Color Options from American Patchwork & Quilting February 2011

Simple Flying Geese and Four-Patch units arranged in vertical rows look impressive when made in miniature. Choose small-scale prints, such as the featured shirtings, to better showcase these tiny treasures

Flying Four-Patch Wall Hanging

Instead of using small-scale prints for this quilt's tiny blocks, select solids or tone-on-tones in a wide range of hues, such as those in the Bear Essentials collection by P&B Textiles. To keep the multicolor rows from becoming too busy, quilt tester Laura Boehnke used a single tone-on-tone fabric for the background in each Flying Geese row. She replaced the light 1x36-1/2" sashing strips surrounding the Four-Patch rows with dark brown strips that create separation by with less contrast.

Go to the free wall hanging quilt pattern.

Whether you use vintage feed sacks of brand-new fabrics, use up every bit of them to craft a scrappy stunner starring appliquéd petals and a scalloped edge.

Asian-Print Appliqué Wall Quilt

Going Green goes purple when made from Ro Gregg's My Asian Garden collection for Northcott Silk. Quilt tester Laura Boehnke made all the appliquéd petals from the same gold tone-on-tone to match the formal look of the metallic fabrics. She added a narrow (1-1/4" cut) inner border to the design to separate the purple flowers in the outer border from the purple blocks.

Go to the free wall quilt pattern.

A two-color crib quilt from the past inspires a table topper for today. Modern techniques make it easy to re-create both versions.Get the free quilt pattern here.

Tiny Pieces Table Topper

By using multiple colors instead of a two-tone palette, the individual pieces that make up this table topper get just as much play as the overall pattern they form. To maintain the ring and X patterns, quilt tester Laura Boehnke used olive and blue in the quilt's four Nine-Patch blocks. By cutting rectangles lengthwise from striped fabric, she created the illusion of tiny pieced squares that adds to the intricate look of the pattern. Fabrics are from French General's La Petite École collection for Moda Fabrics.

Go to the free table topper quilt pattern.

Mix slices of lemon, orange, and lime to concoct a refreshing throw packed with fruit punch. Black sashing and on-the-grid quilting help stir up the look.

Two-Block Kid's Quilt

Animal-theme novelty prints from the Jungle Baby collection by Kate Honarvar transform Citrus from a contemporary throw into a kid-friendly crib quilt. For an added twist, quilt tester Laura Boehnke turned the B blocks on their sides to better showcase the playful prints. Coordinating tone-on-tones from the Razzle Dazzle, Dotty and Color Wash collections round out the look. All fabrics are from Timeless Treasures.

Go to the free kid's quilt pattern.

When temperatures drop, warm a room with a wall quilt of wool and flannel. Add appliquéd snowflakes adorned with buttons for some shimmer.

Mittens and Snowflakes Wall Quilt

Quilt tester Laura Boehnke made her wall hanging warm and welcoming with color rather than texture. While the original made use of cozy wool and flannel, Laura used cotton prints and homespuns in rich inviting hues from various collections by Jo Morton for Andover Fabrics. She alternated the prints used for the appliqué foundations and corner Snowball blocks for a slightly more scrappy look.

Go to the free wall quilt pattern.

An airy Nine-Patch-style pattern in jewel-tone batiks provides ample space to showcase picture-perfect, yet achievable, quilting.

Squares and Strips Table Runner

To create an extra-long table runner (74-1/2x26-1/2"), quilt tester Laura Boehnke stitched together two side units and one center unit made from the Carnival collection for Red Rooster Fabrics. The light background provides room for quilting experimentation-try light thread for a subtle look or a black-and-red variegated thread for more pizzazz.

Go to the free table runner quilt pattern.

Expand your skill set by showcasing nine supersize blooms in a bed-size quilt's bold, 25-inch-square blocks. The flower's gentle curves are ideal for practicing needle-turn appliqué, and large stitches make hand quilting a breeze.

Oversize Flower Wall Quilt

To maintain a symmetrical look and fit two complete appliquéd swags on each side of her smaller version of Think Big, quilt tester Laura Boehnke overlapped the swags at the centers of the borders and at the corners. Geometric and floral fabrics from the Oriental Traditions 8 collection by Robert Kaufman offer subtle Asian flair to the wall hanging.

Go to the free wall hanging quilt pattern.

String together a series of colorful squares and rectangles in strategic chains to create the illusion of blocks set on point. Precut strips make the process even simpler.Buy this quilt pattern here.

Easy Row Quilt

Quilt tester Laura Boehnke cut the squares and rectangles for this quilt from an array of allover prints from Jennifer Heynen's Happy collection for In the Beginning Fabrics. When Laura constructed the 17 rows of her quilt, new patterns emerged, especially in the illusionary blocks created by the multicolor prints. For best results, space out the large-scale prints to help draw the eye around the quilt.

Go to the free quilt pattern.