Blizzard Quilt Instructions
     Here are instructions for a blizzard quilt. This is a utilitarian quilt. It was made in a hurry due to necessity. Pioneer women didn't have a store to get fabric from. When blizzard season was approaching, they needed warmth fast. Old scraps were torn or cut into random lengths, sewed together, and quickly quilted. Batting was often another worn quilt.
      This is a pattern that is great for beginners. It goes together quickly using a rotary cutter. Using the original  8 rows, the quilt top is 48 x 72" which is a good size for the sofa.

Supplies:
1/4 yard (23 cm) of at least a dozen fabrics (total of 3 - 4 yards/meters)
You can use 1/8 yard (11.5 cm) pieces but the larger pieces make this quilt grow faster. You can also use up those 5" charms or 10" squares as well.
Backing: 2 1/4 yard of muslin  Or you can piece from whatever you have on hand. Another idea is to use polar fleece without any batting. You can also make it reversible by doubling the rows you make.
Chenille sewing needle
Pearl cotton (size 5)  or fine crochet thread
8-12" circle template- luncheon or dinner plate works well

Helpful Hints:
Don't put 2 identical prints together in a strip. Don't try to co-ordinate fabrics. Measure occasionally. You want a strip about 72" (180 cm) long. (two nose to fingertip lengths) Don't worry about being exact, you will square it up when all the strips are sewn together. So, a little long is good.

Instructions:

Using your scrap pieces, cut random lengths of the fabric the following widths.
Row 1- 6 1/2 "  (16 cm)
Row 2- 4 1/4"  (11 cm)
Row 3 - 9 1/2" (24 cm)
Row 4 - 5 3/4" (14.5 cm)
Row 5- same as row 1
Row 6- same as row 2
Row 7- same as row 3
Row 8- same as row 4

As you cut, toss the fabric into stacks by width. Cut more than one width  from each fabric if you can, so that it pops up in another place in the quilt. Don't try using pieces under about 2" in this quilt. Bigger is definitely better. When you have a small stack of fabric in random lengths for each row, start to sewing the strips. Put right sides together and stitch the width (short) side, patch after patch into a long row.
When all the rows have been sewn, join them together. Start with row 1 right side up and put row 2 on top, right side down. Place row 2 so that the patch seams Do Not Match with the row 1 patches. Stagger them a little bit. Sew row 3 to row 2 - again staggering the patch seams if necessary. Continue until all the rows have been sewn together. Square off the top and bottom. Your top is complete.
Mark it with either large clamshell or overlapping circles with the plate. Sandwich the backing, batting, and the top together. I like to use the basting spray to do this, it so much easier than hand basting.
Quilt with large stitches (5 to the inch) using the pearl cotton and the chenille needle. To bind, cut a 2.5" wide (6.25 cm) strip  the length of the outside of the quilt plus add 8" (20 cm).  Join the strip where needed. This is a straight grain binding. Iron flat, then fold in half. Sew the raw edges together onto the quilt, right sides together. Then blind stitch the binding over the edge.
Do A Happy Dance. You are done!!


 
This quilt pattern came from an on-line list serv group called Quiltopia. If you are interested in joining this great group of quilters, please visit Planet Patchwork at http://www.tvq.com 
 

 
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