When I wrote the Nautical Stripes Quilt pattern, I sent an email asking for pattern testers, and y’all: they really came through. Get a load of these amazing sample quilts they’ve made!
Jane chose the “nautical” layout, which makes me think of semaphore flags and sailboats. She mixed her fabrics and used some solids, some dots, and some stripes to create this really lovely, summery design.
The quilt pattern includes three layouts: the classic HST layout Jane chose, which reminds me of flags, plus a bow tie layout and a God’s-eye design. This is just the quilt top and it’s already stunning! I’m guessing when it’s quilted and bound it’s going to feel equal parts maritime and Americana.
And Val chose the God’s-eye layout, and WOW are those colors incredible?? I love the vibrance of that rainbow stripe that pops across the body of the quilt top to really call the eye to move. Just lovely.
And this black-and-white version is so unexpected. My own stash is filled with absurdly saturated colors, so a minimalist version didn’t occur to me, or even constricting the color palette in this way. It really works and gives me so many ideas for how the saturation of each half-square triangle can be used to change the impact of the overall quilt.
The God’s-eye layout was super popular with testers, which isn’t surprising since I chose it for my own queen-size quilt. The one by long-time Whipstitch & Murder Mystery Quilt friend Cinda, above, is so warm and bright, and emphasizes all the things I love most about combining a scrappy design with a solid.
And check out this quilt top from another long-time Murder Mystery Quilter, where the mix of semi-solids plus a single floral print makes the whole design come to life. And that teal! This combination of colors is really helping me transition from summer to fall.
How sweet is this bow tie design from Elisa?? This is the smallest size included in the pattern, which walks you through cutting & assembling a crib/lap size quilt, a twin size, or a queen. It’s designed to be VERY beginner friendly, with the idea that it can get anyone started sewing their very first quilt, or a good baby gift, or a good scrap buster. I like this design as a picnic quilt, where you can use fabrics that aren’t quite so precious and make the lap size as a quilt that can go with you to the park or the beach for a picnic without worrying if it’ll get stained.
And check out this final sample from Laine! She went outside the pattern and arranged her half-square triangles into a chevron design, and it is STUNNING. Somehow it reads both maritime and Americana? Just beautiful.
HUGE thanks to all the pattern testers who volunteered to sew samples!!
You can download a free copy of the pattern as a thank you for signing up to get news and updates from the Murder Mystery Quilt, including a registration button the moment sign ups go live for 2022!
