Why is it that when I need to make a new quilt, my mind starts creating new patterns instead of using ones that are already out there? Its a problem. I’m working on it 😉

You might recall the first version of Chipped Stacks, and now it’s time to share the tutorial! This quilt is SUPER FAST and very easy, especially if you have a 10″ stacker lying around. I used 11 fat quarters for the baby gift quilt, but this tutorial and printable pattern uses the stacker.

Materials:

  • 1 10″ fabric stacker (mine is Fossil Rim 2 by Deena Rutter for Riley Blake Designs), or 11 Fat Quarters
  • 1 yard contrast fabric, or if using scraps, (64) 4″ squares.

Begin by separating your stacker, and pick 33 prints to use for the quilt top. Then, cut each print in half, 5″ x 10″. If you have a DIRECTIONAL PRINT, make sure the design ends up in a LANDSCAPE orientation, or wide instead of tall. If using fat quarters, cut (6) 5″ x 10″ pieces from each Fat Quarter, taking care on directional prints to orient cuts correctly. From either fabric source, you will need a total of 65 pieces.

Next, cut your contrast fabric into (64) 4″ squares. I used some of the low volume stacker prints for these too, just to add some scrappy interest. On the wrong side of the 4″ squares, draw a line along the diagonal for piecing later.

Next, arrange the blocks! This might feel a little backward, since you haven’t sewn anything yet, but it will help if you care about block placement 😉 The layout is 13 rows, and 5 columns. Once you get your rows all figured out, it is time to sew the “chipped corners” onto every other block.

Columns 1, 3, and 5 will have contrast fabric in the bottom corners of every other block (starting the second block down), and columns 2 and 4 will have contrast fabric in their top corners (starting at the top block). It is easy for me to think in columns here instead of rows so I don’t have to think of as many numbers ;). I didn’t pay attention on a few blocks and sewed the corners on the wrong end of some directional prints- learn from my mistake and pay attention! You’ll see in a moment what I mean.

One column at a time, sew the contrast fabric to the appropriate corners. I used Diagonal Seam Tape by Alison Harris to help me out, but if you have marked your squares you don’t need it.

Trim the excess (and save the scraps if you want to make a coordinating pillow!) leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance, and press towards the contrast fabric.

Put the column back in its layout position, and begin the next column! I find that keeping the design nearby helps me along. Because only half the blocks get corners, this is a fast piecing job!

Once all the columns have received their corners, sew the blocks into rows. I prefer the web method to keep it all together. It saves even more time!

Press the seams toward the solid blocks (without snowball corners) and then sew the rows together. The seams should nest very nicely, and help you match those corners! There are no diagonal points to match up- phew!

Press the rows all in one direction, and you are done with your Chipped Stacks quilt top! Easy peasy- definitely a single day project.

I’ve got a printable version of this tutorial for you as a digital pattern here, just click on the link and it will download to your computer (not mobile device, computer!):

CHIPPED STACKS

And… as a bonus…

Since it’s such an easy project… go ahead and make some more work for yourself by using those trimmed scraps to make some HSTs… 49, to be precise! Trim them to 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″, and sew together into 7 rows of 7 blocks. Voila! 18″ Pillow top! A perfect puffy fit for a 20″ pillow form- I get mine at IKEA. My preferred way to finish quilted pillows is with an invisible zipper and binding.

I quilted this pillow top with straight lines, in the ditch and then a diagonal grid.

So now I have a quilt AND a matching pillow to gift! I think the pillow might have taken a while longer than the quilt simply because the zipper gave me a bit of trouble… it could have been because I worked on it at 2am ;).