Lap quilt patterns - The Ultimate collection

O M Goodness! Have you seen The Big Book of Lap Quilts published by Martingale earlier this year? It is The Ultimate collection of lap quilt patterns, a round-up of 51 amazing designs all in one beautifully photographed package!

[Edited: June 18, 2020]

My library of quilt books is growing, and I am glad to add one more for the bunch! I particularly like the “Big Book” series that publishers put out – we get dozens of patterns all in one place for easy reference. For instance, I have loved and used many times the Big Book of Strip Quilts. Have you seen it?

I am excited about The Big Book of Lap Quilts because I like making lap quilts. If you want to learn how to make a lap quilt, this is it. The designs are innovative, beautiful, and fresh. The instructions are easy to follow, a hallmark of Martingale books (no, I get no payment for making a plug for them here – I just love their books!).

The Ultimate collection of lap quilt patterns

Regardless of the mood you are in, you will find a project in the book to match it as there are quilts for every season by your favorite quilt designers. Lap quilts are versatile and make perfect gifts, are ideal for home decor, and their size allows us to make them fairly quickly. You know the season of gift-making and giving is coming up and I think it is awesome to have so many options in one single source.

The quilts in The Big Book of Lap Quilts range from the fast to more elaborate, from modern to traditional, and every other type in between. Best of all, they are great stash-busters (I need to make more room for the new fabric lines coming up this Fall!).

To be sure, it is cool to be able to use a single fabric collection on a quilt. But… what to do with all the remnants of those gorgeous prints? Lap quilts allow us to quickly go through our stash, to actually finish a project (right?), and to reward those we love with a handmade gift that did not take forever to make.

I love the use of traditional blocks in different settings and the many projects with applique’ here and there to add a touch of whimsy. I have already made a list of the ‘must-make’ projects.

When I find in a book a few projects I like I mark the pages and, as soon as I have some free time, begin pulling fabrics for each one and put them inside a plastic bag with the name of the book and the page number of the pattern to use. Then, when I am looking for a new quilt to make, voila!

You see, sometimes I am only in the mood to select fabrics for a project. Other times, I want to machine piece blocks using the chain piecing method while listening to a book, yet other times I want to machine applique’ intricate blocks to get my mind away from things. Choosing fabrics for lap quilt patterns I can make in the future is right up there on my list of favorite things to do!

If you are like me, you have all sorts of fabrics in your quilting room and, sometimes, it is difficult to figure out how to combine them into a beautiful quilt. Well, do you see the possibilities here? There are some fabrics I never wanted to cut into but the fantastic projects in The Big Book of Lap Quilts may just break my resolve – look at “Hand Warmers” by Susan Nelsen (top right) – yep, I will finally use my stash of black prints on this one!

I have many of the Big Books by Martingale – the value for your money is incredible! I rush to them for inspiration, when I want to make a project but not sure which one to make, or when only quilty eye-candy can get me through a day with the blues. The Big Book of Lap Quilts is “the” gift for beginners and veteran quilters alike who might be looking for lap quilt patterns, and is a beautiful coffee table book, too.

So… was this enough to get you sewing today? I hope so! Have a great one,