FREE CHICKEN (Quilt Patterns!)

LOL.. you had us at FREE CHICKEN!  Here are the 12 BEST free chicken quilt patterns. Use them to make a cute mug rug, pillow, table topper, or wall hanging.  Download your favorites TODAY!  To go to a pattern: Scroll down the page until you see the quilt you like, then click on the words "CLICK for PDF download" in the title above the quilt.

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!     

Happy Hen mini quilt or pillow, 16" square, free pattern by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs (CLICK for PDF download). 

Henhouse pillows, 10.5 x 15.5", free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Henhouse quilt, 68 x 83", free pattern at Tilda's World (CLICK for PDF download)

Chicken Placemat, free pattern by Renate Bieber for Sulky International (CLICK for PDF download)(written in German but you can use an AI assistant to translate!)

Henrietta Chicken, Block 1 of the Hen Party BOM by Jacquelynne Steves (CLICK for pattern page) + (CLICK for PDF download)

Cat's Rooster, free paper pieced pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK for pattern)

Sitting Hen, free paper pieced pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK for pattern) 

Pieced chicken block, free tutorial at The Objects of Design (CLICK for tutorial)

 Hen Peck wall hanging, free pattern at Hoffman California Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Jaunty Rooster, 36 x 45", free pattern by Benartex (CLICK for PDF download) 

No time to make your own?  Check out this beautiful FINISHED wall hanging [for sale as of this writing] by Quilts With Style at Etsy: 

Chicken pillow, free Farm Babies pattern by Casey York for Windham Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Just Us Chickens quilt, 32" quilt, free pattern by Swirly Girl for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

Folk Art chicken, 10" x 11", free pattern by Annie Lippincott for All People Quilt (CLICK for description) + (CLICK for PDF download; the chicken project starts on page 4)

 Kitschy Chicky Table Set or Wall Quilt, free patterns by Marinda Stewart for Michael Miller Fabrics (CLICK for PDF - quilt) + (CLICK for PDF - table set) - includes templates for the chicken & rooster, tableware, and hearts

 

Chicken Coop quilt, 48 x 64", free pattern at Moda Fabrics (CLICK for PDF download)

 Flock Party, 58 x 70", free pattern by Denise Russell for Dear Stella Design (CLICK for PDF download)

 

 

Image credits:  Individual images are copyrighted by their owners. Please respect their generosity in sharing their free patterns, and the restrictions they have placed on the use of these designs; complete information can be found at the designers' websites provided in the links. If any links are broken, we'd love to know so we can fix it. Please email us at QuiltInspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.

FREE Paper Pieced Peeps Patterns!

Peeps are marshmallow candies shaped like chicks, bunnies, and other animals, produced since 1953. Here are FREE paper pieced Peeps patterns with zero calories! :-)  Many thanks to Jennifer Ofenstein - the queen of paper piecing - for these patterns.

p.s. Please visit our E-Bay shop for great bargains on jewelry, clothing, and collectibles! For blog highlights and free patterns, follow us on Twitter!      

Peeps Bunnies, free pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK)

Make a whole bunch of Peeps Bunnies to make a 10″ (finished) block, or make just one for a 2 1/2″ x 5″ finished Peep Bunny!

Peeps Chicks, free pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked (CLICK)

These chicks come in 2 sizes, 2.5″ x 5″ (finished) and 5″ x 10″ (finished). Make one or make a flock!

If you're not familiar with Jennifer Ofenstein's work, check out Sew Hooked for tons of quilt inspiration, free patterns and tutorials (CLICK HERE!) 

Quilt Fiesta! The annual Tucson Quilters Guild show (5)

It's quilt show time!  The annual Quilt Fiesta, held by the Tucson Quilters Guild in Arizona, is an outstanding show. Here are more of our favorite photos.

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectible items. For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Braided Star by Kathie Miller, quilted by Nancy Stein

Kathie Miller says, "This one-time free download from Angela Walters used a binding tool to make the trapezoids that form the braids, making that part of the construction simple. (Pattern source: Braided Star by Angela Walters.) Putting it all together was a bit of another story but once it all came together, the result was pretty stunning." We agree!

Fluffy by Linda Cote

This fantastic collaged quilt was based on the Doodle-Doo Rooster applique pattern by Laura Heine. We love Linda Cote's choice of colorful florals to create this whimsical bird!

Truffle Duffel by Suzanne McLean, quilted by Nubin Minerd

This gorgeous wool applique quilt has multiple ribbons, including a Judge's Recognition award.  It was based on Sue Spargo's 2021 bock-of-the-month program.  The wool background was hand appliqued with a variety of mushroom designs done in wool and cotton. These were extensively embellished with a variety of stitches done with decorative threads. Some of the beautiful details can be seen in the closeup photo below.

Slot Canyon Shadows by Natalie Furrey

This quilt is amazing. Winner of the Exemplary Piecing award, plus a 2nd place Viewers Choice award, this masterpiece was created with an original set of traditional quilt blocks. Natalie Furrey says, "This quilt was inspired by trips to Northern Arizona's slot canyons, a photograph by Michael Fatali, and the colors of northern Arizona.  For the curious - the pieces were counted to be 11,362. [The] time invested to complete [this quilt] was 3 continuous years."  Wow.

Welcome Wagon by Ruth Murray Hill, quilted by Carol Gutierrez

Is there anything more cheerful than a yo yo quilt?  To create this quilt, 620 handmade yo-yos were attached to machine-pieced quilt blocks.  Ruth Murray Hill says that the pattern was from Kim Diehl's Simple Graces book.  This must have been fun to create!

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2023 Tucson Quilters Guild show.

Fall Into Fall !

We love the warm and cozy look of folk art quilts ! Many are done in autumn colors and primitive styles.  Here are some outstanding quilts that remind us of days gone by.  This post is titled Fall Into Fall after the first quilt, which is rendered in beautiful fall colors.  We hope you enjoy today's quilts!

p.s. Check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectible items ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Fall Into Fall by Yvonne Carter

Yvonne Carter says, "I love fall colors and enjoyed every minute working on this quilt." She fell in love with the picture in Kim Diehl's book, Simple Harvest, and knew that she must make this quilt.  It is part applique and part pieced, and is both hand- and machine-quilted by Yvonne herself.  The pattern is in the book Simple Harvest: A Bounty of Scrappy Quilts and More, available at Amazon and other sources.

In Full Bloom by Marianne Michaels, quilted by Ramona Sorensen

Colorful birds, flowers, butterflies, and a large vase of cut flowers serve as the dominant theme in this stunning quilt, winner of Honorable Mention at the 2019 Springville (Utah) quilt show.  The fibers in this quilt include a combination of wool, cotton, linen and silks.  Marianne Michaels hand dyed many of the wool applique fabrics.  In Full Bloom received Honorable Mention at the Springville show.

This quilt is heavily embellished by hand with a variety of cotton and silk threads; in the closeup photos you can see Marianne's many creative stitches and French knots. The In Full Bloom pattern, by Sue Spargo, is available at Amazon and other sources.

Not So aLone Star by Tamara Johnson, quilted by Lynn Peterson

Lone Star is a traditional Amish quilt design, and many examples are included in the collection of the Folk Art Museum. Tamara Johnson received an Award of Excellence for her Not So aLone Star, which she designed as she prepared to teach a Lone Star Color Theory and Technique class.  She says,  "The experience was challenging and rewarding, and I'm very happy with how this quilt - and others made with the same resources - turned out."

Chanticleer and Company by Laura Brown, quilted by Kim Peterson

We love the color scheme in this delightful quilt. The whimsical roosters, hens, and baby chicks are given a realistic flair by the use of chicken wire-print fabric in the background of the blocks. Laura Brown embellished the edges of the applique pieces with many different decorative stitches, as shown in the closeup photo below.  The Chanticleer and Company quilt pattern is by Nancy Barrett at With Needle and Thread.

Berry Blossoms by Monette Klinkenberg

Monette Klinkenberg created Berry Blossoms with an array of beautiful prints in hues of orange, brown, green, and pale blue gray.  The flower motifs are fused and machine appliqued and adorned with yo yo's in complementary colors.  Monette quilted her creation herself using sswirls and, in the flying geese border, heart motifs. The quilt pattern, designed by Kim Diehl, is available at the American Patchwork and Quilting shop.

If you're inspired by folk art quilts, you may want to check out our recent Free Pattern Day for Folk Art Quilts, including free patterns by Kim Diehl and other top designers !

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Springville Museum Quilt Show (Utah).

Welcome to Modern Quilt Month ! part 4

We're celebrating Modern Quilt Month at Q.I., and we couldn't be more excited about these fun quilts!  So, what makes a quilt modern? According to The Modern Quilt Guild, the characteristics may include the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast, graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, and expansive negative space.  This is the fourth of five feature posts.

Note: please check out our E-Bay shop for great bargains on quilt patterns and collectibles ! For continuous free quilt patterns, please visit us on Twitter !

Angles by Penny Morris

Penny notes, "This quilt top is made entirely of silk. [It was] inspired by exercises in Jean Wells' book Intuitive Color and Design. 

Penny quilted this beautiful work herself. These rich, color-saturated fabrics in cool hues, complemented by elegant gold accents all work perfectly together. 

My Rooster by Mona Adams

Mona explains, "This design is by Helen Godden, called Year of the Rooster. The rooster is painted on fabric and embellished with fabric applique. This is my first endeavor into the world of painting on fabric."

Mona herself quilted this very eye-catching, intriguing work. All of the varied quilting patterns really  add a three-dimensional look to this contemporary project.

Guiding Star by Hildegard Pressesky

Hildegard states, "This small quilt ( size 28" x 36") was made in memory of  [fellow quilter] Carol Current , who left me the triangular scraps and who taught me so much about life, friendship, and quilting. [It is] machine pieced and hand quilted."   We admire the lovely workmanship and precision that went into Heildgard's thoughtul work.

Emiliania Huxleyi by Frances Murphy

Red ribbon second place winner in the category of Best Art Abstract quilts, Frances writes, "Emiliania Husleyi was inspired by the Emiliania Huxleyi algae in our ocean that not only help in the formation of could cover and precipitation, but also absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere."

Frances herself quilted this fascinating and original work, with the striking aqua hombre background fabric which provides a very realistic image of sunlight shining into the water from above.

Classy Clams by Penny Morris

Third place yellow ribbon winner in the category of  Best Hand-Quilted Quilts, Penny says, "The top is 100% silk. It is hand embroidered and hand quilted."

Clamshell pieces in these pretty and restful hues are the perfect design motif for showcasing all the different stitches here. We always enjoy seeing fabulous handwork like Penny has accomplished on this project.

Image credits:  Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2019 Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association show (Guiding Star) and the 2019 Quilt Arizona show (all others.)