Today we’re continuing with the third block of The Ultimate Beginner Quilt. It’s called Picture Window, and we are sew excited to show you how to make it!
The Ultimate Beginner Quilt is a free quilt pattern series with video tutorials designed just for beginners. Even if you have zero sewing experience, this is the free quilt class for you! If you’re ready to get sewing, gather your fabrics and sewing tools and watch the free quilting tutorial below!
If reading this in email, click this link to watch the video.
In the Block 3 tutorial, Kimberly covers the basics of making the Picture Window block, which is a simple Courthouse Steps block. Learn best practices for pinning the fabric for better accuracy and nested seams. Download your FREE pattern for Block 3. For the full video and all the patterns released so far, please visit the introduction post.
Kimberly made her version with Bella Solids by Moda Fabrics, and we even have The Ultimate Beginner Quilt Kit with all the fabrics and backing included to make it easy for you. The quilt can also be made in other colors and fabrics found at Fat Quarter Shop. You can refer to this downloadable PDF for Fabric Requirements & Coloring Sheets to plan yours.
For those just starting out, we’ve collected some of our favorite top-quality notions in The Ultimate Sewing Notions Kit to give you a good start on your quilting journey. The kit contains some must-haves that are always at our sewing table.
Here are the Picture Window blocks made in different colorways by our wonderful FQS staffers.
Click on the photos below to enlarge the image:
We have some awesome quilty friends quilting with us!
Check out their blogs and follow them on social media for inspiration and tips.
| Pat Sloan | Mister Domestic | Brittany Clark |
| Gina of Thread Graffiti | Tracie of Riceford Streams | The Real Housewives of Cross Stitch Priscilla & Chelsea |
| Karin of Blue Pip Designs | Linden of vinelines | Rebecca of OneWeeBird |
| Ange of A Little Patchwork |
Keep up with The Ultimate Beginner Quilt Sew Along!
If this is your first time participating in a sew along, it’s easy. You can follow along at home with us as we sew the quilt. With each new video and pattern release you can sew those elements, too. Be sure to follow along with The Ultimate Beginner Quilt Sew Along on Facebook, and Instagram, and share your progress on Instagram or Facebook with #ultimatebeginnerquilt and #myfirstquilt, or comment on our blog or video with your quilting questions.
Subscribe to our Beginner Quilt Newsletter for occasional updates and special offers created for the beginner quilter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss a video.
Take the Challenge!
We’re offering a special prize ($50 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop) to one person who posts the graphic below to their social media account (either Instagram or Facebook).
Prize entries and details:
- Share it to Facebook or Instagram (Sorry, but sharing within a Facebook group does not count!)
- Your account(s) need to be public so I can see it
- Use the #ultimatebeginnerquilt hashtag with it
- Tag @fatquartershop so we can easily find it
- Prize entries open between August 1 and August 25, 2019 at 11:59 PM CST.
- Winner announced September 5, 2019.
- Prize open internationally
Do you have any sewing safety tips you go by? Leave a comment below to let us know those are.
Stay tuned for next week’s blog and video! On Thursday, August 29, we’ll cover Block 4, Half-Square Triangle Four Patch.
Happy Quilting!
Stay connected to FQS!
8 comments
I just finished making Block 3 . Your video was wonderful thank you. Please tell me you have plans for making your second quilt! I love this series and I like that you are doing it every week.
Thank you, Gabriella! Who knows, maybe this could be the start of more beginner quilts?! It’s great to know people are learning a lot from it.
I must be below beginner. Video and instructions were easy to follow, however first attempt came up much smaller then 12 1/2 x 12 1/2, tore it out, remeasured pieces, recut some that were too stretched out and sewed again, again very unbalanced. My 3rd try is much closer to finished size but had to sew smaller then 1/4” seams. And went and bought more fabric for future blocks. Frustrating. How critical will it be that finished blocks are exactly 12 1/2 square?
Hi Kk, Did you watch the video where Kimberly shows how to test out your 1/4″ seam? https://youtu.be/AzDnqgvvSF8?t=744 Try that on some scrap fabric. But ultimately, if your square comes in around 12″, that’s going to be okay, too. Consistency is more important than perfection in this case. It’s likely that your 1/4″ seam is wider than 1/4″, and that all your squares will end up being smaller than 12.5″.
kate, thank you so much for your reply. I had not seen that video and have since watched and will test my seam size tho I use a presser foot with a 1/4′ guide (at least advertised as such). Also a bit of relief on the finished size. It will be devastating after doing all 12 blocks if I am unable to finish it due to this sizing issue.
12 1/2 is the size but as long as you make all of your blocks the same size, say 12 1/4 it will work fine and you can have a completed quilt. Don’t give up. It is a great hobby and if this is your first quilt it’s a great way to learn. Yoou will get better with each quilt square you make. Just keep going.