Hi there, fellow quilters and quilt enthusiasts! I'm thrilled to finally reveal the details of my newest pattern, Stagecoach. It's a classic block-based design that beautifully combines chains and stars into a single dynamic block.
Here's what you need to know to get started:
- The pattern includes instructions to make both limited color and multi-color versions.
- The multi-color option is fat quarter friendly, which is perfect for those lovely bundles of fabric. Using a fat quarter bundle, either a mix of different collections curated by a local shop or a factory cut bundle from a single collection, is a fantastic option if you are stuck on what colors and prints to choose (aka let someone else do the picking for you!).
- The limited color option is designed for yardage. You will pick 3 colors for the chains and stars, 1 color for the accent/center squares, and 1 color for the background, adding up to 5 colors in total. If you are stuck on picking colors, perhaps start with one "star" color/print, that is, your favorite fabric that you NEED to have in your quilt. Once you have that 1 color/print selected, you can choose 2 colors/prints that compliment and coordinate and 1 accent color. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to making your own Stagecoach quilt!
- 4 sizes to be made, from baby to a generous bed size quilt. Additionally, Stagecoach is block-based, allowing for easy customization of the size by adding or subtracting rows/columns of blocks. You will need to determine the amount of additional fabric required, but the pattern includes the requirements per block as a reference.
- The pattern includes 3 pages of mock-ups filled with examples of Stagecoach quilts in various colorways. Plus, a coloring page is provided so you can get an idea of what your quilt will look like once assembled.
Below, I'll list the fabrics I used for my sample quilts (I'll share pattern tester quilts in another post- they're absolutely stunning and deserve their own dedicated post!)
The Original One
For the first sample of the Stagecoach quilt, I went with a combination of bright, eye-popping colors from Robert Kaufman's Kona cotton solids collection to make a multi-color lap size quilt. The lap size finishes at 54" x 54", making it a pretty quick sew.
I used the following Kona cotton fat quarters for the foreground:
- Lt Parfait
- Mango
- Salmon
- Violet
- Candy Pink
- Pearl Pink
- Petal
- Lavender
- Grellow
- Curry (accent color, aka center square of each block)
I chose Kona Charcoal for the background fabric; it's the perfect canvas for the bold, vibrant colors in the foreground to add a punch contrast without being overly stark-black.
The Valentine's Day One
Honestly, I had a real tough time picking colors for my next Stagecoach quilt sample. I was dead set on making it in the Throw size, but I was totally stuck in analysis paralysis mode trying to come up with a color scheme. At that point, I consulted with my quilty friend, Jesse (@imperfectquilting), who suggested a Valentine's Day theme of reds and pinks. Although I'm not a big fan of the color red in general, I started choosing fat quarters in different shades of reds and pinks. As I went along, I became more and more enthusiastic and inspired by the colors, and before I knew it, I was ironing and cutting into fabrics.
Ultimately, I am SO happy I followed Jesse's advice and went with this punchy mix of reds, pinks, and purples. It gives the quilt a stunning, kaleidoscopic effect that keeps the eye buzzing around from one print to the next!
If you want to make a Valentine's themed Stagecoach quilt for yourself, here is the list of fat quarters I used for the foreground fabric:
- Kona Cotton in Valentine
- Robert Kaufman (RK) Mammoth Jr Flannel in Lupine
- RK Mammoth Jr Flannel in Strawberry
- Ruby Star Society (RSS) Strawberry & Friends in Miniberry- Peony
- RSS Strawberry & Friends in Strawberry- Daisy
- RSS Strawberry & Friends in Strawberry Seeds- Daisy
- RSS Pixel in Berry
- RSS Pixel in Lupine
- RSS Pixel in Playful
- RSS Petunia in Sprigs- Flamingo
- RSS Speckled in Metallic- Scarlet
- RSS Twirl in Metallic- Fire
- RSS Heirloom in Star Shine- Warm Red
- Alison Glass Hopscotch in Orchid
- Tula Pink Monkey Wrench in Ribbit- Mango
- Tula Pink Monkey Wrench in Parrot Prattle- Mango
- RK Kitchen Window Wovens in Watermelon (for the accent color, aka center square of each block)
The pattern calls for 2-3/4 yd of background fabric for the throw size, but I wanted to go super scrappy. Instead of yardage, I used a mix of low volume fat quarters and scrap yardage. I can’t remember the names of all, but I will try my best:
- RSS Lil in Pocket Posy- Buttercream
- RSS Twirl in Buttercream
- RSS Sugar Cone in Ripple- Natural
- RSS Sugar Cone in Ripple- Light Neon Pink
- RSS Add It Up in Neon Pink
- RSS white background with small pink flowers... Not sure what collection it's from since it's an older print, but a good substitute print would be RSS Sugar Cone in Cherries- Flamingo Pink
- Art Gallery Fabrics (AGF) Little Town in Snowdrift Joy
- AGF Gayle Lorraine in Always Together
- Alison Glass white background with neon pink drawings...Not sure exactly what print it is, but I'm pretty certain that it's from the Sun Print Luminance collection
- Neon pink polka dot on white background - no clue what it is, but a good substitute would be Tula Pink True Colors in Tiny Dots- Cosmic
- Dear Stella Nutcracker in Biased in Blush
Do you have ideas for another Stagecoach quilt? I need help picking a different colorway. Message me your thoughts!
Until next time,
Catie