Rogers - By the Block: 18 surprisingly simple quilts

To my Mum and Dadthank you for my childhood. August 3, 2014

Im a quilt teacher, and Ive found that my students want to create big, beautiful quilts that look complex but are actually simple to execute. I call these students time-poor, because they have busy lifestyles but are still eager to make quilts. I developed the designs in this book for people like my students, because By the Block concentrates on making quilts using repeats of a single block, simplifying the construction process.

This can be a very effectiveand satisfyingway to create. To help those with demanding lives still make dazzling quilts, Ive written simple patterns with straightforward instructions, with quick cutting and simple piecingall requiring no more than basic quilting skills. Rather than relying on a complicated pattern to produce a full-size quilt, the emphasis shifts to careful selection of fabric, concentrating on color and pattern.

Fortunately, finding the perfect fabric to make a stunning quilt is easier today than ever before. Fabric shops are filled with enthusiastic salespeople who are also experienced quilters, and theyre eager to share their knowledge when youre browsing. Because complementary lines of fabric are usually in stock, you can quickly find designs that work well together. The Internet has changed the face of crafting in general, and it has had quite an impact on quilting. If youre not near a good quilting shop, fabric is available 24-7 online, and tutorials become available immediately after a quick search.

Students come into my patchwork classes having taken advantage of what their quilting communities have to offer. Along with friends theyve made through quilting, theyve taken classes with their favorite designers or watched them on the Internet. They have searched for the perfect fabric (sometimes from their living rooms) and discussed the best piecing techniques with their fellow quilters. Perhaps theyve debated about techniques on numerous social media sites. People are far more savvy about what they want and how to get it, and it helps them fit quilting into their full, sometimes hectic days.

Having said all of that, I also get students in my classes who are overwhelmed by all the information and have accumulated a fabric stash of great proportions but have no idea how to incorporate it into a quilt! By the Block is also for those people. They are hungry for ideas and are delighted to have easy-to-execute instructions that tell them how much fabric to purchase, how many squares to cut, and how to piece it all together. Then they can just blissfully sew and at the end have a project theyre truly proud of and enjoyed creating. Ive taught everyone from young medical students to retired grandmothers, and they all have one thing in commonthey want simple quilts that are effective.

By the Block features eighteen quilt patterns based on repeated blocks or units. Its organized by theme, such as the type of block or the construction method, all of which are traditional quilting techniques given a modern twist. Heres an example: One of the best ways to achieve a complex-looking quilt that comes together quickly is to work on a large scale. Youll see this in quilts such as , feature repetition of smaller blocks; designs like these emphasize fabric choice to make a bold statement.

All the patterns are versatile. Each one lists a finished quilt size and an individual block size, so you can vary the design to fit your needs. I also include general hints with many of the patterns to help save you time and make your quilting a little bit easier. Its just like taking a class with me, minus the distraction of gossip and laughter!

Speaking of me, my true foray into quilting started more than sixteen years ago, when I was as busy as my students are now. I was lucky enough to have a little quilting store nearby, and I remember buying floral and 1930s reproduction fabrics to create baby quilts for friends. I bought lots of patchwork magazines and quizzed my Nana Sylvia and Aunt Kirsten on how to do everything. (Nana helped me cut out and piece my first quilt tops, which I was inspired to create after receiving a gift of a baby quilt made by Aunt Kirsten.)

I didnt have the time to take a class or join a group with a new baby and a university degree to finish, but I decided that I wanted my children to have handmade things like the ones I had treasured as a child. Despite my full life, I started sporadically making quilts for family and friends in what spare time I had. Now Im happy to help fellow time-poor quilters continue to have a creative outlet, and I hope the designs in this bookwith their emphasis on simplicity of design and ease of constructionwill inspire you to do the same.

If youre familiar with basic quilting techniques, you should be able to make any project in By the Block. As a busy quilter, quilt teacher, and mother of four children who are constantly on the go, I have some tips about working efficiently that Id like to share with you in this chapter. All the patterns that follow were developed to make the creative process as efficient and enjoyable as possible; in fact, only four quilts require templates, and the rest are constructed with easy-to-cut pieces.