Quilting Basics
More to discover ↗A checkerboard border can frame a patchwork quilt without competing with the centre. Learn how to choose a square size, count the pieces, keep the colours alternating at the corners and assemble the border accurately.
Read article · 4 min↗Brickwork patchwork turns simple rectangles into a rhythmic pattern by shifting the seams in alternate rows. Learn how to choose proportions, cut full and half bricks, assemble even rows, and adapt the layout to your fabrics.
Read article · 4 min↗Sashing can give varied sampler blocks room to breathe, while cornerstones add rhythm where the strips meet. Learn how to choose proportions, calculate a layout, and assemble the rows without losing track of your blocks.
Read article · 4 min↗Turning square blocks on point changes the look of a quilt, but it also creates spaces along the edges. Learn how to count, cut and sew the side and corner triangles that fill those spaces.
Read article · 4 min↗A patchwork block can be sewn accurately and still look out of place in the finished layout. Learn how to distinguish reversed units from rotated blocks, check a design before joining rows, and decide when a variation is worth keeping.
Read article · 4 min↗A practical guide to planning hexagon flower patchwork, from building balanced rosettes to placing background hexagons that create clear, connected paths.
Read article · 4 min↗Tumbling Blocks turns three diamond patches into a cube-like shape. Learn how light, medium and dark fabrics create depth, how to plan a consistent layout, and two approachable ways to piece the pattern.
Read article · 4 min↗A Bear Paw block becomes easier to assemble when you can recognize its large paw squares, small triangular claws, and corner pieces. Learn how to sort the units, check their direction, and lay out the block before sewing.
Read article · 4 min↗A Trip Around the World layout turns simple patchwork squares into radiating colour bands. Learn how to plan the rings, place squares on a grid, and keep the pattern clear as you sew.
Read article · 4 min↗Single and Double Irish Chain quilts both use small squares to create diagonal paths across a quilt. Learn how their pieced blocks, visual effects and construction demands differ, and how to choose a version for your next project.
Read article · 4 min↗A square-in-a-square block can turn a simple centre patch into a layered diamond motif. Learn how to plan the rings, choose fabrics, sew corner triangles and protect the points as the block grows.
Read article · 4 min↗A snowball block gets its softened shape from four small squares sewn across the corners of a larger square. Learn how to choose corner sizes, stitch and trim accurately, and arrange snowball blocks into a patchwork design with no curved seams.
Read article · 4 min↗A Churn Dash block gets its character from the strips and triangles that surround a simple centre square. Learn how to arrange its nine units, cut pieces for a 12-inch block, and keep the frame aligned as you sew.
Read article · 4 min↗An Ohio Star becomes easier to piece when you see it as a three-by-three grid. Learn where the quarter-square triangle units belong, how to orient the star points, and how the corners and centre shape the finished block.
Read article · 4 min↗A flying geese layout can change dramatically when a few units turn around. Learn to map point directions, test a chevron-inspired repeat, and keep the design clear while you sew.
Read article · 4 min↗A pinwheel block uses four half-square triangles to create a sense of movement. Learn how to place the units, choose fabrics that show the design clearly, and sew a block whose points meet neatly.
Read article · 4 min↗A Log Cabin block can create very different designs depending on how it is turned. Learn to plan the light and dark sides of each block, arrange them into Barn Raising diamonds or Straight Furrows bands, and check the layout before sewing the blocks together.
Read article · 4 min↗A Rail Fence quilt begins with simple strips, but block rotation can give it a lively zigzag. Learn how to make square blocks, test layouts and keep the pattern clear as you sew.
Read article · 4 min↗A nine-patch block uses just three rows of three squares, but the placement of its corner, edge and centre pieces can change the whole design. Learn how to plan contrast, assemble accurate rows and experiment with simple variations.
Read article · 4 min↗A four-patch block begins with just four squares, but changes in colour, orientation and spacing can give it many looks. Learn how to plan a layout, sew accurate blocks and turn them into a balanced patchwork project.
Read article · 4 min↗A patchwork block diagram is a map, not a complete set of sewing instructions. Learn to identify the grid, recognise repeated units and choose a practical assembly order before you cut or stitch.
Read article · 4 min↗
