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| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern | $37.22 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Irish Chain in a Day: Single and Double | $21.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Quilt in a Day Eleanor Burns Patterns, Braid in a Day | $13.84 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Quick Trip Quilts (Quilt in a Day Series) | $23.81 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Make a Quilt in a Day 6th Edition Log Cabin Book by Eleanor Burns | $30.95 | Buy on Amazon |
Quilt in a Day is Eleanor Burns’s speed-oriented quilting method and the name of the business that grew from her 1978 book Make a Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern. It uses rotary cutting, rulers, strip piecing and assembly-line sewing to make patchwork faster to cut and assemble. “In a day” describes the method’s premise—not a guaranteed finish time for every quilt, size or quilter.
What is Eleanor Burns’s Quilt in a Day method?
Burns’s approach organizes quilting around efficient cutting and repeatable sewing. Instead of relying on scissors and templates for every piece, quilters use a rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat to cut fabric accurately, then join repeated strips or units in batches. Step-by-step instructions guide the assembly.
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- Eleanor Burns loves to quilt and this beautiful book shows you her techniques
- This is the first book that brought the tradition of quilt making to so many
- Make a log cabin quilt in only 10 to 16 hours
- Features color illustrations and photos throughout
- This softcover book has 93 pages
The American Quilter’s Society describes Burns’s approach as replacing scissors and templates with “rips and strips,” and credits her with bringing rotary-cutting speed to patchwork. The Quilters Hall of Fame likewise identifies rotary cutting with specialized rulers and assembly-line sewing as hallmarks of her method. American Quilter’s Society biography; The Quilters Hall of Fame biography.
Why the name says “in a day”
The phrase came from Burns’s first book, Make a Quilt in a Day: Log Cabin Pattern, published in 1978, according to The Quilters Hall of Fame. The book’s success led Burns to name her pattern business Quilt in a Day; the organization says the business marked its 40th anniversary in 2018.
Rank #2
- Used Book in Good Condition
A 1992 Los Angeles Times profile reported Burns’s estimate that, depending on project size, a student could begin at 8:30 a.m. and finish by 4 p.m. That was her period-specific estimate, not a controlled timing study or a promise about what a beginner can complete. Quilt size, preparation, sewing pace and the chosen pattern all affect the time needed. Caroline Lemke, Los Angeles Times, February 13, 1992.
How Burns’s books and business developed
The 1978 Log Cabin book established the brand and its central idea: simplify construction so quilters can make a usable quilt without years of work. Burns’s instructional output spans books and patterns. The Quilters Hall of Fame credits her with more than 125 books and patterns since 1978; the American Quilter’s Society biography says she has written over 100 quilting books. These are differently worded counts from pages without visible publication dates, so they should be read as biographical figures rather than a current, independently reconciled total.
Rank #3
- This package contains one pattern booklet and one acrylic template
- Skill level: Easy
The American Quilter’s Society says Burns’s television series began airing on PBS in 1990. Her teaching emphasis is also captured in a statement recorded by The Quilters Hall of Fame: her mission was “to encourage, nurture and motivate new quilters by simplifying the process and sharing her techniques through a variety of printed and visual media.”
Is Quilt in a Day suitable for beginners?
It is designed to make quilting approachable: the method emphasizes machine sewing, clear steps and efficient cutting rather than requiring hand piecing or complex template work. In the 1992 Los Angeles Times profile, Burns described her own technique as easy and geared toward beginners. That is her characterization of her teaching approach, not an independent assessment of every book or pattern.
Rank #4
- The patterns are easy enough for a beginner
- Will challenge seasoned quilters too
- Technique for this quilt is fun and so easy that it is truly a "Quilt in a Day"
- Let your personality shine by the fabric selection and placement
- Yardage and cutting charts for all five-quilt sizes with bonus instructions
Beginners still need to follow cutting and seam instructions carefully. Accurate rotary cutting and consistent seams matter because small errors can accumulate across repeated units. If you are new to quilting, start with one block or a small project, check the pattern’s supply list and cutting instructions, and choose a format that explains each step at a comfortable pace.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to try the method before buying a book
Quilt in a Day’s official site offers free illustrated patterns, including instructions for Flying Geese, half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, triangle-in-a-square and strip piecing. It also includes four-patch, nine-patch and sixteen-patch blocks. These make a practical first step: choose one technique, read its instructions in full, and make a test block before committing fabric to a larger quilt. Browse Quilt in a Day’s free patterns.
Best Value
- 6th edition
- Celebrates the original and is bursting with new ideas
Choose a starting point that matches your goal
| Starting point | Best fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Free illustrated pattern | Trying a specific block or technique before buying instruction | Confirm the pattern’s fabric requirements, cutting directions and whether it calls for a ruler. |
| Book | Learning through a fuller sequence of instructions or exploring a named project | Check the edition and contents; books differ in the techniques and projects they cover. |
| Standalone pattern | Making a particular quilt or block without needing a broader collection | Review the skill level, finished size, materials and any tool requirements before starting. |
| Specialty ruler or template | Following a project whose instructions specify that tool | Match the ruler to the named technique and block size; it is not a universal beginner requirement. |
The official Quilt in a Day storefront organizes books and patterns and lists rulers and templates separately. AllBrands also catalogs Quilt in a Day patterns, rulers and templates. AllBrands catalog. Before choosing a product, compare what it teaches, whether you want a book or a single project, and which supplies are included rather than assuming a specialty ruler or other tool comes with it.
Tools and materials: what you actually need
For rotary-cutting projects, a rotary cutter, a suitable ruler and a gridded cutting mat can help make accurate cuts. A sewing machine is used in the machine-sewn approach described in the 1992 newspaper profile. The exact tools and materials depend on the instructions for the selected project; the historical article is not a current shopping list, and the sources do not establish that every beginner needs every listed item.
- Start with the pattern’s requirements: use its specified ruler or template if one is called for, and verify the dimensions it supports.
- Gather fabric and sewing supplies separately when needed: do not assume they are included with a book, pattern or ruler.
- Use a test block for unfamiliar techniques: it lets you check cutting and seam accuracy before making a larger set of pieces.
What the “quick quilt” idea does—and does not—promise
Burns’s method is about reducing repetitive work through rotary cutting, strip piecing and batch assembly. Those techniques can make a project more efficient, but the phrase “in a day” is not evidence that every quilt can be completed in that time. The 8:30 a.m.-to-4 p.m. estimate in the Los Angeles Times is Burns’s 1992 account, qualified by project size, rather than a measured result that applies to today’s quilters.
Burns also framed quick construction as a way to make quilts for everyday use. The same 1992 profile quotes her saying, “This isn’t a quilt that takes three or four years to make. You can use it right away for kids or grandkids,” and that she wanted her quilts “to be loved to death.” Those remarks express her own philosophy of practical, well-used quilts, rather than a claim about durability or the time every reader will need.
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