Fresh Diamonds {Easy Quilt Tutorial}

Fresh Diamonds was my first quilt to make the front cover of a magazine. I was super proud (and still am). Remember THIS post?

I give away or sell most of my quilts – but Fresh Diamonds is still with me. I can’t bear to part with it.


Fresh Diamonds 1


Even though I can’t part with it, I thought it was time.


Time I shared the tutorial for this quilt. It is quite simple to make and great for beginners wanting to take that next step up from piecing squares.



Fresh Diamonds

Finished quilt measures approximately 50” x 54”
Double the fabric listed below to make a large twin bed size quilt.



Materials Required:

2 x charm packs OR 78 x 5”x5” charms (I used *Bliss by Moda)

1.5 yard of a solid fabric (I used kona cotton in white)
3 yard coordinating fabric for the backing
½ yard coordinating fabric for binding
60” square of batting
Neutral thread for piecing
Ruler and lead pencil
Cutting mat, rotary cutter, ruler
Iron and ironing board
General sewing supplies

* Bliss by Bonnie & Camille for Moda Fabrics is no longer available, but you can click through this link to find hundreds of beautiful new fabric ranges at the Fat Quarter Shop




Cutting:


Solid fabric - cut 9 x 5” strips from the fabric width. Cross cut 5” squares from these strips to yield 78 x 5” squares.


Co-ordinating binding fabric – cut into 2.5” strips


Construction:


Place 1 coloured charm and 1 white charm together, right sides facing.

With your ruler and pencil, draw a straight line diagonally across the white fabric square.

Sew ¼” on either side of your pencil line.


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Do this for all of the squares.


Once the squares are all sewn together, use your rotary cutter and ruler to cut on the pencil line



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Cut all of the squares along the pencil line.


Open and press the squares to the coloured side.

 

Trim the HST blocks to 4.5”squares. This process is tedious, but for best results, it’s a must.

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Now either use your design wall (or if you don’t have one) find a large space on the floor, bed, table etc and begin to arrange your HST blocks in a manner with which you are pleased.


12 squares across and 13 squares down.



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Sew the squares together, row by row and press the seams to alternate sides.



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When the quilt top is all sewn together, press it well.


Piece your backing if required and press well.


Lay the backing fabric right side down on a hard surface and use masking tape to secure it, ensuring the fabric is taut but not distorted. Layer the batting square over it, then the well pressed quilt top.


Baste the 3 layers together with safety pins.


Quilt as desired. I used a free motion meandering pattern all over the quilt.


Bind and it’s finished. I haven’t given steps on how to make and sew on the binding. There are many great tutorials online. Let me know if you’d like me to direct you to some.


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If you make a Fresh Diamonds Quilt, I’d love to see it. 


Happy Sewing!!!

Shop Fabric at Fat Quarter Shop

26 comments

  1. Love this absolutely beautiful

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  2. Great tutorial - thanks for making it available.

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  3. Its a lovely quilt, I can understand why you had to keep it!

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  4. Such a gorgeous project. Thank you for sharing.

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  5. Love it. I have a bunch of charm packs that need just the right pattern. This one will get used for sure. Thanks so much.

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  6. This is a quilt to be super proud about it!! Thanks for the tuto...

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  7. Maybe I've done my math wrong but 72 charms would produce 144 half-square triangle squares (when put together with the solid). 12 rows x 13 columns = 156 half-square triangle squares. Right? I love the pattern, I just want to make sure I have enough of everything.

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  8. Beautiful Quilt! I love this pattern! Thanks for the tutorials! :)

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  9. Thanks for posting a tutorial!

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  10. Did you quilt it with your new quilt machine? Very nice job and I am going to save this pattern. It won't be until the first of the year but it will be done I even think I have the perfect fabric for it!!! Thanks for sharing. Great tutorial kiddo!

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  11. I am old in age but young in quilting projects and I wish there were more easy projects with charm packs and jelly rolls. They seem to go together better than me and that rotary cutter can make. Thanks, this is a beauty and my great grandchildren with receive it for Christmas. You have a wonderful site. God Bless from Texas.

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    Replies
    1. missouri star quilts has lots of tutorials using pre-cuts.

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  12. it looks amazing!!! One day I'll have the time :-)

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  13. ive never tried my own quilt and im not crafty but i will give this a go and send you a pic so you can see

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  14. I just love this. I will have to try it when finances allow. I have some cute berenstein bears that would go with this. Now to find a white charm pack. :)

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  15. Love this. NOw to find some white charm pack.

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  16. Really a lovely quilt and so much easier than I thought ~ I've got lots of charm packs and this would be great to make.
    Thanks so much for the tutorial!

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  17. Lovely Quilt! Thank you sew much for sharing! Being new to quilting this is a good one for me to do.

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  18. Hi, Am I missing something or how do you get 1/2 sq trian from cutting down center of square, should it not be corner to corner.

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  19. FANTASTIC !!! Veramente bello e chic.Grazie per il tutorial

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  20. fantastic !!! beautifull !!! I am italian,thank you for tutorial

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  21. fantastic !!! beautifull !!! I am italian,thank you for tutorial

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  22. I have looked all over for this quilt pattern for months. I found it Googling on my smart phone but could not find it using my home computer or laptop. Thank you so very much for making this available. This is a beautiful quilt. I know why it made the cover of a magazine...congratulations!

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  23. I've literally made this three times. Every color way I use turns out well. This is one awesome pattern.

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  24. I've made this pattern more times than I can count now. It is FABULOUS. I've expanded the size when I've had the extra fabric and came back here today to capture the url address to post on Pat Sloan's FB page where someone inquired about 2 charm pack patterns. This one is perfect and definitely wanted to share.

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