I was asked a number of times about where I found the pattern, so I finally wrote one in 2018. We tend to like large quilts since everyone in my family is tall, so I wrote the pattern in two sizes.  The throw version is 56″ x 63″ and the larger quilt is 70″ x 84″.  

Since Sphere was no longer available, I decided to make a scrappy version so you could use any fabrics you like. I made this one in the larger size and my very patient husband held it while I took many, many photos!

One of my quilting buddies, Annie Cook, tested it and made one as a gift. It turned out super cute! She is a wonderful longarm quilter in the St. Louis area if you’re looking for someone! You can see her amazing work on Instagram @aecquilts.

And finally, I had gotten a bundle of Lavish by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics and wanted to do a version where the lights in the lanterns were all different colors rather than just the yellow.  This fabric line is just gorgeous.

I quilted it with loops and stars.

And used this adorable lightening bug fabric to go along with it.

Here they are hanging in St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild quilt shows!

It the first one is now in it’s permanent home with the mom of one of my old friends, who was one of the many, many victims of Hurricane Harvey.

If you’d like to make one yourself, Paper Lanterns is a fun quilt to make and is beginner friendly. You can find it in my Etsy shop! #paperlanternsquilt

Thanks for stopping by!

First, you will want to print and click the properties button.

Next, select the Page Setup tab and scroll to the right to find the Tiling/Poster option.

After selecting Tiling/Poster, you will see the Specify button and then change the Image Divisions to 16. If you go much smaller, the east coast states will be difficult.

You will see lines on the edges for you to match up the pages correctly.

Here is mine all taped together.

I used Steam-A-Seam 2 and traced the shapes onto my Steam-A-Seam sheets. Then cut out. I numbered my map and pieces to easily keep track of some of my state shapes but you can label as you like.

Peel off one side of the paper on your fusible web and sick to back of fabric. Then cut out shape.

Put in place and either line pieces up or do a slight overlap of the pieces as shown below. Once your pieces are where you want them, press in place. I pressed in place as I went along.

The Steam-A-Seam 2 is pretty permanent so it’s up to you if you want to stitch around each state or just quilt it at the end. I also added little hearts where we’ve lived as a family and where each of our family members were born. Next, I cut out (46) 3-1/2 ” squares and stitched together for the border. Then quilt as desired and bind to finish. I chose to just meander quilt the states rather than stitch around each one. I outline quilted the white area and then meandered again in the border. The final size is approximately 42″ x 32″.

Hope you like yours as much as I love mine! Use the #fourrobbinsquilts on Social Media so I can see you!

Krista

I was a little nervous getting started because it seemed so complicated and so many, many curves!  However, I found the instructions really well written and getting everything cut and prepped was not bad at all!  Remember the expression, measure twice, cut once?  Well, for this one, read three times, measure twice, cut once.

For the Hoops, you start by sewing strips together and then you use the rulers to cut the hoop out and assemble the blocks and quarter pieces, and trimng them up before joining them together in to one pretty hoop.  And so on.

I felt pretty accomplished when I got these four blocks done!

The instructions and the way that you sew the blocks together actually make the quilt come together pretty quickly.

Next, of course, is the quilting part. I will typically do some type of meander all over. However, with the big negative space areas inside the hoops, I felt that this quilt needed a little something more.

I first outlined each colorful hoop using my walking foot.

Next, I marked the inner circles with a water soluble marking pen. I wanted to the quilting to look a bit folkys and natural looking so using my free motion foot, I did kind of a triple petal design in every other circle and the. Filled in the gap between the petals and hoops.

I decided to do a similar petal shape in the alternating circles but in a different direction and then filled in the rest if the negative space.

I also did sone consistent diamond shapes in the white and red diamond areas.

I used the aqua plaid for the back and red dots for the binding, hand stitching the binding to the back.

I am so happy with how it turned out!

Now, I’m working on a Metro Rings pattern and added these patterns to my to do list. They all use the same ruler. So cute!

Shop related items:

The fabric line I used for my quilt is by Mister Domestic for Art Gallery Fabrics called Loved to Pieces. I’d been saving it for something special and I really love how this quilt turned out. Now, to make another!

You can find the pattern in my Etsy Shop! Show yours off on social media by using #pinwheelstarquilt

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Shop Related Items: