Under Constructions. I’ll be adding more info and images this week.
Welcome! We’re so excited for you to join us on this 2025 quilting adventure. Our theme is “Home is Pieced One stitch at a Time“.
What to Expect
Each month, on or close to the 15th, receive an email that the monthly free pattern download is ready. That link will bring you to this page.
The free pattern download will be available on this page from the 15th until the end of the month. After the end of the month, the new pattern will be available as PDF pattern from our Etsy Store for 50% off for a limited time or purchase the paper pattern from our online store at materialgirlfriendsshop.com Get it while it’s free!
- Download a full-color pattern with step-by-step instructions and colorful diagrams.
- See double-up options for making it bigger.
- View scrappy versions and various color-ways of the monthly pattern.
- Enjoy a few Youtube tutorials for techniques and tools (varies per month/pattern).
- Enjoy the Material Girlfriends Quilting Gang Facebook group page. Share your progress and encourage others https://www.facebook.com/groups/552341818942394
- Material Girlfriends Quilting Gang group page is a political post free-zone. All posts not quilt related will be deleted. Spam adverts are banned. Report violators to administrators, please.
What patterns will be included in the 2025 Sew Along ?
We have rolled up our sleeves and created a new, fun line-up of quilt projects for your home. These are not in cement, mind you, and may trade positions depending on our busy calendar. We’ll have six new 3YD quilt patterns, three new runner patterns, one new place mat pattern, one new mini (Bite Size) pattern, and one scrappy throw. We mixed them all up and sprinkle throughout the year.
- January – My Little Cottage Quilt Pattern. Bonus! This pattern will be FREE to download all year.
- February – Scrappy Throw size quilt pattern
- March – Mini appliqué quilt pattern
- April – Runner quilt pattern
- May – 3YD quilt pattern
- June – 3YD quilt pattern
- July – Runner quilt pattern
- August – 3YD quilt pattern
- September – 3YD quilt pattern
- October – Runner quilt pattern
- November – 3YD quilt pattern
- December – 3YD quilt pattern
Community Quilt Opportunity
The community quilt part is optional. I intend to make a couple 3YD quilts as donation quilts. You can make these 3YD quilts for your grandkids, neighbor kids, aging parents, or a cozy tv throw for yourself! Plus the other projects make great gifts.
How many monthly quilt projects will you make? All twelve, six out of twelve, every other, three out of twelve? Make a personal goal. I plan on making all twelve with at least four of those donated as community quilts. We’ll see if I can keep up! I want to work through my stash so my projects may be scrappier than the fabric requirements. If you run out of fabric, (wink wink), we’ll have project kits available at the quilt shows we’re vending or visit MaterialGirlfriendsShop.com
Where are you feeling led to give a warm blanketed hug? Babies? Children? Seniors? Victims? Teens? Orphans? Foster care? Veterans? Teen Challenge? The list seems endless. We’d love to know where you will send your quilts. If you don’t know where to send them, just visit the Facebook link above and ask the group. You’ll get plenty of options.
Invite Your Quilting Buddies
Invite your quilting friends because these are awesome pattern downloads and they’ll not want to miss out! Create your own Community Quilting Crew. Make the monthly quilt projects together. Sewing is sew much fun when done in a small group.
January 15
Let it begin! Introducing My little Cottage Quilt. This cute pattern has instructions for a place mat size quilt. It would be cute as a center-piece quilt for your table too. I love these little houses. I tell you the truth, scouts-honor, I’ve already made 96 of these little houses and I want to make more. I see you scrolling through the web, looking up “Quilters Looney Bin” to have me committed. Well, its an unlisted number. Oh, wait! I just looked it up and there is a Looney Bin Quilting in Florida. I have found my tribe.
Is this a paper-pieced or a regular pieced pattern?
Both. You can choose your preferred method. Personally, I love paper-piecing. I have a video tutorial if you’re new to paper-piecing, a bit rusty, or would like company as you sew.
At first, I found paper-piecing crazy confusing. After failed attempts at learning the technique. I went to the University of Youtube. I watched several different paper-piecing videos (aka foundation piecing) and combined a few of the techniques and create my own method. My method doesn’t waste a lot of fabric, has easier fabric placement, fast, and accurate. However, if you have a method that works for you, don’t let me slow you down or mess with your mojo. There are so many roads that lead to paper-piecing Rome.
(Youtube video)
If you want to try paper-peicing, cut fabric for one house. The fabric sizes are in the pattern download. Give it a go. There are lots of video tutorials out there. If my method doesn’t work well with your brain, watch a few different methods! I’m sure there is a method that will work for you too.
Regular Pieced Houses
Not too tough, but they are tiny. The house block will measure 4 1/2″ after sewing it together. It will be 4″ Finished Size (in the quilt without the seam allowance measured). You’ll make Flying Geese for the roofs. When constructing the house, be sure to have an accurate 1/4″ seam. Go slow, and have fun! Regular-pieced houses and paper-pieced houses are the same size.
What Colors will You Choose?
At the time that we selected the My Little Cottage Quilt as our January download, we had no idea that Missouri Star Quilt Company was including a House pattern and fabric in the 2024 Christmas box. I’m going to make a Christmas set of My Little Cottage Quilt. I just check MSQC’s site and alas, no little door fabric available yet. I’ll keep you posted. The fabric is so cute.
Think about using holiday or seasonal fabrics.
Lora did make kits. The kit is the same fabric in the pattern cover image and makes one My Little Cottage quilt and includes the red heart-shaped buttons.
Scrappy Version
Every January, Lora and I take a deep breath and dive into our sewing rooms. We deep clean, sort bins, tidy fabrics, organized projects, make our lists, and swear we aren’t buying more fabric until we make a dent in our current stock. My Little Cottage Quilt is perfect for scraps. How many bins of little scraps do you have. None? Seriously? Oh… well… Looney Bin, again.
Super-size Me
Let’s make more than 10 houses. Let’s make a village, a town, or maybe a city of little houses!
You’re right if you had thought these little houses looked familiar. They are the same house that I had designed for our Living in Liberty pattern.
Let’s Get Sewing!
Click below to download your copy of the My Little House Quilt Pattern. Send your friends to collect their free downloads too. This free download will expire, December 31, 2025. Yes, this one is special. It will be a free download all year.
Link coming soon.
