Use my free and easy no waste cutting tutorial to make Anna Maria’s beautiful Feather Bed Quilt!
Welcome to Olivia Jane Handcrafted! I'm Meredith and this is my creative journal. Here you'll find loads of inspiration for a handmade wardrobe, home decor, bags, and quilts. I even have plenty of projects and tutorials to get you started or help you along the way.
I’d love to win! I’ve been waiting for an excuse to make these feathers for some time now :) Thanks for the tutorial – it is super helpful!
Ok- fIrst- don’t enter me! Although it would be an awesome win, I dont know that I’d be able to tackle it anytime in the near future and I want someone who knows they will hop to it and bust out an awesome quilt to win. :) just wanted to say- 1- I LOVE this pattern. Once June actually naps for me maybe I’ll make one someday. ;) 2- no- no one compares to AMH. 3- I LOVE that you always keep it real. Thanks for your honest opinion on stuff. I’ve never sewed with AG fabrics but I hear so much about them that I’ve been curious. Anyway- wonderful tutorial- i’ll keep it in mind if and when I attempt this awesome pattern. Side note- I’ve always wondered what this pattern would look like if you were to make the feather pieces from one print- as opposed to stripped pieces. I’m lazy so I’m always thinking of shortcuts like that. Wonder if it would totally lose the feather look?
Love this quilt! I’ve been on the mad search for a pattern to get back on quilting train. A head start on the piecing would be a bonus!
LOVE the feathers and thanks for the easy way to make them. I was initially daunted by the large size of the feather but I have it on my to-do list one day!!!
AMH is my favorite too! I found your blog through one of her groups on Flickr and I love how your work does hers justice!
Thanks, Kirsten! I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever told me!
I would love to win them! I agree with you that I only like to sew Art Gallery fabrics to other Art Gallery fabrics and not mix them with the other brands. I find I prefer them for sewing clothing than I do anything else, and maybe quilt backs….
I’d love to make a little quilt with these going down one side.
I must say I agree with you on Art Gallery fabrics, I just don’t like the feel when sewing with them. They just feel thinner. Having said that have you tried washing them? I bet they feel much nicer on a finished quilt.
Too late for the drawing but love the pattern, this is a must make/
Wonderful tutorial, glorious fabrics – hope I win!
[…] your strips for the plumes that is much more efficient! Luckily, Meredith at Olivia Jane wrote a great tutorial on the […]
What a great tutorial! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this great method, it sure helps to save the fabric, and then we can use it for yet another project, my list is long!!! I have wanted to try this pattern for awhile, if I win I could just start sewing, what a treat! Thanks again
Dear Meredith – How very kind of you to share this tutorial!! It is just a brilliant way to use my scraps and fat quarters for this wonderful quilt for my daughter and her finances wedding gift. Thank you so much
Wow, such a great technique. And feathers are all the rage right now, thanks so much for sharing! Love the fabrics too. :-)
Hi! thanks for sharing this post. I’m looking for a tutorial on how to make the rest of the quilt too, as I’m stuck on one of the parts, and would love a picture step by step tutorial. Thanks :)
Olivia, thank you so much for the tutorial. I’m a beginning quilter and hadn’t thought of staggering my fabric strips.
I have a question about this pattern. When you’ve sewn all the strips together and then cut out the feather sides, you are cutting through stitching. I’ve never done that before, and I wonder about the possibility of the seams unravelling. Do I need to sew over the seams after I’ve cut the feather sides to promote longevity of the quilt?
I’m glad the tutorial was helpful to you. Cutting through the stitched part is okay as long as your going to be stitching over it again. In this case, when you sew on the sides, you’ll be protecting that stitching you cut through, so there’s no need to reinforce it after cutting. My only other suggestion would be to use a stitch length of 2-2.2. :) Happy sewing!
Meredith,
Thank you so much for your help. That eases my mind and gives me just the nudge I needed. I plan to get my quilt top started this week!
thanx at last found you an . too do the feather’s for quilting even though have ms.horner’s pantern reading it still my brain did not connect, your feathers rmake-ins did . each tute showing understood, sooooooooooo happy renee
Thank you so much. Just read Anna’s pattern n although seems a bit overwhelming, I feel better seeing these tips n tutorial! Thank you so much. I’m frugal n don’t like to waste fabric. I think I can actually pull this off!!!
My last day go work before Christmas break I copied AMH feather pattern. It’s a great scrap buster and I love the finished quilt. Thanks for the giveaway!
[…] blog OliviaJaneHandcrafted.com, has an interesting tutorial on doing the feathers, lots of clear […]
THANK YOU so much for this tip! This was SO helpful as I just started my first Feather Bed quilt!
Thank you SO MUCH for this tip! So helpful as I just started my first Feather Bed Quilt!!
Meredith,
I wonder if I could ask for some advice…
I am a beginer quilter, and I have completed 22 feather squares and am ready to assemble tem into a quilt… BUT… My quilt squares are not perfectly identical in size! I think something in my cutting or pinning or sewing was innacurate. They all look great, but vary by about 1/16″ in length. Would you suggest trimming them to the same size prior to assembling the quilt?
Nicky, I’m so sorry to be so late in getting back with you! I would definitely recommend trimming the blocks to be equal prior to sewing. Even though they’re only off by a smidge, when they are all joined together it will probably be more noticeable. Basting and quilting will be so much easier if the blocks are even and the quilt lays flat. Good luck! I’m sure its going to be amazing!
Hi Meredith,
I just wanted to say thanks for your help. I finished my quilt and I love it!
This was helpful. It was great to see this done with fat quarters, to see how many feathers it yielded. I hope to be making one of these quilts soon.
Olivia, I am teaching myself to sew/quilt with online tutorials and blogs like yours. I just had to tell you that the feather bed quilt is one of the most beautiful and simple quilts I’ve ever seen. I just love everything about it. Thank you SO much for sharing your talent with those of us that really need direction and lots of helping hands! I printed out the feather pattern and one day I will make this for myself. Your work is beautiful. Have a great day!!
Wonderful!! I’m so happy it’s been helpful to you, and be sure to send me a picture of your quilt!
Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this quilt…and then to turn around and teach all of us. It’s a very unselfish act that you smart quilters do when you do a tutorial for us just starting out. That is what keeps us going. Thank you again. Paula
I have been so determined..just waiting to collect enough fabric, and now that this simpler method will help,thanks
Is there a patter for this or can you give me demensions for the pTter piece?
I ldlove to make these feathers
Hi there, Sandi! I have had to do a little detective work as I’ve had an influx of emails asking me where the link has gone. Apparently she changed her site, and now the URLs for everything are different. My links to her free pattern have been updated. You can also find it right here. Happy sewing!
As the pattern appears to be no longer available I was particularly thankful for your tutorial and the great photos on the cutting grid so that I could replicate the pattern. Thank you!
Hi there, Candy! I’ve had a backlog of emails asking this very same thing. Apparently AMH got a new site and that changed all the links on her patterns too. I’ve updated my links here to the new ones. I’m sorry for the inconvenience!
Love this pattern and can’t wait to try it!! Wish me luck!
Thank you taking the time to streamline the process. I have seen 1 quilt made like that and am excited to see if I can be as successful. I have a good stash to choose from so it’s on to washing and pressing. Hoping I can get the pattern downloaded correctly. I have made it a goal to work on new patterns instead of remaking the same quilts.
That’s awesome! You can find the pattern right here! https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54af3fe5e4b06fead268b5fd/t/54d52966e4b0c433a9702ee4/1423255910958/Feather.Bed.Quilt%281%29.pdf
10/21/2016
Thank you for sharing the pattern and tutorial. If I can get my printer to work, I’m going to print this tonight!!
Do you have a pattern to use them after they are made? I would love to make them.
I got the pattern. Thanks, Julie
Hey Julie! A lot of people have had trouble getting to the link and I have no idea why. It seems that since she changed her site, it harder to find even though my above links are correct. Here’s that link again in case you need it. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54af3fe5e4b06fead268b5fd/t/54d52966e4b0c433a9702ee4/1423255910958/Feather.Bed.Quilt%281%29.pdf
Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long)
so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly
enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but
I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any helpful hints for rookie blog writers?
I’d definitely appreciate it.
Hi there, Sharon! Thanks for you comment. My advice is to be consistent in your content and frequency of your posts. So not what I’m doing at the moment! Readers appreciate consistently and honest content. Good photos are very helpful too. I find a lot of people like tutorials and how-to’s, but truly all you need for a loyal audience is to be faithful in posting. I hope that helps! Enjoy blogging! It’s a great outlet.
I just love this design and your method for creating the feather halves. Will be making a lap size for my friend who has a native american decor.
Thank you for this tutorial
What is the width top and bottom.
What is the length?
Unfinished they are 9.5″x18.5″, I believe.
Wow
How can I download this beautiful pattern or buy it
So the pattern is not mine, just the cutting method! You can find the pattern linked throughout the post and in the comments above. It’s a free pattern on Anna Maria’s website!
Can hardly wait to give your method a try. Obsessed with feathers.
Awesome! It makes for quick work and the fabric can be used so much more efficiently which I LOVE!
I to have been making feathers but I never get the free pattern i tried many times and my daughter did also it say s free but we got no where and Stacy works on a computer for work so it’s not like she’s stupid so what gives? I just found a way to make them by looking at the pictures but I think I could have done better if I could have gotten the pattern but love and learn.
Connie, I’m sorry for the trouble getting to the pattern. I saw where Anna removes the pattern for a while and then just rereleased it. If you go to AnnaMariaHorner.com and go to the “make” section, the Feather bed quilt *should* be an option now.
I need help in getting your free pattern for feathers.. When I click on free to download it goes to a blank page, that just scrolls!
Donna, I just tried her site and the whole thing is down! When it’s back up, you can go to annamariahorner.com and then search for her Make page. Her free feather pattern can be downloaded there.
I does look great. But I can’t download it. Anyway thanks for the tutorial.
She changed it over to a pattern that is now for sale, as opposed to a freebie. If you ever decide to purchase the pattern, you can certainly use my tutorial for efficient cutting. :) thanks for stopping by!