Since I have been playing with mini quilts I decided to make my swap item a quilt. To make multiple quilts I decided on an easy design that could be made in groups.

To make a quilt you will need at least two different colors and three different fabrics of each color. You will see finished quilts of varying numbers of colors so you can choose the one you like best. Fabric should be washed and dried to take care of shrinking and colors running and then pressed.

The Blocks:

To make a group of blocks of one color cut 3/4" strips. You will need 2 strips of 2 of the three fabrics (we will call these Fabrics A and for this color and one strip of the third fabric (Fabric C). (Note: a fat quarter strip will make about 11 blocks and a full fabric width will make 24-25 blocks.) As a quilter, I used a rotary cutter to make my strips nice and straight. (Rotary cutters also help cut wallpaper straight and perfect.)

We have cut the strips to have a 1/4" seam, which is a typical quilter's seam. I experimented with smaller ones but found this to be the easiest to get straight seams. Sew one strip of Fabric A and Fabric B together. Then sew the other pair of Fabrics A and B together. I do this first because it is easy to sew two fabrics together without pins.

Now sew one of the pairs to the Fabric C strip. Make sure you do not catch the seam allowance. I hand press the seam allowances away from the center. Then sew the other pair to the other side of Fabric C.

Now press the strips open. Press the seam allowances away from the center. Cut the strip into 1 3/4" squares.

Make the squares of the other colors you will need.