Quick Quilt Tops – see the finished quilt and enter to win it!

After presenting 10 different quilt layouts using a four-patch block in our latest Quick Quilt Top Series, readers chose this one as their favorite:

Next, I created four different quilting designs for that layout, and once again we asked you to vote for the one you like best. The results are in, and two quilting designs presented were neck and neck. Though more than 2,700 votes were cast, less than 50 votes separated the winner from the second-place finisher. Here’s how the votes stacked up:

Design 1 – WINNER

Design 2 – 3rd place

Design 3 – 2nd place

Design 4 – 4th place

I think the quilt’s graphic diagonal layout helped boost Design 1 into the winner’s circle. The simple diagonal quilting lines emphasized those angles and helped create a 3D illusion. Design 3 highlighted the individual dark and light fabrics but didn’t enhance the diagonal movement of the layout. Design 2 finished just over 100 votes behind the winner. Though it was still popular, its style took on a modern feel compared to Design 3, which edged it out for second place.

I used Moda’s Boudoir fabric line to piece the quilt using the winning layout, and then quilted it with Design 1. Take a look!

Since the quilting lines crossed over both dark and light fabrics, I didn’t want thread color to overpower the center star shape. Instead, I wanted just the texture of the diagonal lines to highlight the top as the stitching sunk into the quilt. So, I used invisible thread for the top thread and 60-wt bobbin thread, along with Hobbs 80/20 batting to provide loft and quilting definition.

To easily stitch the diagonal lines without marking every single one, I used reference marks on the blocks as “targets” for each line segment. Each unit in the four-patch block is 4 inches when finished. So, I added a reference mark halfway between each seam on the unit, placing it 2 inches from the corner intersections. On dark fabrics, I used white chalk to mark the lines; on light fabrics, I used an air-soluble marker (after testing to make sure it would come out! )

Since the block size was easily divisible by two, that meant that the lines would all be evenly spaced as I “connected the dots” and stitched from one reference mark to another using a longarm ruler and Millie. It made the quilting process easy-peasy!

We hope you were inspired by following along with us through the design phase all the way to the finished quilt.

Win this quilt

Now for the best part—as promised, someone gets to win this quilt, along with some great goodies from APQS! Comment on this Facebook post or this Instagram post about the quilt by noon central time on Friday, Sep. 24th for a chance to win this lap quilt AND an APQS goodie basket. We’ll pick a winner at random on and inform them via a Facebook direct message. Good luck!