Static is by far the simplest quilt to make from my book Machine Quilting with Style. It’s my tongue in cheek version of a pixelated quilt design because there’s nothing to see in the “static.” 🙂 Here’s the original version, created in a simple palette of pink, purple, and yellow. Although I used yardage for my version, it’s very jelly roll friendly since the blocks are all made from 2 1/2″ wide strips.
Static 56″ x 64″ by Christa Watson. Photography by Brent Kane.
Colorful Static
When it came time to recolor this graphic quilt, I decided to try out two extreme variations. The first is using Tula Pink’s True Colors, a line of basics meant to coordinate with her wilder print collections. The blocks are rotated haphazardly to give the random static-looking appearance as shown in the original pattern. I must say, I kind of like this version even better than the original; I’m a sucker for bright color!
Colorful Static – Using Tula Pink’s True Colors for FreeSpirit
Black and White Static
No surprises here – I had to design a black and white version, too! For this one, I didn’t rotate the blocks and I like the subtle pattern it gives to the overall design. Now I must add this to my collection of black and white quilts! I used Thicket by Gingiber for Moda for this colorway.
Black and White Static – Using Thicket by Gingiber for Moda
Isn’t it fun to play with extremes? You can find precut strips for both True Colors and Thicket (plus tons of other options) at my alter ego location: ThePrecutStore.com.
Celebration Giveaway
It’s been so fun choosing winners and giving away yummy prizes each week as we celebrate the one year birthday of my first book. So let’s first congratulate last week’s winner Elizabeth R. who won a 3 charm pack prize pack from The Precut Store.
This week, two winners will each receive a copy of 180 Doodle Quilting Designs, (one physical copy, one e-copy) of which I’m pleased to be included along with 8 other contributors. Truth be told, after writing 2 books back to back, it’s been fun to participate in several compilation books with other fabulous designers. (Ahem – more about those coming soon!!)
To enter, leave a comment below telling me about the easiest quilt you’ve ever made. For a bonus entry, share a picture of it in my Facebook Group at Quilt with Christa.
View Even More Colorways
When I originally celebrated the release of Machine Quilting with Style, a dozen friends joined me by each remaking one of the quilts in the book in their choice of fabrics.
The original quilts from Machine Quilting with Style, pieced and quilted by yours truly.
And hey, it’s totally okay if you like a some of the alternate versions better. Shh don’t tell, but I do, too, LOL!!!
Christa Quilts 
Jelly Roll race was my easiest. Used scrap jelly roll –I didn’t really like the results. I think a jelly roll from one collection is nicer.
I think the Rag quilt was the easiest. Quilt the layered blocks together before you sew them together. The 1/2″ seams didn’t have to be “perfect” as they will be clipped and then fluffed. I have made several, and all the recipients loved them.
By far, just quilting on a panel. The quilting made it more than two pieces of fabric with batting in the middle. I look at it and think there is no such quilt as two pieces of fabric with batting in the middle.
The easiest quilt I made was your quilt, Simple strips. It is a very cheery quilt thanks for sharing the quilt along.
Disappearing nine patch by far was the easiest. I used Super Hero fabric for three grandsons and they love them! Can’t go wrong with a 9 patch.
My easiest quilt was a university themed throw and I quilted around the school shapes in the fabric.
My easiest quilt was a D4P – the fabric was the star. I needed a quick quilt for my cousin who was dying of cancer. I was so happy that she was able to enjoy it before she died.
If I need an easy, quick quilt, I do an hour glass using large squares. Bright baby colors, a border, and it looks great, but soooo easy.
Although I didn’t think so at the time, the easiest quilt I ever made was my very first one. It was a triple rail fence quilt.
My one and only finished quilt is Snowflake Shimmer a QAL by Yvonne (QuiltingJetgirl) – I am very proud of it!
The easiest quilt I have ever made was a disappearing 9 patch. I found 15 old 9 patch blocks at the antique store and none of them were the same size. So I cut them down measuring from the center out and added some cheddar fabric to separate the rows and gave it a cheddar border to keep in line with the older blocks. I made a bright baby quilt. I learned you can quilt through barkcloth, but it has a tendency to pull the needle out of the DSM that I was using!
I enjoyed making a halfsquare Christmas quilt for a niece…it went so quickly with sewing around each square completely and then cutting them corner to corner for 4 perfect halfsquares! after joining them together I then layered the back facing front with batting on top, sewed around the edges and flipped it inside out. With some basic quilting it made a charming gift.
The absolute easiest quilt I ever made was my first one. I took a charm pack, arranged the charns in a pattern I liked and sewed them together. I then did a simple 3 diagonal lines of quilting with silver metallic thread. I have to laugh about it now, knowing very little actually made the process easier 😉
The easiest quilt I made was a panel that was tied with yarn to quilt it.
Guess the easiest quilt was a triple rail made with 2.5 inch strips. Nice and quick, especially as a baby quilt size.
One of the easier quilts I made was using a pattern called Shake Rattle & Roll by Stephanie Prescott. Not only fat quarter friendly but I made it a second time using a pack of 10″ squares. It looks very complicated when finished but rather quick to assemble.
I actually think the easiest was the jelly roll quilt. No worrying about the fabrics coordinating with each other or worrying about cutting the 2 1/2″ strips …just buy your favorite jelly roll and sew the strips together. No seams to match…just sew! Probably hardest part was getting it square and adding a border and binding. Was my first quilt and it came out fabulous. It inspired me to try lots of other quilt patterns and with each quilt I learn something new and more fun!
My easiest was a flannel baby quilt that was all HSTs. It was inspired by some flannel scraps in a scrap bag I bought at a thrift store. I wound up buying flannel backing and border, so now I have more flannel scraps.
I need that book.
Log cabin quilts are my all time favorite and are easy to make. They especially easy now with pre-cuts!
I think my easiest quilt that I have made was my second quilt. I call it “A Rainbow of Memories”. It is all fabrics from my garment construction days, cut into 3″ squares and then sewn into diagonal rows in a rainbow-type colorway. It is probably a king-size, and it makes me smile every time I use it.
Easiest quilt I’ve made was for my grandson last year. It was made of scraps of 1-1/2″ strips with sashing.
The easiest quilt I’ve every made was a jelly roll race quilt.
A small bargello baby quilt with large pieces and no criers to match.
Before there was precut anything I learned to make a rail fence and a double Irish chain – easy peasy!
Tough question. Maybe I’d say the jelly roll race quilt…up to the point of adding the borders. I did enjoy the mindless sewing of 2 1/2″ strips.
The easiest quilt I ever made was a comfort quilt for a friend battling cancer. Large pieces, very little matching, and quilting with a decorative stitch on my sewing machine. Not a show quilt by any means, but attractive and cozy.
My first and easiest quilt is the bowtie. Easy to make, and makes a great baby quilt.
My easiest quilt was one made with 4 inches squares, alternating between yellow and blue. I did a baby quilt with the squares.
Easiest on my list was a self-binding baby blanket.
Disappearing Nine patch baby quilt. Super easy and super cute.
Probably the easiest quilt was matching rail fence quilts made as bed coverings for 2 of my sons when they wre small, over 30 (yes 30!) years ago. They are totally worn out now and used for packing, but they were much loved and used for many years. Thanks for this giveaway! cotten.gloria@gmail.com
A quilt as you go extra large log cabin.
My easiest quilt was a log cabin-like block using a 6 1/2″ square of a novelty print as the center. Two wide borders and stitch in the ditch quilting. But I tend to make more intricate designs these days.
I think the easiest quilt I made was a baby quilt made with charm packs. It was fun but now I have a new Handi Quilter Long Arm and need the quilting ideas from this book. Thank you…..Pat
Easiest quilt was D9P…hardest part was choosing the fabric! LOL
Easiest quilt was definitely a jelly roll rail fence. But when you’re just starting out that’s exactly what you need!
Some of my early quilts were quillows. Can’t get much simpler than those.
I made a Robert Kaufman paper pieced quilt with large pieces, it was my first of this type and it went together so fast and easily. It looks complicated and is beautiful!
I think the easiest quilt I’ve ever made is a single Irish Chain. In fact, I ended up making two of them, they were so quick, you could make them in a weekend. And they were beautiful too.
easiest quilt are my beloved log cabins 🙂
The easiest and fastest quilt I made used precut layer cakes sewn and cut into a sawtooth design. Went together in a snap and effective using high contrast.
The easiest quilt I’ve made was a baby quilt sewing squares together into rows and then sewing the rows together. As that was the late 90s, I think the squares were 5 1/2 or 6″. Now it would be even easier with precut charm squares. And honestly, it’s one of my very favorite — simple, sweet, and practical.
The easiest quilt I ever made was my very first one, a king size Turning Twenty pattern. Because the pieces are so large and all rectangles, it’s easy enough to cut out and sew together in one day. It helped me learn how to cut accurately and sew a 1/4 inch seam.
I think I’ve made a bout 6 more since then.
KarenP3720@aol.com
The easiest quilt pattern for me is the Turning Twenty pattern. I made my first quilt in 2008 using the pattern to learn how to cut and make quilt blocks. The pieces are so large that you can literally cut it out and sew it together in one day.
The easiest was a nine patch baby quilt using charm packs.
A “jelly roll race” quilt. The most difficult part isjoining the strips. And pressing the seams.
I made a quilt sewing random scraps to opposite corners of 5″ squares and then sewed all the squares together. It was slightly improve and very fun.
Hard question–I tend to find the hardest way possible to do things, and choose that route. It didn’t feel easy at the time, because it was only my 2nd quilt, but probably the French Roses raw edge applique quilt designed by Heather French.
I need this book to help me. I just finished a Twisted Log Cabin. I have no idea how to quilt it.
I think the easiest quilt I’ve made was a fun jelly roll quilt in happy colors.
The easiest quilt I ever made was a rail fence baby quilt.