(In five days and counting…)
It only comes once a year—the grandest justification for setting aside all commitments, responsibilities, and obligations in order to dedicate your day to just one love: quilting! Worldwide Quilting Day is Saturday, March 15. This handy excuse to put your creativity above all else transpires only once every 365 days, so use it or lose it! (At least until next year.)
If you haven’t decided how you’ll celebrate just yet, we’ve gathered a few ideas for infusing your Saturday with quilting fun.
For the social butterfly: host a patchwork party!
In this post you can get ideas for throwing together a party featuring one of three themes: a newbie party, a charity-quilt bee, and a fabric swap. Then gather your friends for a few hours of stitching. Get inspired by the free downloads below.
Download free printable invitations, a free “Rocky Road to Dublin” quilt-block pattern, and a free party-friendly recipe for Rocky Road Snack Cake.
Check out our “Patchwork Party Ideas” board on Pinterest
For the quilting scholar: teach someone to quilt.
Know someone who admires your work? How about someone who’s expressed a curiosity about quilting? Set aside some time to teach him or her the basics. Download our free how-to-quilt booklets and spread the joy of quilting to others!
See more free downloads on our How to Quilt page.
For the casual quilter: start a spark—make just one block.
Prefer to stay at home and snuggle up to your stash? We have a challenge for you: sew just ONE block. Choose your favorite quick-to-make block, or let the block collections below (all 40% off this week) inspire you. Whether you sew for 15 minutes or enjoy a quilting marathon from dawn ’til dusk, use Worldwide Quilting Day as a reminder of why you’re a quilter—every day of the year.
| Quilt Block Bonanza: 50 Paper-Pieced Designs by Nancy Mahoney
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See more quilt-block patterns from Quilt Block Bonanza.
| Easy Appliqué Blocks: 50 Designs in 5 Sizes by Kay Mackenzie
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See more quilt-block patterns from Easy Appliqué Blocks.
| Gathered from the Garden: Quilts with Floral Charm by Cindy Lammon
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See more quilt-block patterns from Gathered from the Garden.
| Dutch Treat: 196 Appliqué Blocks Inspired by Delft Designs by Judy Garden
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See more quilt-block patterns from Dutch Treat.
Are you planning to make a block (or more) on Saturday in honor of Worldwide Quilting Day? Tell us what your plans are in the comments!
You might also like: Celebrating National Quilting Day: 9 ways
I will celebrate by taking a good friend to a quilt show. We will look for beauty, inspiration, and, of course, vendors to make our dreams come true.
—Lynne on March 10, 2014I think I need to find a partner for mischief!
—Whiskers on March 10, 2014I’ve always loved Delft designs and what a fresh new way to use them!
—Rosemary on March 10, 2014We have prior commitments on Saturday March 15th which encludes a 3 hour drive (one way). This does not mean that I will not be quilting as I have started an English Paper Pieced quilt that I can take along and work on. Part of the drive will be with a friend who also quilts. So I guess that it will be a mobile quilt party.
—Tina on March 10, 2014I will make it a quilting weekend! It will start Friday night with finishing a quilt top then on Saturday I plan on going to a quilt show to get more inspiration! Then finish the weekend with more quilting! It sounds like so much fun the week can’t go fast enough. Come on Friday get here fast!!!
—leah on March 10, 2014Each year on National Quilting Day in Northeast Indiana we have a "Gathering of Quilters". We have vendors, a speaker, show and tell and about 150-200 quilts on display and lunch. There are usually about 700-800 attendees from around northeast Indiana, western Ohio and southern Michigan. Makes for a great day and it’s slways fun to meet quilters from other areas. If you’re in the area come on over!
—Linda Jones on March 10, 2014I am taking a chance and driving across O’ahu to do charity quilting with people I don’t know. Through the years I’ve found that quilters put aside differences in their daily lives and beliefs to work on their common love.
—Jo on March 10, 2014I will be at a local quilt store being entertained by a presentation of the new Northcott fabrics!
—Cindy Weeks on March 10, 2014I plan to work on completing a quilt that I am making for my Dad’s caretaker. She is a wonderful lady, who takes such good care of Dad. She also makes us all laugh! She has covered Dad so many times with his lap quilts, that I decided she deserves a lap quilt of her own!
—Kathy Biciocchi on March 11, 2014I’m going to a Quilt Expo with 2 of my sisters who also quilt. There will be classes, vendors and lunch. It’s a fun day, we wet last year. We got to see the latest trends, new tools, and fun fabrics
—Debby Thompson on March 11, 2014I plan to make a block or two. Plus I am also working on string
—Terry on March 11, 2014quilt blocks for guild project, and friend project. A great day
to quilt!
Thank you for promoting world wide quilt day! I have not heard of this celebration day in South Australia. My 91 year old mother lives in a nursing home and I have drafted a grandmother’s garden lap quilt for her (made from remnants of her clothing that she will never wear again). Saturday 15 March 2014 will be the perfect day to begin the project.
—Mick on March 12, 2014My quilting daughter and I are going to the Illinois State Quilt Show in Springfield. It’s about a 2 hour drive for us. Should be wonderful and a great inspiration to both of us.
—Joanne on March 14, 2014I plan on finishing a Baby Quilt for a Charity project.
—Ruth on March 14, 2014I will be working on a WIP. I only have 3 or 4 of them right now =)
—Emily C on March 15, 2014I JUST SANDWICHED A LAP QUILT. I AM GOING TO AT LEAST START QUILTING TODAY (AFTER I PRACTICE MY CURVES SOME MORE)
—Flor Chavarria on March 15, 2014I visited a local quilt shop that I’d never been in before. How did that happen? I’ll be back…..And I finished piecing the Shamrock block for a St Patrick’s Day table runner.
—Pearl on March 15, 2014I visited my local quilt shop and bought fabric for a table runner back. I also started putting together Row 5 of Lori Holt’s Row-Along. I didn’t get a chance to join the group last year when everyone was working on it, so I started in January. Lots of fun things going on for National Quilting Day!
—Deb on March 15, 2014I will celebrate by having 3 friends over for a weekend of quilting, eating,and laughing.
—Phylis Arechuk on March 17, 2017