Have we ever steered you wrong? Believe us now, g’friends. . . this list of 42 great websites with free patterns, information, and project ideas will keep you surfing all summer! Pour the lemonade, sweet pea, and pull up a chair!

1. http://www.quiltbus.com/Free-Quilt- Blocks.htm

Wow! Check out this Free Blocks link. You’ll find more than 1,600 quilt blocks for free, kiddos! And, not only are they free, they are really, really nicely detailed with cutting and sewing information and diagrams. Well done! (Really!)

2. http://www.stitchinheaven.com

Check out the Quilter’s Fun Stuff, where you’ll find everything from Quilting Funnies to Free Pattern links, to Scraps of Wisdom tips.

3. http://www.jinnybeyer.com/free patterns

Free patterns from Master Quilter Jinny Beyer that are organized by skill level, including Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Brilliant!

4. http://www.justkidsrecipes.com

More than 200 recipes for all things crafty, from bath paint to cinnamon dough ornaments. A great site to peruse with the kids for some whinefree summer crafting fun!

5. http://home.howstuffworks.com/quilting-channel.htm Good information and basics on quilting, including How to Quilt, Quilt Designs, Quilting Patterns, and Quilt Blocks.

6. http://www.catswhoquilt.com/free.html This is Lily’s favorite free website; it has fun, free cat quilt patterns to download. This site gets Lily’s paw of approval.

7. http:// www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com

Lots of great freebies on this site, including printable quilt labels; scrappy charity quilt patterns and listing of charities that accept donated quilts, quilt calculator charts, including a binding calculator, cutting strips and squares calculator, triangles and setting triangles calculator, and free quilting designs. Jackpot!

8. http://blockcentral.com/index.shtml

This site has the expected great directory of free quilt blocks and patterns, but it also has the unexpected, such as an online calculator for quilters for rotary-cut rectangles, squares, and binding strips. Just enter your quilt-size information and it will automatically calculate how many squares, triangles, or binding strips you need to cut. Also check out the Coloring Book page where you can create a printable coloring page of hundreds of quilt patterns. Get your Crayolas® ready!

9. http://www.equilters.com/library/quilt_bytopic.html#Projects

Lots of free patterns and projects, as well as links to other websites and even MORE free patterns. A cybersmorgasbord!

10. http://69.90.47.120/bobbysocksqc.com/freeredwork.htm

You know how I love whimsy, and there’s a ton of it on Paula Shareski’s Bobby Socks Quilt Co. site. Check out her free redwork alphabet patterns.

11. http:// www.patternsfromhistory.com

I have my serious side, too. That’s why I like this super-interesting website that features quilt patterns and their histories, as well as Civil War quilt patterns and a history of Bible quilt blocks. Great reading, as well as patterns.

12. http://www.freespiritfabric.com/core-pages/patterns.php

From FreeSpirit Fabrics. . . fun, funky, free patterns that go with the company’s fun, funky fabrics!

13. http://www.connectingthreads.com/patterns

Check out all the free patterns at Connecting Threads, including a great freebie for the Vintage Violets Handbag with a Dresden Plate-style flap closure.

14. http://www.freeapplique.com

You appliqué hounds will go nuts here! Loads of free appliqué patterns, and they’re organized by types and shapes.

15. http://www.joann.com

Check out Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores’ website—specifically the Projects & More section—for lots of free patterns and information for quilting, as well as many other craft projects.

Appeared in:

July/August 2008 Issue