A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home

By Sherri McConnell

“With its diverse selection of fabrics and designs, A Quilting Life is a fine pick for any quilter looking to produce family-oriented keepsake results.” —The Needlecraft Shelf

Bring the handmade tradition home with these charming quilts and home accessories. Inspired by a grandmother who loved to sew for her family, quilter and blogger Sherri McConnell gives traditional patterns like hexagons, stars, snowballs, and Dresden Plates a new look featuring fabrics by some of today’s most popular designers. Nineteen cozy projects include pillows, tote bags, table runners, and larger quilts—quick and easy designs that make great gifts.

“Sherri’s book is a treasure! It’s full of fun and straight-forward patterns for quilts, table toppers, pillows, bags and more—all the goodies to make a cozy home.” —Thimbleanna



“Would you like the opportunity to make tomorrow’s heirlooms in today’s vast selection of prints? . . . If so, this could be the reference book that will get you started. There are 19 projects, mainly focusing on handmade household items but including some larger quilts too.” —Fabrications Quilting for You

“Beautiful inspiration if you are a seasoned quilter, but also a great resource with clear and in some cases, simple patterns for newbies as well.” —Diary of a Quilter

“Color photos of finished needlework projects accompany step-by-step diagrams and assembly patterns, while at-a-glance sidebars covering materials and cutting allow needleworkers to gauge the complexity of each project.” —The Needlecraft Shelf

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Feb 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781607056607

Book preview

Pillows

Patchwork pillows have long been one of my favorite items to make for my home and to give to others as gifts. In fact, my first machine-sewing project was a set of two patchwork pillows made from precut squares my mom had purchased at the fabric store. Pillows are the perfect way to try out a new technique or practice a block for a larger quilt—almost any size block can be made into a fun pillow.

The pillows in this chapter were made and designed to showcase the fabrics and to add character to the places where they sit. The Little Hexagon Flower Pillow (page 10) was made for my sewing room. Our living room has solid gray sofas, and making the pillows using the Amy Butler fabrics (pages 17, 19, and 21) adds just the right amount of color and pop to the room. The Christmas Dresden Pillow (page 13) stays in the living room on a chair during the holidays.

Pieced and quilted by Sherri McConnell Fabric collection: Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt

Little Hexagon Flower Pillow

Finished block: 6½″ × 6½″ • Finished pillow: 12″ × 12″

I’m absolutely drawn to the simple charm of hexagon flowers! I love them made with matching petals and a coordinating center, and I also love them scrappy. This project goes together quickly and plants a simple flower wherever it’s placed. The pillow is small enough to fit in many places and yet large enough to make an impact.

Fabrics

Assorted prints:* 11 squares approximately 4″ × 4″ and 4 scraps at least 2″ × 12″

White: yard

Pillow back: ½ yard

Binding: ¼ yard

Batting: 14″ × 14″

Muslin: 14″ × 14″

* You can use a Charm Pack for the hexagons and corner triangle pieces if desired.

Notions

1″ hexagon templates:** 7

Pillow form: 12″ × 12″

** I use premade hexagon templates from www.paperpieces.com. You can also make your own from freezer paper as instructed in Block Assembly (at