Hello quilting friends! I’m pleased to share a new pattern with you called Rectangly! I am always drawn to quilts that have a traditional “courthouse steps” design, and so Rectangly is my fresh take on that look. It’s a fun, fast pattern that both beginners and seasoned quilters will enjoy.
When preparing to make Rectangly, you will begin by selecting a focal fabric. This will be the center rectangle on every block. I chose a beautiful blue floral from the “Wild Flowers” collection by Marcus Fabric, which I found at my local quilt shop. I then gathered 16 fat quarters in varying shades of soft blues and taupes. The fat quarters will be used for the blocks and the corner stones.
Because I wanted my first sample of Rectangly to be soft and subdued, I was careful to select fat quarters that had subtle designs. I didn’t want them to overpower the focal fabric. My fat quarters come from several designers across fabric companies. I had intended to use this Rectangly quilt on our bed, but it coordinates very nicely with the Celtic Crossing wall hanging I made a while back. Maybe it should stay here!
Many of you say that selecting colors and prints outside of a curated bundle is just too scary, but I want to encourage you to trust your instinct. Trust what makes your heart happy, and you’ll find a combination of fabrics that look great in your finished quilt. The nice thing about Rectangly is that you only need to find 16 fat quarters (not 20 or more). When shopping for fat quarters, I can almost always find 16 that I like. When I need more than that, it can be a little challenging. This picture shows my 16 fat quarters, along with my focal fabric and binding fabric. I ended up repeating one of the fat quarter fabrics, Robert Kaufman’s Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in Chambray, as my pale blue border fabric.
The beautiful machine quilting that you see on Rectangly was done by Janiel Corley of Quilting with Love. Janiel and I have followed each other on Instagram for quite a while, and I have long admired her machine quilting and quilt making. (Be sure to check her out on Instagram: @quiltingwithlove ) Janiel used a panto called Jumping Jax which is a lovely complement to the soothing fabrics in this quilt. Janiel also used a bamboo batting, which I have never used before, but I adore how soft and drapey this quilt is. Janiel also has an Etsy shop with finished quilts for sale! Thanks so much for all your work, Janiel!
Rectangly finishes at 74” square. I like that size for two reasons. When I want to use it on the sofa, it’s a nice size for cuddling under, without being too large. When I want to use it on a bed, it works well as a layer atop a coverlet. The Rectangly pattern is available in PDF format on my Etsy Shop.
I have made a second sample of Rectangly, and I can’t wait to show you after it has been quilted and bound. My second Rectangly quilt is much bolder and more colorful. So if that is more your vibe, stay tuned! If you make a Rectangly quilt, be sure to share a photo on Instagram using the hashtag #rectanglypattern and tag me @taunjalynn .
Thank you for visiting the blog! Have a great day!
~Taunja
MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS
Various Prints (blocks and corner stones): 16 fat quarters*
Focal Fabric (block centers): 3/4 yard
White (sashing): 1 1/2 yards
Outer Border: 1 1/4 yards
Backing: 4 5/8 yards
Binding: 3/4 yard
*You can also use (16) 1/4 yard cuts.
