Pattern testers are such an important part of every pattern release. Each time, they help me make the instructions a little clearer, the diagrams a little more useful and the finished pattern even more user-friendly.
And just as importantly: they bring SO much inspiration and color joy! Seeing the same design interpreted through different fabrics, colors and styles is one of my favorite parts of the entire process. The Mormor test quilts turned out to be an especially colorful collection – and I’m so excited to share them with you!
Nina Fosse – @ninafosse
Nina made a hot pink, red and purple dream of a Twin size quilt, filled with gorgeous florals! She started with a Moda fat quarter bundle and, because she had two matching bundles, could select the fabrics that worked best for the intended recipient while still creating the light-and-dark contrast the pattern needs.
Nina found the pattern fun, beginner-friendly and easy to sew – with only one small meeting with the seam ripper along the way! She says: "I love how such a simple design can create a result that feels so bold and striking." And I absolutely love that she photographed her finished quilt on the veranda of her apartment in Spain. Mormor in the sunshine! ❤️
Isabelle Diricq – @maman.kangoosews
Isabelle made the Small Throw size, using mostly solids in a beautifully balanced palette of warm and cool colors. She photographed it in a famous wildlife park in Belgium, and writes: "I love this place near the little lodges that look like they came straight out of the world of "The Lord of the Rings"!"
One of my favorite details is how Isabelle used her backing fabric in a couple of the blocks on the front. It’s such a simple and clever way to connect the two sides of the quilt and make the whole project feel thoughtfully coordinated. Her version is clean and graphic, but still full of personality – a perfect example of how much you can do with a carefully chosen color palette.
Isabelle also wrote: “This is a gorgeous pattern, instructions are well written and easy to follow. I really enjoyed making the small throw size version!” That makes me so happy!Â
Madeline Jensen – @crinkly.and.cozy
Madeline created a joyful Small Throw in fresh shades of orange, lime, aqua, pink and purple. Her fabric pull includes lots of playful prints, with tiny fish and animals hiding among the blocks. It would be such a fun quilt for a little friend! And again, Madeline has found a beautiful mural as a backdrop for the photoshoot.Â
“I had a great time picking fabric for this quilt and love that it is FQ/F8 friendly! That is always a huge pro for me because I have way too many fat quarters in my stash!
I really like how this pattern came together too, as I always say I think you have some of the best written, polished and thought out patterns I have worked with—and this one is no exception! It was so visually appealing too, and given that it is friendly to precuts, i think it will be fun for any level of quilter to work with."
Andrea Jarvis – @quiltifact
Andrea often gives her test quilts a scrappy twist, and Mormor was no exception! Her version is a celebration of complementary colors, combining pink and green with cheerful touches of aqua and teal.
She also created her own custom size using the Twin width and Queen length — five blocks across and eighteen rows long. Mormor is easy to customize this way: simply add or remove rows to create the dimensions you need.
Andrea photographed the quilt beside her family’s fishing hut, or bach, at Lake Alexandrina on New Zealand’s South Island. Her great-grandfather built it in the 1950s, and Andrea has spent holidays there throughout her life. Such a meaningful setting for the photos!
“The pattern is so simple, and I found it very meditative to sew.”
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Vanessa Moon – @silvermoon.quilts
Vanessa didn’t stop after making her bright and cheerful Baby size quilt — she continued by turning Mormor blocks into two super fun bags!
She used a playful fabric collection from Riley Blake filled with bright colors and dots, giving her version a completely different look. And the details on those bags are SO well done! I love seeing quilt blocks used beyond quilts, and these bags show how easily the Mormor design can be adapted for smaller projects. The bag pattern is All the Things Tote by @knotandthread.Â
Vanessa writes: “Your directions are clear and easy to follow.”
I’m so glad she decided to experiment with the blocks, because the finished quilt and matching bags make such a joyful little collection.
Sash Hinton – @indigo_elephant
Sash made a Large Throw in a color scheme similar to my cover quilt, but turned up the brightness and added lots of fun prints! She also used several directional fabrics, and her helpful feedback inspired me to add tips for using them to the finished pattern. Directional prints are absolutely doable in Mormor – you’ll simply need to skip the strip piecing for those fabrics and piece the relevant sections individually.
“The Mormor is such a great pattern! I loved that it is suitable for fat quarters and yardage. It can be made up so many ways depending on the fabric you choose, I’d love to make one in solids! The piecing comes together really quickly and I loved being able to make something solely from stashed fabric!”
A huge thank you to Nina, Isabelle, Madeline, Andrea, Vanessa and Sash for testing Mormor, sharing beautiful photos and thoughtful feedback, and bringing so much creativity to this pattern. Every one of these quilts made me smile – and I hope they inspire you when choosing fabrics for your own Mormor quilt!
The Mormor pattern is available in my shop!