quilt along

Diatom Quilt Along {Fabric Requirements}

The Diatom quilt can be made with:

  • 4 Fabrics
  • A 24-piece (minimum) Fat Quarter Bundle, unifying Background yardage, and unifying Star Point yardage
  • Completely Scrappy
Diatom - Star Setting Twin

Diatom – Star Setting Twin

For my sample Star Setting Twin size version, I opted to use the 4 Fabric option, and the pattern is written using the colorway of my sample version. During the quilt along, I will be making the Postage Stamp Throw version using a FQ bundle and unifying yardage.

Fabric Swatches and Pattern Color Key

Fabric Swatches and Pattern Color Key

When selecting your fabrics, keep in mind that the Diatom quilt design lends itself best to smaller scale prints; large scale prints (like the large feature prints in a Tula Pink or Kaffe Fassett collection) are not recommended.

To allow plenty of time for your fabric considerations, the first block directions will be released on January 6th, 2023. If you haven’t jointed yet, you can do so at any time by purchasing the Diatom Quilt Along. If you have joined, look for the Fabric Requirements email and click on the blue button inside the mail to download the file!

Upcoming Diatom Quilt Along Schedule

  • January 6, 2023 – Block 1
  • January 20, 2023 – Block 2
  • February 3, 2023 – Block 3
  • February 17, 2023 – Block 4
  • March 3, 2023 – Block 5
  • March 31, 2023 – Block 6
  • April 14, 2023 – Block 7
  • April 28, 2023 – Block 8
  • May 12, 2023 – Block 9
  • May 26, 2023 – Block 10
  • June 9, 2023 – Block 12 & Finishing Instructions
  • June 23, 2023 through July 31, 2023 – Final Linkup for Pieced Quilt Tops or Finished Quilts

Fabric Kits

String & Story Broderi Bundle Throw Size Mockups

String & Story Broderi Kit – Throw Size Mockups

Diatom Quilt Along sponsor String & Story is offering a beautiful Broderi print kit. The kit has generous yardage and will work for either the Star Setting Throw (shown above on the left) OR Postage Stamp Setting Throw (shown above on the right) version of the pattern.

String & Story Broderi Kit

Other Colorway Options

Northcott Premium ColorWorks Solids in Cloud Nine, Lapis, Royal, and After Midnight

Northcott Premium ColorWorks Solids in Cloud Nine, Lapis, Royal, and After Midnight

Want to use the Northcott Fabric solids I used for my sample quilt? I have identified online shops that carry all the fabric. Note that I sourced these shops a little over a week ago, so some of them may have run out of yardage. I’m providing as many options as I can and some may sell out quickly based on demand.

The Quilt Store – Burlington, Ontario, Canada (NOTE: 1 unit = 1 Meter)

Lindley General Store – Ontario, Canada (NOTE: sold in 1/2 yard increments)

FabricHut67 (Etsy) – Norfolk, Virginia, USA (NOTE: sold in 1 yard increments)

Fat Quarter Bundle Mockups

If you are interested in curating or using a fat quarter bundle for your version of Diatom, here are a few tips to consider when you are selecting your fabrics / bundle:

  1. 24 FQs is the minimum number required. Some blocks can use F8s and therefore a FQ will be used for two blocks. To avoid repeating a print in a block, the maximum number of FQs for variety is 32.
  2. Look for a variety of values in your selected fat quarter bundle. Some bundles have a lot of mid tone values or colorways that are the same color and value. To get the star blocks to shine, having a variety of light, medium, and dark values (relative to one another) will make a big difference!
  3. Check out some recommended FQ bundle mockups below to help you visualize the possibilities.
Alison Glass Star Setting Throw

Alison Glass Star Setting Throw

Mocked up using Sun Print Luminance by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics (FQ bundle) with Century Solids in Isle (Background) and Century Solids in Aqua (Star Points)

Alison Glass Postage Stamp Twin

Alison Glass Postage Stamp Twin

Mocked up using Sun Print Luminance by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics (FQ bundle) with Century Solids in Redwood (Background) and Century Solids in Peach (Star Points)

Meander Postage Stamp Setting Throw

Meander Postage Stamp Setting Throw

Mocked up using Meander by Aneela Hoey for Moda Fabrics (FQ bundle) with Moda Bella American Blue (Background) and Moda Bella Egghsell (Star Points)

Meander Star Setting Twin

Meander Star Setting Twin

Mocked up using Meander by Aneela Hoey for Moda Fabrics (FQ bundle) with Moda Bella Sienna (Background) and Moda Bella Feather (Star Points)

Tula Pink Postage Stamp Setting Throw

Tula Pink Postage Stamp Setting Throw

Mocked up using True Colors Tiny Coordinates by Tula Pink for FreeSpirit Fabrics (FQ bundle) with Tula Pink Designer Essentials Solids in Iris (Background) and Tula Pink Designer Essentials Solids in Seabreeze (Star Points)

Tula Pink Star Setting Twin

Tula Pink Star Setting TwinMocked up using True Colors Tiny Coordinates by Tula Pink for FreeSpirit Fabrics (FQ bundle) with Tula Pink Designer Essentials Solids in Diva (Background) and Tula Pink Designer Essentials Solids in Glacier (Star Points)

What size and colorway are you planning to sew? Are you looking for something in particular that you don’t see above? If you have questions about selecting your fabrics, leave a comment and I will either email you back with suggestions or run an updated post with more colorway options depending on the number of requests I receive. Another great option is to share your fabric selections in the Quilting Jetgirl Facebook group; the group is great for providing feedback and encouragement during the quilt along!


Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase items through my links I will earn a very small commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link, in fact in some cases I can offer you a better price via an affiliate link. I will not recommend something that I do not use myself. These commissions help me keep being able to provide you with great content. Thank you, in advance, for your support!

11 thoughts on “Diatom Quilt Along {Fabric Requirements}

  1. manninglm54 says:

    Good morning, Yvonne. I am signed up for the diatom QAL. Am I missing something, because I can’t see the fabric requirement in yardage for other than scrappy. BTW, this is another canadian source for the northcott solids https://www.kingfishercraftcompany.com/collections/solids

    1. Hello Laura,

      I can see that you were sent the Diatom Quilt Along – Fabric Requirements email, but I don’t think you have opened that email. The link you need to download the fabric requirements PDF (it is 17 pages long) is inside that email. Please look for that email (maybe even in your spam directory) and let me know if you cannot find the email.

      Thanks,
      Yvonne

  2. Paulette Eccleston says:

    I am looking for the fabric requirements for the 4 colour version. I don’t see them in the email or the “blue button” to access.

    1. Hello Paulette,

      I can see that you actually did open the email and click on the Fabric Requirements PDF link. Page 15 of the PDF has all of the fabric requirements you need. The 4 color version yardages will be listed as Fabric A, Fabric B, Fabric C, Fabric D and don’t forget you will also need your backing and binding yardage listed there as well. 🙂

      Yvonne

  3. I love this design and can’t wait to see the different versions completed in the coming year.

  4. I look forward to quilting along! I need to pick my fabrics still.

  5. Jasmine @ Quilt Kisses says:

    I always love how thorough you are with your planning. I look forward to seeing what everyone does.

  6. Alys Hay says:

    Hi! I was just entering the dates for the QAL in my calendar and noticed that there is no date for Block 11. Block 10 is on May 26; Block 12 is on June 9 (along with finishing instructions). Do you have a date for Block 11? Many thanks!

    1. Great catch! I just noticed that myself this week. Oops! o_O

      The correct and updated schedule is:

      January 6, 2023 – Block 1
      January 20, 2023 – Block 2
      February 3, 2023 – Block 3
      February 17, 2023 – Block 4
      March 3, 2023 – Block 5
      March 17, 2023 – Block 6
      March 31, 2023 – Block 7
      April 14, 2023 – Block 8
      April 28, 2023 – Block 9
      May 12, 2023 – Block 10
      May 26, 2023 – Block 11
      June 9, 2023 – Block 12 & Finishing Instructions
      June 23, 2023 through July 31, 2023 – Final Linkup for Pieced Quilt Tops or Finished Quilts

  7. J. C. Koop says:

    My email for the fabric requirements did not have a separate PDF, but just opened a file within the email. I downloaded it as a PDF, but page 15 is just a mock up of the Meander star twin. There is a section with the four colorway, and links to resources, but I cannot find the exact yardage. It seems to open on your blog, so is that different than the PDF you mailed out?
    I have fabrics, but from my stash, ranging from 1.25 to 2 yard increments. Will that be enough?
    Thank you for this experience,
    Carol

    1. I will email a direct link to the newsletter. My guess is that you are also receiving my blog posts (this is a reply to a blog post) via email.

I really appreciate the time and thought you take to comment, and I look forward to conversing with you. :)