Make a Quilter Happy in Three Ways

And Your Weekly Quilt Block

I have a fourth way to make a Quilter happy,
it’s a Quilt Block Pattern.

My weekly Quilt Block Pattern is Below

Three ways to Make a Quilter Happy ! 

Set the Mood
Start with good lighting—nothing kills the mood faster than squinting at tiny stitches in a shadowy corner. Add your favorite playlist, audiobook, or true crime podcast (because what’s better than solving mysteries while sewing?). Bonus points if you have a mug of coffee or brew a cup of tea. Suddenly, quilting feels like a cozy retreat instead of just a to-do list item.

Snack Strategically – Reaching a bit here…but?
No, you don’t need crumbs in your fabric, but let’s face it: quilting burns mental energy, and snacks are fuel. Keep a stash of easy-to-eat treats nearby—think chocolate, nuts, or anything that won’t turn your quilt into a grease rag. Pair it with a drink you love, and you’ll feel like you’re at a quilting spa.

Celebrate the Little Wins
Finished a tricky block? Reward yourself! Take a picture, post it online, or do a happy dance. Nobody’s perfect, and your quilting adventures, mistakes and all are part of the story. After all, happy quilters make the best quilts!

My Weekly Quilt Block Pattern for you.  Today, let’s all about triangles and squares. . This quilt block has a finished size of eight inches by eight inches. Here are my tutorials,
How to sew squares and how to sew quilt triangles


weekly quilt block pattern from The Quilt Ladies

Cut 1 Blue     2 7/8” x 2 7/8” 
Cut 1 Red      2 7/8” x 2 7/8” 
Make Triangles

Cut 2 Gray     2 7/8” x 2 7/8” 
Cut 2 White   2 7/8” x 2 7/8” 
Make Triangles

Cut 2 Blue     2 7/8” x 2 7/8” 
Cut 2 White   2 7/8” x 2 7/8” 
Make Triangles

Cut 2 White   2 1/2” x 2 1/2”

Cut 8 Green 1 1/2” x 1 12”

Cut 8 Red      1 1/2” x 1 1/2”

Sew as Shown

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The Quilt Ladies Quilt Pattern ShopBeth Ann and as always Thank you for stopping
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Building on a Square Quilt Block

Make a Square Quilt Block

The first quilt block I shared was a simple quilt pattern
and  today it’s just about moving squares around a bit with color and using smaller four-patch quilt blocks.
Please don’t overthink cutting squares 1 1/2″, do it the same as other sizes, sew and press as you go.

square quilt block pattenr

This also has a finished size of eight inches by eight inches. With the solids using four-patch quilt blocks. How to sew a quilt square

simple quilt block pattern how to
Last Weeks Quilt Block
the quilt ladies quilt pattern shop

Cut 12 Green            1 1/2” x 1 1/2”
Cut 12 Lt. Blue         1 1/2” x 1 1/2”
Cut 2 Lt. Blue            2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
Cut 4 Blue                 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
Cut 4 White   2 1/2” x 2 1/2”

 using square to make a quilt

 

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January 2025 Quilt Pattern

Only Available at My Etsy Shop

My January 2025 Quilt Pattern is a 
Patchwork star made with squares and triangles. First border is pieced with squares and outside border is solid.

January Baby Star Quilt PatternJanuary Quilt Pattern from The Quilt Ladies
Quilt Pattern is given in three colors, blue, pink and red. Great for a baby quilt and for a lap quilt for yourself. Finished size of your quilt will be
44” x 44” complete cutting and piecing instructions, 16 printable pages.
ONLY Available here at my Etsy Shop – PDF download, to you in Moments after payment 

2024 Monthly Quilt Patterns
See ALL 2024 Monthly Quilt Pattern

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Why 100% Cotton for Quilts

Purchase the best quality cotton fabric you have afford

With the addition of my weekly quilt blocks, I have added some very new quilters. and today I want to talk about quilt fabric

One of the best things about quilting is the Wonderful Fabric’s you get to purchase
.
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And with that I have to add,
This is the way I do my fabric, you do you !
a Quilt Ladies quilt
Purchasing fabric is fun, please, always buy the best fabric you can afford and what you like. For quilts you will use 100% cotton fabric. Fabric will cost between $6 and $17 per yard. If you are just purchasing for a maybe project, I do mostly cuts 1 to 2 yards. If you have a quilt pattern, follow the recommendations, but as I say in my books, “Please think of purchasing more fabric than needed, as a pattern designer I have no idea how you will cut and use your fabric.” One way to pick fabrics

I recommend for quarter cuts or  pre-cut 2 1/2 inch or 5 inch packs. (They go larger but start with these sizes and “I” DO NOT WASH precuts)

Purchased cotton yardage, wash, dry and iron your fabric before starting any project. Please think of purchasing more fabric than needed, a pattern designer has no idea how you will cut and use your fabric. From My Quilt Ladies Site HOW to Pick Fabrics

When talking about fabric it always brings up the conversation of washing fabric. Here is what I do, 

I wash and dry all my fabric BEFORE sewing cutting and piecing a quilt. You only have to pull out one finished quilt from the washer and see bleeding to know you must/should wash all fabric. 

Cotton fabrics bleeding means, the dyes used on the fabric will become loose when washing. It’s said that it’s common is cottons, but all fabrics can bleed. Dyes will/can stain other fabrics in a prewashing, the biggest problem is the dye transfer after a quilt is finished.

When cotton fabric is made it is stretched on a loom, pulling the fibers straight. A stabilizer is applied to keep fabric straight and that is what you are washing off. Washing allows the fabric to relax and return to a more natural state. A dryer lets the fabric relax or shrink. All cotton fabrics are different you cannot know the amount any fabric will shrink.

Knowing a cotton fabric will not bleed and not shrink is worth a bit of time for the perfect quilt in the end.

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When prewashing quilt fabric, I use my daily machine washer detergent, the same type that will be used when the complete quilt is washed. Same with the dryer, use the setting that will be used when the quilt is completed.

With 100% cotton fabric after washing and drying you will need to clip away all the threads that have twisted. If fabric is wrinkles you can shake it to smooth out more wrinkles, or press the fabric with a dry iron. 

It’s a habit for me to wash/dry as soon as I purchase fabric. You will develop YOUR way of caring for your quilt fabrics.

When using/cutting the fabric I will press and starch it BEFORE any cutting and square up the fabric so that all cuts with a rotary cutter are straight. I use what I use for clothing as my starch just plain old Niagara brand, it makes it just a bit stiff and will washed very easily.

All this being said,
“I do not EVER wash contest quilt fabric before sewing, or quilting the quilt.” That is just me, you do YOU !

The Quilt Ladies daily quilt picture by Beth Ann Strub

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Beth Ann and as always, Thank you for making my dream a reality ! !