I’m going to make a distinction here between tools and supplies. Tools are the things that you’ll use over and over again for all of your quilts – like a sewing machine, iron, and rotary cutters. Supplies are the things that get used up with each quilt, like thread, fusible adhesive, and fabric. I’ll cover these in two different lessons.
We’ll start with tools.
Quilting can be a very expensive hobby – but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s info about all the tools I use every day – with notes about which I think are must-haves and which are optional upgrades. You’ll also find info about maintenance here.
Here are handy links to all the posts about quilting tools and supplies.
Any time you make a quilt – even if you’re working from a pattern – there are a bunch of decisions you have to make along the way. Options you need to choose. Maybe skills you need to learn.
I’ve organized here all the quilting tutorials on Shiny Happy World into groups that answer those questions you’ll be asking along the way. Think of this page as the table of contents linking out to all the info you’ll need.
If you’re just getting started, you’ll be able to work systematically through these posts with any Shiny Happy World pattern. There’s even a post about choosing a pattern! And there are plenty of free options if you just want to test out my method for Quilt As You Go and applique with fusible adhesive to see if you like it before you commit to a whole quilt.
So jump right in!
Each of these links will take you to a page with more info on that topic – usually including links to other pages with more detailed info and tutorials.
Each of those pages will have suggested links to keep moving you through the lessons. There will also always be a link back to this – the main Let’s Make a Quilt page – so you can refer back to the main Table of Contents as needed and jump to any topic you like.
One of the easiest ways to make your quilt more dynamic is to use an alternate grid instead of a simple checkerboard.
And one of the easiest ways to make an alternate grid is to add half blocks!
It can be tricky to plan and assemble these quilts, but there are really only a few things to keep in mind – fabric requirements, block size, and how to sew those blocks together without any dang Y-seams.
The fabric yardage for my quilt patterns really doesn’t change – so that’s easy.
The size for half-blocks is also easy – once you remember to account for seam allowance. For my quilts (which are all based on a 10-inch grid) the half blocks will finish at 5 x 10 inches. That means you need to trim them (before sewing them together) to 5 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches. That means you need to cut your initial blocks 6 x 11 inches.
That leaves layout and assembly.
To make things extra easy for you, I’ve created basic templates you can use for six different quilt sizes. The samples all use the Woodland Critters quilt pattern, but you can use these layouts to add half-blocks to any of my patterns. Use the free alphabet pattern to add barks and yips and whines to the Lovable Mutts pattern, add snores to the Silly Sloths pattern, add a name and birth date to a baby quilt. You get the idea!
For each size below I tell you how many full blocks and how many half blocks to cut, give a template you can follow to assemble your blocks in a no-Y-seam layout, and explain in detail how to assemble the blocks. (It looks more complicated than it is – basically I’m just starting with the smallest units and adding to them with each step.)
Instead of cutting nine square blocks, cut 5 square blocks (11 x 11) and 8 half blocks (6 x 11).
Sew each “chunk” you see in the diagram, then assemble them as follows:
Sew D to E
Sew C to DE
Sew A to CDE
Sew B to ACDE
Crib Size
Instead of cutting 25 square blocks, cut 17 square blocks (11 x 11) and 16 half blocks (6 x 11).
Sew each “chunk” you see in the diagram, then assemble them as follows:
Sew F to H to J
Sew D to G to I
Sew E to FHJ
Sew A to EFHJ
Sew B to AEFHJ
Sew C to BAEFHJ
Sew K to CBAEFHJ
Sew DGI to KCBAEFHJ
Nap Size
Instead of cutting 30 square blocks, cut 21 square blocks (11 x 11) and 18 half blocks (6 x 11).
Sew each “chunk” you see in the diagram, then assemble them as follows:
Sew F to H to J
Sew D to G to I
Sew E to FHJ
Sew A to EFHJ
Sew B to AEFHJ
Sew C to BAEFHJ
Sew K to CBAEFHJ
Sew L to KCBAEFHJ
Sew DGI to LKCBAEFHJ
Twin Size
Instead of cutting 63 square blocks, cut 45 square blocks (11 x 11) and 36 half blocks (6 x 11).
Sew each “chunk” you see in the diagram, then assemble them as follows:
Sew F to H to L
Sew E to FHL
Sew A to EFHL
Sew B to AEFHL
Sew C to BAEFHL
Sew M to CBAEFHL
Sew O to MCBAEFHL
Sew S to V
Sew T to SV
Sew W to TSV
Sew U to WTSV
Sew UWTSV to OMCBAEFHL
Sew J to K
Sew N to JK
Sew I to NJK
Sew G to INJK
Sew D to GINJK
Sew P to Q
Sew R to PQ
Sew RPQ to DGINJK
Sew UWTSVOMCBAEFHL to RPQDGINJK
Queen Size
Instead of cutting 80 square blocks, cut 57 square blocks (11 x 11) and 46 half blocks (6 x 11).
Sew each “chunk” you see in the diagram, then assemble them as follows:
Sew F to H to N
Sew E to FHN
Sew A to EFHN
Sew B to AEFHN
Sew C to BAEFHN
Sew O to CBAEFHN
Sew S to OCBAEFHN
Sew U to X
Sew V to UX
Sew Z to VUX
Sew c to ZVUX
Sew W to cZVUX
Sew WcZVUX to SOCBAEFHN
Sew D to G
Sew J to R
Sew T to JR
Sew I to TJR
Sew K to L
Sew M to KL
Sew P to Q
Sew a to b
Sew Y to ab
Sew Yab to PQ
Sew MKL to YabPQ
Sew MKLYabPQ to ITJR
Sew DG to MKLYabPQITJR
Sew DGMKLYabPQITJR to WcZVUXSOCBAEFHN
King Size
Instead of cutting 100 square blocks, cut 72 square blocks (11 x 11) and 56 half blocks (6 x 11).
Sew each “chunk” you see in the diagram, then assemble them as follows:
Sew H to I
Sew A to HI
Sew B to AHI
Sew C to BAHI
Sew R to CBAHI
Sew V to RCBAHI
Sew a to g
Sew b to ag
Sew j to bag
Sew k to jbag
Sew c to kjbag
Sew ckjbag to VRCBAHI
Sew D to J
Sew M to DJ
Sew d to MDJ
Sew dMDJ to ckjbagVRCBAHI
Sew N to O
Sew P to NO
Sew L to PNO
Sew T to U
Sew TU to LPNO
Sew f to TULPNO
Sew h to fTULPNO
Sew l to m
Sew lm to hfTULPNO
Sew K to S
Sew X to KS
Sew e to XKS
Sew eXKS to lmhfTULPNO
Sew E to eXKSlmhfTULPNO
Sew EeXKSlmhfTULPNO to dMDJckjbagVRCBAHI
Sew F to G
Sew Q to FG
Sew W to QFG
Sew Y to Z
Sew YZ to WQFG
Sew n to o
Sew i to no
Sew ino to YZWQFG
Sew inoYZWQFG to EeXKSlmhfTULPNOdMDJckjbagVRCBAHI
Whew! That King size looks a little crazy – but it’s the same principle as the smaller alternate grids. Just start with the smallest units and build up into larger chunks. There’s a video here walking you though the reasoning and process – especially helpful if you want to create your own alternate grid design and don’t want to end up with Y-seams. Maybe you want to incorporate a quote into a quilt, like I did in this version of the Wild Flowers pattern?
I can’t wait to see what you create with alternate grids!
Find links to all the posts about pattern size and layouts here.
These instructions assume you’re already familiar with the applique method I use – Quilt As You Go and applique with fusible adhesive.
If you’re new to my patterns, there’s a detailed video workshop here that takes you step by step through the methods I use. It’s totally free, and you can work your way through the lessons using any pattern you like, including this nutcracker pattern!
Step 1
Download the template pieces. If you’re using paper-backed fusible adhesive and cutting by hand, use this link to download the PDF. If you’re using an electric cutting machine, use this link to download the SVG. On most computers that link will take you to a preview of the file. You’ll need to click on the down-arrow icon to actually download it to your computer.
If you’e using an electric cutting machine like a Cricut. . .
Upload the file to your machine.
Resize if needed. (The small square in the top left corner should be 1 inch.)
Ungroup the pieces and assign colors.
Cut.
Step 2
Trace or print the pattern onto the paper side of the fusible adhesive.
I use Heat & Bond Lite for all my quilts, and I love printable sheets because I’m lazy and hate to trace. 🙂
The image has already been reversed, so just trace or print. If you’re tracing, be sure to trace the lines separating the teeth too. You’ll need those for Step 5.
Step 3
Whoa! That’s a lot of pieces!
It’s ok – the numbers tell you what’s what and there’s a video showing how to layer them up. 🙂
Roughly cut around each shape and fuse it to the back of your fabric.
Step 4
Cut around each piece neatly.
This time you’re cutting directly on the solid lines.
Step 5
Remember back in Step 2 when I told you to make sure you traced the lines for the teeth? Now you’re going to use that. Hold the teeth up to a window so the light shines through it. You’ll be able to see all the dotted lines, and the adhesive will stabilize the fabric so you can trace on it without it crinkling up.
If you’re not using a lightbox (I am in my video), trace all the other dotted lines too using chalk or a pencil. They’ll help you position the pieces.
Step 6
If you’re doing Quilt As You Go (I did) then you can quilt your block before adding the applique. So easy!
Cut your background fabric and a piece of 100% cotton batting 11 inches square.
Layer the block with a piece of 100% cotton batting. Quilt any pattern you like!
I prefer to quilt my blocks before I applique. These posts show how I do that, along with lots more info. Start with them.
Some people prefer to quilt after they applique. This post features a gallery of lots of quilt patterns with video instructions showing you how to work those patterns around applique you’ve already done. Of course, you can also stitch these designs before you applique.
If you’ll do the quilting later, simply skip this step.
Step 7
Peel off the paper backing and arrange the pieces on a background block.
Fuse the pieces in place, following the instructions for whatever brand of adhesive you used.
This video has detailed instructions for layering all those pieces and also shows the finished block.
Step 8
Outline all the pieces with black thread and a simple straight stitch – or choose your favorite decorative stitch.
In an effort to have more time to spend designing, I’m no longer selling tools and supplies. But I don’t want to leave you hanging! That section of the shop has always been where I share all my favorite things!
So here’s a list of all the tools and supplies I used to sell – organized by craft – with links to where you can get them now. (The links followed by an asterisk are affiliate links, which means I make a small commission on each sale.)
Frames for pendants and pins (This is the only shop where I’ve ever found them and she’s had trouble reordering for the last year – but if they’re available anywhere, this is the place to try.)
crochet hooks – I recommend Susan Bates inline hooks in size G – K for beginners. The uniform throat helps keep your tension from getting too tight, and these sizes will work for almost any worsted weight yarn
I’m using Spoonflower fabric now for all my samples because it never goes out of print! Plus it’s super fun to work with fabric I designed especially for applique. 🙂
Spoonflower has millions of options – which can be a bit overwhelming – so I also have my fabric listed here on Shiny Happy World in these categories.
What’s that little light you see in eyes? It’s called a catchlight, or a catch light, or a spark of life, or a bunch of other poetic names. Whatever you call it – adding a little speck of light really brings applique eyes to life.
It’s one of the reason I love using black safety eyes on my dolls and stuffed animals. The surface is shiny, so it reflects the light and you get that little spark that makes them awesome.
But you can’t really use those plastic eyes on applique.
No matter!
There are lots of different ways to add that catchlight to applique eyes. Here are three different methods. . .
It dries shiny and 3D and is impossible to pick off. 🙂
If you’re nervous about painting on a finished block, try just a dot.
If you’re feeling a little braver, go for a crescent shape.
If you’re nervous about a crescent, think of it as a comma, or a closed parenthesis – and definitely practice on paper to get a feel for how the paint flows.
Pros of fabric paint
inexpensive
fast
easy
permanent
Cons of fabric paint
permanent
takes a while for the paint to cure
someone in your quilt guild might say you’re a cheater pants
Hand Embroidery
This is another really simple option. Just a few stitches and you’ll have some sparkling eyes.
Bring your needle up at point A. Leave a 3-6 inch tail hanging on the back side of the block – long enough to tie into a knot with your other tail when you’re finished.
Take one stitch from A to B.
Come up at point C and take a stitch from C back to B.
Come up at point D (just a smidge to the side of point A) and take a stitch from D to B.
Tie off your tails in the back and repeat for the second eye.
Beautiful catchlights in those eyes!
Pros
simple – no special tools or tech needed
can unpick the stitches if you don’t like how it looks
portable
no drying time needed
Cons
It can be hard to push the needle through fabric backed with fusible adhesive. You may need a thimble.
slow
Machine Embroidered
You can embroider those catchlights by machine – even if you don’t have an embroidery machine. You just need to have some decorative stitches.
On my machine I used a stitch that looks like a little row of triangles or arrow points. I adjusted the length and width to something that looked good, and I curved it a bit as it sewed.
See that scrap of fabric sitting next to that dog face?
Once I was happy with my stitch settings, I stitched up a little sample and wrote the stitch number, length and width right on the sample. Now I have that reference any time I need it and I don’t have to do that testing again!
Here’s what my machine screen looks like.
See? I used stitch #401, set to a width of 3.5 and a length of 12.0. My machine is a Bernina 710, so your setting may vary from that – but you probably have a stitch that will work.
One thing to note when you’re tricking your machine into thinking it’s an embroidery machine. . .
See how this stitch makes a continuous row of triangles if you just keep sewing? You have to pay REALLY close attention to when the triangle is coming to a point so you can stop it and tie off before it jumps back up to the wide section of the next triangle in the row.
Pros
fast
can be picked out if you make a mistake
Cons
requires some fiddling with your machine
So there you have it! Three different ways to add catchlights to applique eyes to really bring them to life.
Here are links to all the posts showing how to applique with fusible adhesive – my favorite method. It’s fast and easy and (with the right materials) it holds up beautifully to rough use and repeated washing.
I go into lots of detail about the reasons why in this post, but the nutshell version is that cutting the fabric has gotten too painful for me.
For the most part I’m replacing my fabric bundles with new bundles from Spoonflower – designed by me especially for applique. It’s very exciting!
But that doesn’t replace solid bundles like these People Colors.
Never fear! These are actually REALLY easy for you to order from any shop that sells Kona Solids – which is almost every fabric shop.
All you need to know are the colors. Skin tone fabric can be tricky. Too pale and they look ghostly. Too pink and they look feverish or sunburned. Too yellow and they look sallow. Too dark and the black safety eyes I like to use don’t show up well.
It’s hard to rely on your monitor to give you an accurate color, because every monitor is calibrated differently. So I compiled the lists below by looking at actual swatches of fabric in natural light. It’s really the only way to know what you’re getting!
Here’s the list of colors that you see in the stack at the top of this post, from top to bottom.
Mocha
Latte
Honey
Scone
Lingerie
Of course, you’re not limited to these colors!
I would definitely not go any lighter than lingerie. My skin has been accurately described as “fishbelly white” and the Scone is the closest match to it. If you go lighter than Lingerie, your doll will look very ghostly!
On the other end of the spectrum, lots of people are actually darker than Mocha, but using a darker fabric can make it hard to see the eyes. 🙁 If you want to make sure the eyes will show up well, there’s a tutorial here to help you out. A lot of people have the instinct to ring them in white, but that just makes them look scared.
If you’re shopping for skin tone fabric, you can order any of these colors and be confident that you’re not going to make a doll that looks alien or ill. 🙂
When I make a quilt using my Quilt As You Go method, I like to do all the quilting before I add the applique. Easy peasy – and the possible quilt designs are endless! My quilting becomes doodling on a blank square of fabric and it’s so much fun!
If freehand quilting is like doodling, using these blocks is like coloring. No pressure, and totally fun and relaxing.
I don’t like it when the quilting lines show through my applique.
I don’t run into this often, but I almost always use prints for my applique (usually in fairly strong colors) and the quilting doesn’t usually show through.
If your applique fabric is a solid, or a very light-colored print, or a light-colored solid, you’ll probably be able to see the quilting lines through it. If that bugs you, do the applique first and then the quilting.
That’s the way I show it in all of the videos that follow – so you can see some tips for working around that applique after it’s already in place. I show the quilt lines on paper so you can get a bird’s-eye overview of the whole block instead of seeing it at an angle as it is in the machine.
If you want more details about exactly how I sew these patterns at the machine, there are two additional posts you’ll want to see.
You’ll see several different quilt designs below. For each one there’s a close-up image, a bit of additional information about it, a few additional examples, and the video showing how to do it.
Straight Line Stripes
Straight line stripes.
Does that sound humdrum and boring? Think again! It’s super easy and there’s a huge range of texture you can get from simple straight lines. Are they close together or far apart? Does the distance between the lines vary in a single block? Do they run on the horizontal? Vertical? Diagonal? Do they make a grid? A grid of squares? Rectangles? Diamonds?
Here are a bunch of blocks that are quilted with simple straight lines.
One thing you’ll notice in ALL of my quilting is that the lines are never perfectly straight, perfectly parallel, or perfectly evenly spaced. I do that on purpose because I want the quilting to match the hand-drawn quality of the applique blocks. (Plus it’s easy and fun.) If you’re making a quilt that demands more precision – you might want to use a special tool for making your lines perfectly parallel. You can see that in this video.
Ready for the QAYG tutorial?
Straight lines are super easy, and you can still get a bunch of variety.
Chevrons and Zigzags
Chevrons and zigzags.
Again – that seems not very exciting. But you can do a lot with simple chevrons. Do they run horizontally or vertically? How close together are they? Are they perfectly parallel and neat? Or more jagged and cartoony?
Here are a few blocks that are quilted with simple chevrons.
Just like my straight-line quilting, the lines are never perfectly straight, perfectly parallel, or perfectly evenly spaced.
Ready for the QAYG tutorial?
So much fun!
Wavy Stripes
I love wavy stripes! They’re super easy to do and they add lots of life and movement to the background of a block. And they can vary a lot! They can be close together or far apart. Vertical or horizontal. They can intersect for a groovy checkerboard effect. They can overlap for a watery effect. Have fun with them!
Now that you’ve seen some samples, are you ready for the video?
These are REALLY fun to stitch.
Blades
I call this design Blades because I think it looks like blades of grass – especially on the green background fabric you see in the image. 🙂
Blades is a good pattern for working around an existing applique image, and you can vary the look of it by using squared-off ends instead of pointy ones.
Here are a couple of blocks with Blades quilting.
pointy bladespointy bladesblunt blades
Now that you’ve seen some samples, here’s the video showing how.
See how easy?
Teeth
In this video I show you how to quilt Monster Teeth – another fun and easy pattern.
You can make flat, plant-eating teeth or sharp, meat-eating teeth – and they can run vertically or horizontally. Take a look at these sample blocks.
horizontal flat teeth
Now that you’ve seen some samples – here’s the video showing how.
See? Easy peasy. 🙂
Square Squiggles
I call this design Square Squiggles. It’s a fun straight-line adaptation of the loopy designs popular in free motion quilting- and it’s one of my favorite fills.
You can make your rows of squiggles run across your block or up and down – it’s all good. Take a look at these sample blocks.
sideways squiggles
Now that you’ve seen some samples – here’s the video showing how.
This is really a fun fill. I love the look of it!
Boxes
These interlocking boxes are really similar to the Square Squiggles. I love the mosaic-ish kind of look of this pattern!
It breaks out of the row formation we’ve seen in previous patterns, and that means it take a little more thinking as you go – but it’s not hard. Just give yourself permission to slow down or stop whenever you need to in order to plan your next step.
Take a look at these sample blocks.
Now that you’re seen a sample – here’s the video showing how.
I love this look!
Triangles
These interlocking triangles are a lot like the interlocking boxes. They both take a little thinking as you go, so don’t be afraid to stop after each triangle to plan your next move!
Take a look at these sample blocks.
interlocking trianglesinterlocking triangles
Now that you’ve seen some samples, here’s the video showing how.
See? Not too hard.
Echo Quilting
This is the only design I ever use where you really need to do the applique first. (Again – I usually quilt, THEN applique.)
Echo quilting is really fun and easy – just be sure you’re outlining a relatively simple shape. It also works great for pieced geometric quilts.
I like to vary the amount of space between my echo lines, but if you want perfectly even spacing, using the edge of your presser foot as a guide works great.
Here are a couple of blocks with echo quilting.
somewhat wide echo quiltingnarrower echo quilting
Now that you’ve seen some samples, are you ready for the video?
See how easy?
This kind of quilt design really puts the emphasis on your applique because it draws your eye right in to it.
So there you are! A gallery of ideas to get you started with Quilt As You Go. These are just the beginning! See what designs you come up with!
Here are links to all the posts about cutting your blocks.
In my never-ending quest to to make applique as easy as possible, I recently bought a light box.
Wow!
My mind is blown!
No more tracing those placement markings to the right side of the fabric. (***ahem*** I may have mentioned here how much I hate to trace.)
This makes layering applique SO EASY and SO ACCURATE!
How did I not get one of these sooner?
Somehow I had it in my head that this was going to be a Very Expensive Purchase.
The one I bought is 15.5 inches x 11.8 inches and cost $26.99. I’m going to use it a kajillion times just in the next year, so that is well worth it to me.
Those are both affiliate links to Amazon. If you buy something using them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you – but if you have a local store that sells these things, please support them!
Want to see how awesome it is in action? You’re going to love this!
Wow!
I’m going to say it again – wow!
This makes the process so easy! Especially for folks who are using cutting machines and have had a bit more of a laborious process to transfer those placement markings in the past.
I know some of you have been using a light box forever and can’t believe I didn’t know already how awesome they are.
I’m usually really slow to use new gadgets. I just don’t want a studio full of tools I’ll rarely use.
I’ve used a light box exactly once before – in a Craftsy class I taught several years ago. It was really huge and cumbersome and not something I had space for in my studio. I had no idea how slim and lightweight and inexpensive they are now!
Moving forward, all of my patterns will have numbers on the reference images and corresponding numbers on the template pieces.
I’m in the process of a year-long project to update all my quilt patterns. That update will include adding SVG files for use with cutting machines, and these numbered templates.
I’ll continue to include the placement markings for those who don’t want to get a light box. You can find a tutorial showing how to do that method here.
For those of you about to get a new light box – enjoy!!!
Here are links to all the posts showing how to applique with fusible adhesive – my favorite method. It’s fast and easy and (with the right materials) it holds up beautifully to rough use and repeated washing.
