Karen Snyder - Bundles of Fun: Quilts from Fat Quarters

bundles
of fun

Karen Snyder

2006 Karen Snyder
Published by

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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2005935070
ISBN: 0-89689-230-1
eISBN 13: 978-1-4402-2085-2
Edited by Sarah Brown
Designed by Emily Adler
Printed in China

dedication

This book is dedicated to Connie Nason, Monica Solorio-Snow, Cortn Stricker and Melinda Crowley, who came to my rescue in my hour of need.

acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following wonderful people who helped make this book possible:

Darlene Zimmerman for recommending KP Books and answering my many questions.

Julie Stephani for walking me through the steps to becoming an author.

Sarah Brown for her editing skills and patience.

Emily Adler for the beautiful design of this book.

My sister, Sally Paxton, and my mother, Bette Snyder, for their advice on grammar and punctuation.

Beverly Wakeman for sharing her skill with the Big Stitch Technique.

Laura Fadden, Susan Olson, Robin Anderson and Kathy Sasso for late night brainstorming.

The women who so willingly made quilts for the book: Patty Stoltz, Gail Messick, Pat Hall, Darlene Zimmerman, Monica Solorio-Snow, Peggy Christenson, Ethel Knapp, Melinda Crowley, Cortn Stricker, Janet King, Joan Stoltz, Beverly Wakeman, Connie Nason and Karen Harmon. Who knew I had so many good friends!

My husband, Bob Hamilton, and the rest of my family for believing in me.

table of contents

introduction

This book is for those of you who love to pick up fat quarter bundles when you visit a quilt shop. Whether its a keepsake to remember a visit to a shop far away from home, or a bundle from a local haunt that caught your eye, they can be irresistible. It may be a bundle of the most delicious, soft florals, cheery polka dots or adventurous frogs. The fabrics may be rolled into a bundle, fanned out on a piece of cardboard or stacked into a star. Often they are folded and packaged in such a way that you never want to untie the ribbon holding them together. I have a few of those special bundles decorating my own quilt room.

Buying fat quarter bundles takes the stress out of choosing fabrics that go together. Pre-bundled fat quarters usually contain fabrics that are coordinated by color or theme. You can find bundles of Civil War fabrics, cowboy fabrics, batiks, Depression-era reproductions, novelty prints and so much more. Its not unusual to find bundles from a single fabric collection or one designer. When you pick up a bundle of fat quarters and love the way the fabrics look, youre assured that they will work together in a quilt. Of course, if youre one of those quilters who loves to audition numerous fabrics, you can pick out your own individual fat quarters for your projects. Most quilt shops have shelves or baskets full of them. Many will even cut fat quarters from the bolt. Or how about your stash? I dont know a quilter anywhere who hasnt purchased at least a few fat quarters that have been taken home and set aside for some future project. Maybe youll want to choose from those.

Because at the very least you are using twelve fabrics to make the projects in this book, the look of the quilts will be very scrappy. The fabrics you choose can really influence the feel or theme of your quilt. My favorite fabrics to work with are 1930s reproductions, but I also love florals, cowboy prints, polka dots and novelties. You can personalize any of the patterns in this book to fit your favorite theme.

Some of the quilts in the book only require the twelve fat quarters and some border fabric. Others require the addition of a background or accent fabric. I hope they all inspire you to grab a fat quarter pack and have bundles of fun!

what are fat quarters?

A fat quarter and a regular quarter yard of fabric have the same surface area, but fat quarters are often more suitable for cutting the patches necessary for quilting.

A quarter yard of fabric is a 9" cut from selvedge to selvedge, yielding a piece approximately 9" x 44". A fat quarter is made by first cutting yard of fabric, or 18" from selvedge to selvedge. This piece is then cut in half along the fold line, yielding a piece that is approximately 18" x 22". Both pieces are equal in area, but fat quarters are often more suitable for cutting the shapes necessary for a quilt project.

why fat quarters?

Aside from the appeal of those neatly wrapped and tied bundles on display in the quilt shop, fat quarters have several advantages. The pieces are easier to handle than a long, skinny -yard cut. Fat quarters are easier to stack on your cutting mat and easier to rotary cut. When making a long cut, its easy to let your ruler pivot under your hand, causing cutting errors. With fat quarters, youre making shorter cuts and its easier to keep your ruler stable.

When squaring up fat quarters, there is less waste. If you are squaring up a piece of fabric that is cut from selvedge to selvedge, you could lose 1"-2" or more of fabric. That loss is reduced when using fat quarters.

fabric selection

Using fat quarter bundles can eliminate a lot of the stress when its time to pick fabrics for your next project. You dont have to match the fabrics in your project to those shown in the illustrations in this book. Thats part of the joy of quilting making a quilt that is uniquely your own. Just because I chose to make Twelve Easy Pieces from floral fabrics, you shouldnt hesitate to make it from hot rod prints or Civil War reproductions. In fact, if I were making quilts just to please myself, every quilt in this book would be made with 1930s reproduction fabrics and they would all look great! So, set yourself free. Start by picking a bundle of fat quarters that you like, then pick a project that appeals to you even if the sample in the book is made from something totally different. The results will be wonderful and you will have created a quilt that is truly your own!

Occasionally when you buy a fat quarter bundle or a kit, there may be one fabric in the package that you just dont like. Feel free to take it out! Dont be restricted by the bundle you choose. These are scrappy quilts, and its okay to substitute another fat quarter from your stash or from the quilt shop.