I want to make a simple quilt top using white squares and a bunch of different color/print squares. I have no ideas -- I just want to sew! And I don't want to buy any new fabric.

I have enough different fabrics to make a charm quilt. I can't decide whether to just make a top full of squares or whether to add sashing and corners. That's all I can think of. I've looked through my books and have found patterns that use simple white/color blocks, but they all want me to make hourglass blocks or snowball blocks or flying geese, etc. etc. That'd be cool, but I'd have to buy fabric.

Any ideas? What have you done to make a simple quilt top more interesting? Or should I just go with the squares?

The other reason I'm doing this is because I absolutely love quilting squares 1/4 inch around the inside of the squares. I love that look.

Auntie Pam, I've always thought that some of the simplest patterns make very pretty quilts. Like a nine patch, alternating with plain squares. Especially if you can do nice quilting in the plain ones. Or even a four patch.

I'm not sure what this is called, and there's probably a more efficient way to piece it, but it could be done with squares.

I wasn't sure if you wanted your colored squares to be all different, but if not, trip around the world can be pretty stunning, too.

I know you know a lot more about quilts than I do, but I hope these might help jump-start your creativity!

Brilliant suggestions Pauli I think the Trip Around The World would be fast and give you lots of satisfaction A tip I was given was to lay the squares out on the bed until I was happy with the way they looked I do hope you have fun with this Please show us pics, if you can, of whatever you decide to make Most of all have fun
Jacqui

I made a 9 patch with plain wht sqaures inbetween and it turned out real nice, I made the top for someone and she was going to quilt different motifs in each plain square, I think it was a great idea. The 9 patch blocks I made were scrappy, very eye catching.
Good luck with your final project.

Pam, you can also put a twist on the 9 patch, and making a disappearing 9 patch. Easy and lots of fun to make.

http://quiltsatcs.blogspot.com/2007/04/disappearing-9-patch-tutorial.html

Good luck,

Dorian

I knew you folks would have great ideas! Those photos are all lovely.

I've never done applique but the border in Pauli's first photo looks easy enough for a beginner. I think I'll do a simple 9-patch and try the applique border.

I've made a disappearing 9 patch. Gosh, it was fun. I want to try a Trip Around the World someday.

Put your squares together any way you want....then do some applique.
You could do sunflowers made from dresden plates with stalks and leaves, any kind of flowers, kites, whatever you want to fit a theme.

How about adding a big YoYo piece in the middle of each white square? You could still quilt your 1/4 inch around the inside of the square and have a little pizazz in the middle. Or what about a frayed edge flower?

You could always use your simple blocks in the center of the quilt and then do a border of vines and flowers! You could applique the vine and flowers, by hand or machine. That always punches up a simpe block!

Betty

Sunflowers would be nice! I think I'll check at my quilt shop and see if they offer any applique lessons.

From what I've seen on TV, it's basically cutting pieces and laying them on a foundation -- like fusible web -- and then stitching around the edges to make them "stick".