Suitcases - A New Quilt Pattern!

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Surprise!! I have a new quilt pattern releasing today! Get it HERE!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

I first made the Suitcases quilt last year, and when Riley Blake announced the new Pan Am fabric collection, I knew it was the right time to write the pattern!

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you're new here, hello! I'm Laura! I design quilt patterns, and I'm a self-proclaimed deal hunter! Be sure to join the popular Quilting & Sewing Deals Facebook group where I post sales, deals, and coupon codes from all around the web!


My husband was an aircraft mechanic for many years. We love all things airplane in our house!

Pan Am airplane and travel fabric by Riley Blake

The story behind the cover quilt is actually pretty amusing!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

I took the fabric to sew at a quilt retreat. Just before leaving, I messaged a quilty friend in that city to ask her if she happened to know anyone who owned a plane. I thought this quilt would be perfect for a photo shoot with one!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

Well, to my surprise, she said she did know a pilot! However, he was only in town until noon the next day! I had to sew as fast as I could! 

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

I made all the blocks for the throw sized quilt that evening then pin basted it before going to bed.

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

I woke up and quilted and bound it all before 11am! We ran over to the local airport where the pilot ended up having the perfect plane to match the quilt!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

It was so much fun to have a quilty photo shoot with an airplane!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

He even let me go inside the cockpit for some photos too!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

Huge shout out to my quilty friend Cheri for making this happen!

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

Now back to the quilt! (Pattern HERE!)

I used Aurifil 50wt thread in #2600 Dove for all the piecing and quilting.

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

The background of the quilt is Confetti Cottons solid Latte, and the backing and binding is Confetti Cottons solid Redwood. I used Confetti Cottons solid Charcoal for the handles of the suitcases too.

Quilt label sewn into binding

There's Warm & White batting inside, and one of my EverEmblem labels sewn into the binding.

Suitcases quilt made with Pan Am fabric by Riley Blake

Here's a look back at the original Suitcases quilt I made last year! It's made with the Road Trip collection by Heather Black

Suitcases quilt pattern

Wouldn't it be so fun to applique some travel stickers on the suitcases too?! You could fussy cut your favorite fabrics, or embroider your past destinations, or even print quotes or sayings on them! 

Suitcases quilt pattern

Make the quilt to remember past vacations or future travels, or make the quilt for a graduate to send them off to their next adventure! I think it will be a perfect quilt to take to quilt retreats too!

Suitcases quilt pattern

The PDF pattern is available now in my Etsy shop, and print patterns will be coming in the next few weeks! (Comment on this post or send me a message if you'd like to know when the print patterns arrive!) The pattern includes directions for sizes from lap to king! It's beginner and fat quarter friendly too!

Suitcases quilt pattern

I just got a fat quarter bundle of fabric over the weekend to make a third version! We'll see if I can sew it up as quickly as this one!

I can't wait to see the Suitcases quilt you make!

2 comments:

  1. It's amazing how quickly we can sew with a tight deadline. LOL Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the photo shoot and the Pan Am fabric is perfect! Great job, Laura.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and for your comments! I try to reply to comments via email, so if you're expecting a response and don't hear from me, check if you're a no-reply blogger. Happy sewing!