Pretty Fabric Needs A Pattern ~ Suggestions?

And there I was, minding my own business, shopping for the weekly supplies and.... Who put these cute little bundles on an end cap?  Oh the nerve of some people!  Don't they understand triggers and addiction?  I'm pretty sure I let out a little squeal right there in the middle Wal-Mart.  A quick look around...and yes I was busted by not one but three very young Wal-Mart employees.  All three turned to see what crazy old lady was saying...OOOO SO PRETTY!  What could I do but go deeper into my addiction by asking "Do you have Pioneer Woman fabric in single fat quarters or yardage?"  Response... "No mam".  In my mind I was screaming...youngin's don't understand and should go back to playing Candy Crush.

 Like a kid with a new toy I had to open them and play as soon as I got home.  The groceries can wait while I OOOH and AWED for a bit, cocking my head from side to side, sigh....feels good.  Oh the fabric high, what a rush.  Now, what should I make with them?  Something simple.  I've been quilting my tail off at the frame.  A break is earned.  Yes, I'm justifying my wanting to veer from the 2023 UFO busting.  That's what we do, right?  New year comes, we make a plan, we break the plan.  It's all a part of the plan.  It's nice to have goals but let's get real, this isn't a life or death situation.  It makes me happy and that's good, right?  RIGHT!  Okay, it's settled I'm going to make a quicky quilt.  But first let's get the groceries put away because finding just the right pattern will more than likely turn into a quilt pattern rabbit hole.

Now that the groceries are put away and the new fabric excitement has dissipated, I'm starting to think these two prints and maybe the solids need to be pulled from the mix.  The navy blue is a sore thumb, right?  In the picture above it jumps out to me and says, "Hey I'm an ugly frog".  What do you think, frog or swan?

I have two more different PW bundles in here somewhere behind all the other PW fabrics...sigh...and I was worried about a pattern rabbit hole.  A dig through the cabinets is a whole other issue.  Well I know they are in there so lets just wait until I find a pattern because why make a big mess until there's a definite plan.  The studio just recovered from the Christmas quilting blitz of 2022.  More on that at a later date.  I still have one blitz quilt on the frame.

Most of the time designing quilt patterns is my thing, but for time sake I need a pattern I already own or a free quick and easy from the internet.  The first one that comes to mind is The Yellow Brick Road.  It's become a classic go to for many quilters.  I own it so it's a maybe.  What's also great about this type of quilt is you can make them in several sizes.

Common sense would say "Great!  You've got fabric and a pattern, you're all set!".  Not today, I feel the need for a rabbit hole expedition.  I mean you never know what quilty treat you might find on the internet these days.  Jenny Doan of MSQC came to mind but to be honest I feel like I need something not so EVERYBODY makes it, hence the not really wanting to do the Yellow Brick Road.  Jordan Fabrics also popped up in my thoughts but most of her YT tutorials are tips for making purchased patterns.  The goal is FREE because it's my kind of crazy.  Fabric we almost always pay for, patterns I can make or find free.  So as I got deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole I found another pattern similar to the YBR above.  This one is by Material Girl Quilts.  She's from Indiana, like me.  It's simple, there's a free PDF printable and a video if that's your thang.  As of right now this is the one I'll be using because of the larger cuts.  Large cuts are great for some of the large prints in PW fabric and it's quicker. 

I covered cutting instructions out of respect for her hard work.

This is still not a set in stone idea.  I have 2 other quilts needing love.  One on the frame and one in my lap as I hand stitch the binding. As soon as these two are finished...it's go time with the Pioneer Woman fabrics. So, I'm open for any suggestions you might have for a pattern.  Do you have a favorite go-to easy quilt?  Leave me a comment below!

Until Next Time....

I hope you find time to stitch up something sweet!