#miniquilts

Flower Power

April 16, 2025 by Lisa Norton Leave a Comment

I think the people in our area, East Bay California, have been stressed to the snapping point. My son came home yesterday and told us about a guy who was “totally road-raging” on him. It scared him. A couple of weeks ago a guy got out of his car and shot another driver on Vasco road. This heavy commuter road leads right to our town. Sunday, my husband commented on how everyone at Winco was in such a bad mood. A lot is happening in the news, social media, politics, tariffs, and more. The stressors have been increasing! How is it in your area? Are you feeling the tension too?

In the 60s and 70s Flower Power was a passive resistance movement to encourage non-violence. Lora and I decided we’d dial down our stressors by giving them less attention, and focus on Flower Power. Flower Power as in sewing with our floral fabrics and floral patterns, that is!

Free Flower Pattern

Introducing our April free pattern download, Weathervane Flowers Runner. This pretty floral block runner is 20″ x 72″. If you don’t need a 6′ runner, you can always make less 12″ blocks. Click over to the 2025 Sew Along page for the free pattern download and instructions on making the runner. The link will be at the bottom of the April 15 post on the 2025 Sew Along page.

Weathervane Flower Runner Pattern by Material Girlfriends

Mini-Quilt Flower Power

We put all our floral mini-quilts at 25% off. We call our mini-quits “Bite-Size” – like a bite-size candy bar. What a sweet treat these little projects are. All our kits include the pattern. If you already have the pattern, just leave a message in the note section in the order. I can refund the pattern price back to your payment method.

This is the Sunflower Bite-Size pattern. The petal template is included in the pattern. Sunflower Bite-Size Kits are also available for $25.99 – yellow petal prints and background fabrics will vary from those shown. Buttons are not included in the kit but aren’t they too cute? And it was fun to use them out of my button box.

This is the April Showers Bite-size Pattern. The April Showers Bite-size kit is $25.99 and includes all pre-fused and pre-cut appliqué pieces. It goes together very quickly! It is a time-appropriate project too. The Bite-size hanger is not included in the kit.

This is the Poppy Bite Size pattern. The kit is available in two colorways. The appliqué pieces are pre-fused and die-cut for easy assembly. The Orange and Purple Poppy Kit is $25.99.

The Blue and Orange Poppy kit is also $25.99 and comes with pre-fused appliqué pieces.

This is the Watering Can Bite-size pattern. The Watering Can kit comes with a floral print. Add fusible web to the back and then trim out the roses and leaves. Fused in place. This Watering Can kit also has a second colorway with a dark background.

This one is included because Cherry season is right around the corner! The cherry orchards will be open soon to the many city folks coming to pick their cherries. The Cherry Bite-Size pattern and Cherry Bite-Size kits are available.

Flower Power Rosie Runner

This is one of my favorite runners to sew. It is a scrap-busting, no-rules, all-fun one to make. No paper-piecing, no templates. It is an Improv Log Cabin block. The cutting and 1/4″ seams don’t have to be accurate or even straight! We also have a Round Rosie video tutorial on YouTube if you care for some company while sewing.

Round Rosie Runner by Material Girlfriends

The Round Rosie Runner Quilt pattern also has instructions for making the runner a bed-size quilt. You can enjoy a bed of roses if you’d prefer. We use our scraps, sorted into color bags, to make the blocks. However, we do have some gorgeous fat-eighth bundles for $27.99 if you want some color to start you off.

Mitered Binding Tool

Once your Flower Power project is done and quilted, use a very cool tool to bind it. This tool was developed by one of our local quilting associates, Dana Lahargoue. The Best Binding Tool by Luv2Quilt is an excellent ruler. It helps in achieving an accurate 1/4 inch measurement. This accuracy is crucial for perfect mitered corners. Use The Best Binding Tool at each corner to ensure flawless corners every time. This ruler is perfectly priced for only $4.99.

Flower Power Patterns

We’ve put all our flower patterns on sale, 25% off. Enter FLOWERPOWER coupon code for free shipping!

Material Girlfriends Online Shop

Flower Power Coupon Code

Enter FLOWERPOWER coupon code at checkout at our online store (button above) for free shipping. Or enter FLOWERPOWER coupon code at our ETSY store (button below) and receive 25% off your entire order.

Material Girlfriends Etsy Store

I’m feeling chill, groovy, laid-back, and smiling. A little Flower Power goes a long way. Enjoy some quilting today. You’ll be surprised at how a little fabric pressing can ease the wrinkles from your brow.

Happy quilting,

New Quilt Patterns to Welcome Spring

March 15, 2025 by Lisa Norton

Lora and I have been hard at work and are thrilled to share our Spring line-up of fresh quilt patterns! Explore seasonal favorites, newly restocked kits, new fabric bundles, and inspiring designs to brighten your sewing projects.

Spring Rabbit

Pattern Type: 12″ Mini-Quilt Appliqué
Description: A charming and whimsical design for the 2025 Sew Along! Spring Rabbit brings the joys of spring to life with a delightful appliqué of a playful rabbit surrounded by blooming tulips and fresh greenery. This free pattern download is perfect for quilters who love delicate, seasonal designs with a touch of nature’s beauty. Easy to follow and create, it’s a joyful addition to any springtime décor. Spring Rabbit Kits $25.99 are available!

Click here to jump to the March 2025 Sew Along post and to download your free pattern. Enjoy detailed instructions and photos. Pattern link expires March 31, 2025. Get it while its free!

Stars & Banners

Pattern Type: Quilt of Valor
Description: Stars & Banners is a striking quilt pattern that effortlessly blends traditional charm with contemporary appeal. Featuring a dynamic arrangement of stars and flowing banner-like strips, this design offers a versatile canvas for a range of color schemes. When made with classic red, white, and blue fabrics, it becomes a powerful Quilt of Valor, honoring military service with a patriotic flair. Alternatively, by using a mix of modern colors, it transforms into a bold and stylish statement piece perfect for any contemporary setting. Whether you choose to celebrate heritage or embrace a fresh, vibrant look, the Stars & Banners quilt pattern is sure to captivate with its timeless beauty and intricate design. Pattern $11.99 and Kits are available!

Fuss & Fancy

Pattern Type: Patriotic Panel Squares Quilt
Description: For those who love a touch of elegance with their patriotism, Fuss & Fancy offers a beautiful and sophisticated take on a panel quilt. Using a panel-based design (squares are 10.5″), this pattern showcases intricate detailing, adding a “fancy” flair to the traditional red, white, and blue color scheme. The result is a quilt that’s both whimsical and patriotic—ideal for anyone looking to make a bold statement in their home décor. Pattern $14.99 , panel $8.99 or Kits available!

Seasonal Favorites

Christmas Morning Delight , Autumn Breeze , and Living in Liberty kits are back in stock!

Springtime Table Runners

Round Rosie is a scrap-busting, fun runner to make. No templates, no paper-piecing, just an easy improv Log Cabin block. Check out the Material Girlfriends Youtube channel for a tutorial.

Need a fresh bouquet? Enjoy Purple, Pink, Yellow, Orange, and Red Round Rosie fabric bundles. More than a dozen, enjoy 15 fat-eighth cuts for $27.99

Have a hopping good time with this Charming Bunny Run Table Runner. It makes such a fun, fresh, table setting for an Easter brunch. Both runners can be made from a single charm pack, plus background and border fabrics. Charming Bunny Run Table Runner $11.99

Charming Bunny Run by Material Girlfriends

Don’t forget this little cutie. This mini-quilt is an Easter favorite too. The Bunny Bite size kit is $25.99. Enjoy just the pattern for $5.99.

Explore the Shop

We have so many new and favorite patterns, kits, and lovely inspiring fabric bundles for you to see. Click through the web store and do a little ‘window shopping’. We’re sorry we are unable to ship beyond the USA. Over seas shipping has just gotten bonkers! Please browse through the Material Girlfriends Etsy store for instant downloads. If the pattern you want isn’t there, email Lisa@materialgirlfriends.com and I’ll do my best to get it on our Etsy store for you.

Material Girlfriends Shop

Material Girlfriends Etsy Store

Thanks for hanging out with us today. Perhaps, if you’re local, you can pop by the Sacramento Quilt, Craft, & Sewing Festival, March 20-22, 2025. We’ll be in booth 111-113, loaded with lovely patterns and kits. Hope to see you sewn.

Happy sewing!

I’m in a Mood

February 14, 2025 by Lisa Norton

Nope, not in a bad mood, just one of those hard-to-define moods. I need fabric to self-soothe. Have you felt the same? Have you found fabric a pacifying source? I do too. Maybe that’s why we quilt. I’ve been in an green and turquoise mood lately. What mood have you been in? You use colors to help define your feelings.

Free Download Mood

Who doesn’t like that kind of mood?! We’ve two free downloads for you. First up is our February download for our 2025 Sew Along is this charming throw size scrappy Double Irish Chain. Click on the button below and scroll to the end of the February 15 post to download this pretty quilt pattern.

2025 Sew Along

Green Mood

For the second free-down, check out our Recovery Quilt. We partnered with Rob Appell and Michael Miller Fabrics to make the Recovery Quilt pattern and Rob created the video. This was created when anxieties were super high – 2020 shelter-in-place time. Green is a natural anti-anxiety color. If your mood is sprinkled with anxiety, green is a wonderful self-soothing color.

The quilt is made of two blocks, Xs and Os, created from large Half Square Triangles. Rob used Cotton Couture solids (the solids are called out in the pattern download). Lora made this Recovery Quilt using warm and cool green batiks. The smooth Michael Miller minky on the back is soothing all on its own! I love how it feels, the color, and how it shows off Lora’s custom quilting. The pattern includes four different methods of creating the Half Square Triangles.

RecoveryQuiltPattern.PsychologyOfColor Download

An Irish Mood

Aye, Lora and I are a wee bit Irish, both sides (front and back). Though our ancestors hail from the green hills of Ireland, you don’t have to be Irish to be in an Irish Mood. If you’re feeling a wee bit Irish, we have a Shamrock Bite Size pattern, a Shamrock Kit, and an Extreme Chain Piecing video for you. You can find the pattern and kits in the Mini Quilts and Kits section of our Web store.

Mini Quilts and Kits

Shamrock/Heart Quilt PDF behind the Featherweight

3YD Charlie

If you’re feeling more than a wee-bit Irish, more like 3 yards Irish, we have 3YD Charlie Quilt Pattern and 3YD fabric kits. This pretty green quilt is made with an Irish Chain block and the Grecian Square block. Lora added white minky to the back. It is so cozy.

3YD Patterns and Kits

New Mood

What’s new in the shop? Funny. This one is green too. Introducing, Jordyn’s Chevron, $10.99. I’ll add it to our Etsy store soon for the pdf download lovers. It is a throw-size, Half Square Triangle quilt.

Current Mood

Nope, not in a bad mood, just one of those hard-to-define moods. I looked up the colors I’ve been drawn to lately, green and turquoise. I’d say my color gravitation is spot-on. The below excerpts are from our Quilters Color Therapy book. It is a Block of the Month pattern/book and explores the use of Color Psychology in Quilting.

GREEN
Green evokes security, self-reliance, tranquility, and peace. It is restful and relaxing to the human eye. It reflects healing and is an excellent anti-anxiety color. Green has positive cognitive outcomes as well. It improves memory and constructive thinking. It is found that the human eye can differentiate more shades of green than any other color. On the downside, green is associated with envy and greed.

TURQUOISE
Polls show that blue and green are America’s favorite colors and turquoise is the happy medium. It blends blue’s tranquility and green’s optimism and healing. Turquoise is the color of restfulness, tranquility, elegance, clarity of mind, and creativity. Aquamarine and turquoise have a strong connection to the color of the ocean and reflect calmness and peace. Turquoise possesses the unique quality of balance. On the downside, this is a color that can sometimes be impractical, secretive, and emotionally detached.

We are drawn to the colors that we need emotionally. Whether you realize it or not, it is highly likely that you have been practicing color therapy in your quilting at some level.

Once you’re aware of the emotional support color can have for you, as a quilter, you can take this one step further and use Color Therapy purposefully to help you process and express your feelings through your color choices in quilting even when your mood is hard to define. Page 1 from the Recovery Quilt pattern above lists colors as well.

Early January, Lora and I spent a lot of time preparing and planning our 2025 year. I have 19 new patterns I want to write in the next 10 months. We have several shows, plus new fabric manufacturer connections. Stressed? Anxious? Do I need constructive thinking, clarity of mind, and creativity? Yeah, definitely a green and turquoise mood. I’m going to go play in my fabric bins. What fabric colors will you choose to sew this week? Happy sewing everyone!

Join Our 2025 Sew Along for Free Quilt Patterns!

January 15, 2025 by Lisa Norton

Your commitment? Zero. No pressure what-so-ever. We don’t need anything from you. Isn’t that nice for a change? We don’t even need an email address unless you want the once-a-month newsletter to remind you to download your free pattern. Yes, receive 12 free patterns, once-a-month download, no cost, no commitment.

Our theme is “Home is Pieced One stitch at a Time“.

What’s the catch? I don’t think we have a catch. Maybe it is our a way to introduce you to how wonderful the Material Girlfriends Patterns are. Maybe its a way to invite you to be part of our community. Maybe we like quilters just like you. All three are true. But remember, the free pattern download link is only available from the 15th until the end of the month.

How does it work? Each month, on or close to the 15th, receive an email that the monthly free pattern download is ready (or set yourself a reminder to come back to Materialgirlfriends.com) The monthly newsletter will have a link that will bring you to the 2025 Sew Along page. Go ahead and click on it. The link is also in the header. All the information plus the free download links will be on the 2025 Sew Along page.

Introducing the free January download, My Little Cottage Quilt. It is place mat size, 20″ x 16″ and constructed with ten 4″ little houses. The pattern includes two ways to make the houses, paper-piecing and regular piecing.

My Little Cottage Quilt Kit, $25.99

Introducing a New Pattern by Material Girlfriends, Boujee

Boujee has multiple sizes and multiple layouts! Queen 88″ x 88″ (shown on the pattern cover), Throw 64”x 64″, Twin 64” x 88″, and King 112” x 112”.

Boujee is American slang for bourgeoisie, meaning a person aspiring to be higher than one’s social and economic class. The Boujee quilt is made of a simple quilt block, appearing to be more complex than it is. The clear and detailed cutting and sewing diagrams make the block assembly quick and easy! Enjoy 9 Layout Options!

Boujee Quilt Pattern $15.99

Introducing a New Kit

Open Options has long been a favorite pattern of our. It is a disappearing L block and very easy to make. It looks like you have a bunch of triangles to sew when you’re really not sewing any! Check out our basic demo tutorial on the Open Option block.

Open Options Rugged Cross Kit, $79.99

Open Options Paper Pattern $11.99

Open Options Digital Download Pattern $10

Both paper pattern and digital pattern include the new cross layout. Now Open Options has 15 different layout options!

New Video Release

We’ve Teamed up with the Missouri Star Quilt company again. They really are a great crew to work with. Natalie did a fabulous job creating a tutorial for our Wowza pattern.

Finished Size: 56″ x 71″

From the Missouri Star Quilt Company Site: There’s a magic spark between identical twins—or sew it seams. Because when Material Girlfriends Lisa & Lora start to quilt, the whole world falls in love! Their patterns are so lovely, we’ve featured FOUR in past and this week, we’re adding one more to the collection. The Wowza quilt is made with simply pieced layer cakes from Kona Cotton and Essex Linen. It’s timeless, fresh, and delightfully versatile with 13 layout options. Instructor, Natalie Earnheart

Wowza quilt pattern includes 13 layout options. Below are a few we played with before sewing the cover quilt together. Have you picked out the layout Natalie used? Which layout would you choose?

Yes we have the Navy and Cream kits in stock, $79.99. Kits include all the fabric for the front, binding, and the Wowza pattern. Kits do not include backing and batting.

Wowza Kit, $79.99

Road to California Show

The Road to California show is right around the corner! January 22-25 in Ontario, California. We were assured the LA fires are not close enough to affect the show. We will be fully set up in booth 318/320, right next to Connecting Threads. We hope to see you there!

Happy sewing!

2024 is Feeling Good

January 13, 2024 by Lisa Norton

“It’s a new dawn, It’s a new day, It’s a new life for me. And I’m feeling good.” ― Nina Simone

Michael Bublé is singing to me “Feeling Good“. It’s my new 2024 theme song. I love fresh starts, don’t you? It’s a new year and I’m feeling good. We’ve a lot of new beginning for the first month of 2024! Join us in Feeling Good.

First, join our 2024 Sew Along

Whoohoo! The year has begun! January starts off with not just one free 3YD pattern, but TWO!! The 3YD Echo will be a free pattern download all year. No matter what month you jump into this Sew Along, you’ll already have a free download pattern to start. The January download is 3YD Alpha. Click over to the 2024 3YD Quilt Series Sew Along page to get the download and view all the possibilities with this fun, easy, and versatile quilt block.

3YD Echo

3YD ALPHA

Second, join us on a 2025 Quilting Cruise

That’s right!! But it isn’t until April 2025. Check out all the details at Stitchin’ Heaven. Our husbands are coming with us. You can choose to room with a quilting buddy or bring your non-quilting sidekick. We may have to have a Quilters Enabler Support Group while we sew, lol! Plan on having an amazing cruise with us. Oh, and when you register, be sure to write in that the Material Girlfriends sent you. We get a little $ for each recommendation so we can purchase prizes for our participants! Sawheet!

Third, join us for our Annual Mystery Zoom Class

Introducing our 10th Mystery quilt! Watch the video to see all the previous mysteries. The recipe is the same for each mystery, 24 dark 10″ squares and 24 light 10″ squares, plus optional border fabric. We will be teaching this at In Between Stitches February 17, Delta Quilters Guild (members only) February 19, and via Zoom February 18. The Zoom class will be held February 18, 2024, 1pm-4pm Pacific Time and is just $30. Zoom class size is limited. Mystery Kits available in Navy and Cream batiks – same fabrics as our gorgeous sample quilt that Lora is dying to show you. She is so bad about keeping a secret! Don’t text her, she’s weak.

View the past 9 mystery workshops. Can you believe this is our 10th?!

Fourth, will you be my Valentine?

Are you a romantic? We’ve got some cute Valentine influenced projects, cause we know how you feel (I’m still singing with Bublé). Tea time with a grand baby? or a pretty runner for brunch with your quilting tribe? Check out the Cups of Love kit and patterns. We also have a lot of our kits back in stock. Thank you very much for shopping Material Girlfriends during the holiday season. We really, really appreciated it. You know how we feel.

A Charming Cup of Love Runner kit, $59.99 (includes fabric for both runners in the Charming Cup of Love pattern plus the pattern) or A Charming Cup of Love Runner pattern $11.99.

A Cup of Love kit, mini 19″ table topper, $19.99, includes the pattern.

Don’t forget to purchase your “I Love Me” present. Shop generously at

https://www.materialgirlfriendsshop.com and https://materialgirlfriends.etsy.com

Finally, find us at a Quilt Show

Come find us January 17-20 in Ontario CA at the Road to California Show, Booth #317-319. Lora, Diana, Mom (Carolyn), and I would love to see you!

Come find us February 2-4 in Folsom CA at the Folsom Quilt and Fiber Show, Booth #12. Sooo good to be back to this one.

Come find us February 29-March 3 in Puyallup WA at the Sew & Stitchery Expo, don’t know my booth # yet. This will be our second year at this show. We had sew much fun last year. We met lots of new vendors and customers. We hope to see you there as well. We’ll be praying for no crazy snow storms this time! Oi, I have lots of new gray hair from last year’s road trip.

As always, if you have questions please feel free to reach out. Email me at lisa@materialgirlfriends.com Oh, and if the sign up banner doesn’t show up for you and you’re using a tablet, try rotating the tablet from horizontal to vertical or visa-versa. Weirdly enough that seems to do the trick and the Join Our Tribe banner will magically show up at the top of the page. I throw my hands up into the air. I don’t get it either. Thanks for joining our tribe!

It’s a new dawn, It’s a new day, It’s a new life, for you and me. And I’m feeling good.

Happy Sewing,

Lisa Norton and Lora Zmak

Spring has Sprung!

April 20, 2023 by Lisa Norton

Last month we were whining about the rain. Thankfully, March came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. Now the sun is shining. We’re warming up. Trees and flowers are blooming… Oh. My. Goodness. I heard the pollen cloud can be seen from space! lol. The flowering is abundant and not just outside. We’ve had a lovely time with flower runners and quilts too. Check out the productive time we had with this recent class of the Round Rosie Runner. Aren’t they lovely!? And no itchy eyes and runny nose.

Learn how to make this fun runner by watching the video. Use your scraps to create this fun project. Round Rosie Fabric bundles are available online at Material Girlfriends shop. Get an instant download pattern on our Etsy store Round Rosie. or purchase a paper pattern at the Material Girlfriends Shop.

Mother’s Day is Coming

Hint. Hint. What a lovely gift a Rosie Runner or a Charming Cup of Love Runner would be for any lovely mum. Runners are thoughtful, quick, and useful gifts.

Or make a lovely Kitchen Quilt. Kitchen Quilts have multiple uses. They vary in size, generally from 6″ to 12″. Sometimes they’re square. Sometimes they’re rectangles. No matter their shape or size, these small quilts are very useful. They cushion pyrex, or teflon pans, keep eggs from rolling off the counter, and protect cold glass refrigerator shelves from hot leftovers. They are a mini placemat when having a bowl of soup or a yummy snack. Oh, and they make good pot holders too. What do you use your Kitchen Quilts for? The I Love Us in May block would be a perfect Kitchen Quilt gift for Mother’s Day. The pattern is a FREE download for 90 days. Click the link in the previous sentence or click the I Love Us Sew Along tab above. Scroll down to the bottom to download the FREE lovely 12″ block. Sew, quilt, and bind for a quick pretty Kitchen Quilt for mom or for yourself. Who are we kidding? Mom can make her own.