January 2021 marks the official release of my first quilt pattern. The Launch Party Quilt. I wanted to give it a name that said “this is the first,” and Launch Party seemed appropriate. I started writing this pattern in 2020, after I completing the pattern writing course given by Quilters Candy. The one thing that worried me about designing my own pattern was quilt math. Having never been a math wiz, in school, I was a little nervous. However, after learning the basics from some experienced pattern writers, I was ready to take on this new task with relative confidence. As with anything new, there is always a small learning curve. I came up with this design using Electric Quilt 8 software. If you haven’t tried EQ8, it is an amazing resource tool for designing your own quilt blocks and patterns.
Let’s talk fabric. For this quilt, I chose fabric from Moda. Designer is Zen Chic — Dance in Paris fabric line. The colors are Spotted Bubblegum, Spotted Navy and Spotted White. Check out the gold flecks in the fabric. I’m a sucker for some sparkle. Although this fabric is a solid, don’t be afraid to experiment and use a print. I also used Aurifil thread for the piecing and quilting. This was my first time using Aurifil thread, and I can honestly say it worked fantastic. The thread is smooth, and it glides through my machine.
My favorite color is blue, followed closely by pink. Look how well they go together in this quilt. Try as I might to broaden my color pallet in my quilts, blue is what always attracts me first.
I consider myself a traditional quilter, in that I Iike block based quilts. The bigger the block the better. Each block in this pattern measures 12 inches. For my first pattern, I wanted something simple and yet bold. I wasn’t quite ready to take on a complicated design right out of the gates. So, half square triangles were chosen because they are so versatile–and quite frankly, easy to make. I am amazed how many designs you can achieve with a simple half square triangle. There are a lot of them in the Launch Party Quilt, but it works up very quickly. And you get an amazing quilt in the end! What more could you ask for?
Yes, there is some trimming involved of your half square triangles, but it is a necessary evil to get the perfect size block if you want your seams to nest together. So don’t skip that step. 
I chose a spiral design quilting. Spirals are the first free motion quilting design that I learned. It’s still my favorite design and kind of my go-to stitch. On this quilt, I chose to do larger spirals because I didn’t want a dense design that would be in conflict with the blocks. Here is the end result, and I was very pleased with how the quilting turned out. I could stare at this all day.
To make your own Launch Party Quilt, purchase the digital download in my shop
Let’s have a look at what my fabulous pattern testers achieved:
Debora Rivera (@Rivera.Debora) made this bold and bright baby quilt using lime green and blue. I love how this looks. She was not afraid to use color to make hers stand out.
Rachael Lambrecht (@rachlelamb) took the sunny route with this vibrant yellow, white and gray. This baby quilt just makes me happy to look at. I really like her color choices, and I’m a fan of yellow.
Dana Stone (@myquiltingphd) used a print, that when cut, gives this design a whole new look, almost like a kaleidoscope. What a fun choice. So do not be afraid to use prints with this pattern.
This fun and bold quilt was made by Jessica Demill (@quiltingwithcake). The photo really makes the gold and black in this quilt pop. Can you spot the cute little helper hands peeking through?.
This quilt by Margaret Roberts (@quiltylass) is a great example of how the quilt looks with neutrals. The colors in this crib quilt are gender neutral and would make a great baby shower gift or a wall hanging.
Amanda Nicole (@quiltingwithcake) took this adorable photo of her quilt with the baby crib. Don’t be afraid to experiment with color. Look how well this blue and golden/brownish color compliment each other. The result, a stunning quilt.
Vanessa Griffin chose to make the large throw size, with another neutral color selection. Very trendy in black and gray.
That’s it for now. Thanks for stopping by!
Mary Davis
