed sack prints.  It's not my usual fabric choice but sometimes it's fun to push yourself to shop from a different section of your local quilt shop!  One of my favorite shops has the most gorgeous wall of reproduction prints and it catches my eye every time I visit.  

Game Night (10 fat quarters, 59" x 73") - Don't be scared off by the circles in this one!  I give two options for making the circles, along with detailed step-by-step instructions.  The templates for the triangles are included, but if you have the EZ Tri-Recs rulers these blocks are a snap.  And if you need a tutorial for using the EZ Tri-Recs rulers I have one here.

Want to see a Christmas version of Game Night?  I made one using red, green, & black scraps and you can see it here.

Stellar (12 fat quarters, 44" x 54") - 12 fat quarters will make this entire quilt top-- no background or border fabrics are needed.  This is a fun excuse to pull out those low volume prints and use them to create a mosaic background.  I used solid fabrics in saturated colors for the stars so they would contrast as much as possible against the texture of the background.    

The "brick road" layout of this quilt means there's not a lot of points to match up so this one is quick to piece.  I think it would be fabulous with a navy background and yellow stars!

Sunny Day (12 fat quarters, 63" x 77") - I tried quite a few different colorings of this quilt but once I tried this coral / yellow / green combo I was in love.  The blocks look like a combination of sunshine + flowers.  But for me it's the scallop border that makes this quilt my favorite.  

Grandstand (14 fat quarters, 76" x 87") - A tricky-looking quilt that's not so tricky to piece.  Once the blocks are made you can flip, swap, & rotate them ....there's an endless number of ways to arrange them - and each quilt will be unique!  The size of these blocks makes them perfect for using your favorite medium and large scale prints.  

Venture Out (14 fat quarters, 64" x 80") - This one is so versatile!  It works for boys or girls....teens or toddlers....modern or traditional fabrics.  

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Pacific (14 fat quarters, 93" x 93") - Along with this project, you can read how I chose the colors for this quilt. If you sometimes are stuck on how to start choosing fabrics for a quilt, this is a great place to begin!

The white chain blocks in this quilt act more like a part of the background but by choosing a bolder color they become part of the all-over design.  Their placement and scale will allow them to complement the plus blocks without drawing attention away from them. 

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Purchase a copy of Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts on Amazon or in my Shop.

Quilt Shops can find them wholesale at Checker, United Notions, and Brewer. 

See how some other quilters shared their take on these projects here as a part of the Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts Book Tour.  You can also find them on Instagram under #freshfatquarterquilts.    

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