Planetarium Quilt Pattern
The Planetarium quilt pattern is here! You can now instantly download the pattern and start making it today! If this pattern looks tricky, don't worry! We will have a sew along full of tips and tricks beginning on January 26. And believe us when we say that even a new quilter can make the Planetarium quilt!
Even though this pattern will be available in early 2024, I'm still considering it part of our 2023 Look to the Sky quilts. The other three patterns designed with that theme are Starling, Butterfly Garden, Star Crossed, and now Planetarium! (Which one has been your favorite?)
If you're doing some post-holiday shopping, now's the time to order fabric for the Planetarium sew along. In this blog post, I'll give you fabric requirements and show you examples of different Planetarium quilts, including some that are available as kits.
Planetarium is a block-based quilt pattern, with only ONE block in the baby quilt and four blocks in the throw! Because these blocks are big, you will get a good sized throw, with a finished one measuring 72" square. Great for fort building!
Am I skilled enough to make the Planetarium quilt pattern?
If you are asking yourself this question, let me follow up with one of my own. Have you sewn before? If you have sewn something before, I think you can make this pattern. Here's why, included with the pattern are:
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- Clear written instruction with illustrations
- Video tutorials on how to cut templates, sew triangles, sew curves, and assemble the blocks
- Easy-to-print templates
- A coloring sheet so you can practice putting colors and fabrics together to see what you like
As I mentioned before, a sew along for this pattern will start a couple weeks after it's release on January 26. Our sew alongs add a lot of extra support through tips and break downs, but also through community. You can ask questions in the comments of each post, or join the Suzy Quilts Patterns Facebook group and ask questions there, for quick answers from skilled sewists!
Planetarium Quilt Pattern Video Series
These videos are supplemental to the PDF pattern, so you will still need to get the pattern and print the templates to make this quilt. However, the process is made infintely easier with the help of these fresh new video tutorials! Take a look...
How to Cut Fabric for the Planetarium Quilt Pattern
2-At-A-Time HST Tutorial
Sew & Trim Triangles: Planetarium Quilt Pattern
Cut & Sew Quarter Circles: Planetarium Quilt Pattern
How to Assemble the Planetarium Quilt
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Planetarium Fabric Requirements
When you're looking at these Color Groups, one way to break them down is in light, medium, and dark shades. That's roughly how the mock-up below is designed. To help you identify the Color Groups, here's a little break down:
- Color Group is included in every corner moon in the block and also one set of star points.
- Color Group 2 is in only 2 of the corner moons, but 2 sets of star points.
- Color Group 3 shows up the least with only 2 quarter moons and one set of star points.
To make a quilt like the mock-up above, you would use Suzy Quilts Signature Solids from Art Gallery Fabrics. The break down looks like this:
To make a quilt like the mock-up above, you would use Suzy Quilts Signature Solids from Art Gallery Fabrics. The break down looks like this:
If you want to buy a kit of the cover quilt, you can order one from Sarah Made here.
Planetarium Baby Quilt
Isn't it cute? I love the whimsy of this baby quilt pattern. Because it is made with just one Planetarium block and borders, you only need four different fabrics. This quilt uses:
Planetarium King Quilt
Like any king-sized quilt, this will take you a bit of time and use a lot of fabric. Will it look absolutely STUNNING when you are finished? Oooooh yeah. It uses the exact same block-based sewing technique as the other two sizes, you just make a lot more. Think of it this way, you could make two Planetarium throw quilts, or one king! Either way, you need eight blocks.
The mock-up below uses the same fabric as the first mock-up, but with the addition of Monet, Haze, and Velvet.
My Hand-Quilted Planetarium Quilt
About once a year I shirk my other responsibilities and decide to fully hand quilt a quilt. I used to hand quilt all the time, but two and a half kids later (I'm six months pregnant while writing this) I now only squeeze hand quilting in occasionally.
When I designed this pattern I knew it needed to be hand quilted. That's part of the reason I left it to the end of the year. Following our 2023 quilt pattern theme of Look to the Sky I thought it would be fitting for our grand finale pattern to be my interpretation of the moon and stars.
The phases of the moon are represented, but more whimsically than accurately. That's my basic approach to life anyway 🙂 The stars are HUGE, pointy, and lots of fun. I like to think the tiny half square triangles inside each star makes them twinkle.
My hand quilting is concentric circles an inch apart starting from the center of the quilt. To mark the quilt I did a variation of this...
I also got a lot of help from my two year old...
Her favorite part was dumping water on the quilt to make my water soluble marks disappear. Actually, the water dumping was both of our favorite parts. 🙂
As my circles got larger my marking got less accurate, so eventually I just stopped and measured each one as I sewed, keeping them an inch away from each other.
These are my husband John's legs. Oooh la la! 😉
Shining Rainbow Planetarium Quilt
This version of the Planetarium quilt was made by Kim Vogelsang and if you love it as much as we do, you're in luck! It's available as a kit from Crimson Tate, and you'll be able to get all of your supplies before our sew along begins on January 19. Longarm quilting by Heather Alexander, using the panto Bubble Glitter by Sew Shabby Quilting.
The photos of this quilt were taken outside of the Museum at Prairieifre in Overland Park, Kansas. The architecture is *almost* as beautiful as Kim's quilt!
Kim stuck with the basic fabric-picking format of choosing light, medium, and dark shades for her different Color Groups. It makes this quilt vibrate with excitement and look beautiful cohesive at the same time.
Warm Planetarium Quilt
Do you want to warm up on a cold winter day? Get the warm Planetarium quilt kit from Sarah Made! These colors will bring the sunshine inside any day. Quilting by Trace Creek Quilting.
Here are all of the fabrics used in the warm Planetarium quilt shown below:
- Star one, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Grapefruit
- Star one, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Miami Sunset
- Star one, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Georgia Peach
- Star two, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Crystal Pink
- Star two, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Cactus Flower
- Star two, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Flamingo
- Star three, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Mauvelous
- Star three, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Bewitched
- Star three, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Rock Candy
- Star four, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Apple Cider
- Star four, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Queen Bee
- Star four, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Raw Gold
- Background – 3 1/8 yards AGF PURE Solids Coconut Milk
Dark Planetarium Quilt
This dark Planetarium quilt kit, available from Sarah Made, really pops! The dark background is reminiscent of the inside of a planetarium show. If you love gazing at the stars at night, you'll love making this stunning version. Quilted by Trace Creek Quilting.
Here are all of the fabrics used in the dark Planetarium quilt shown below:
- Star one, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Emerald
- Star one, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Warm Wave
- Star one, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Tender Green
- Star two, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Apricot Crepe
- Star two, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Cactus Flower
- Star two, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Sedona
- Star three, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Sienna Brick
- Star three, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Rock Candy
- Star three, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Chocolate
- Star four, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF PURE Solids Ocean
- Star four, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Parisian Blue
- Star four, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF PURE Solids Ocean Waves
- Background – 3 1/8 yards AGF PURE Solids Caviar
Baby Planetarium Quilt
How precious is this baby version of the Planetarium quilt? There is so much for a baby to look at — the interesting shapes, vibrant colors, and quilting texture make it the perfect gift. Get the kit from Sarah Made!
Here are all of the fabrics used in the baby Planetarium quilt shown below:
- Color 1 – 5/8 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Spiced
- Color 2 – 1/2 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Cerulean
- Color 3 – 1/2 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Poppy
- Background – 1 1/2 yards AGF PURE Solids Coconut Milk
Evolve Planetarium Quilt
We know you can't wait for Suzy's new line of printed fabrics from Art Gallery Fabrics — Evolve! Evolve looks wonderful mixed with Suzy's PURE Signature Solids. Preorder this kit from Sarah Made!
Here are all of the fabrics used in the Evolve Planetarium quilt shown below:
- Star one, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Matcha
- Star one, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF Evolve Tiny Meadow Nova
- Star one, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF Evolve Key Lime
- Star two, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Queen Bee
- Star two, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF Evolve Tiny Meadow Queen Bee
- Star two, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Shrimpy
- Star three, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF Evolve Cerulean
- Star three, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Honeymoon
- Star three, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Glacier
- Star four, color 1 – 1/2 yard AGF Signature PURE Solids Pistachio
- Star four, color 2 – 3/8 yard AGF Evolve Coneflower Hemlock
- Star four, color 3 – 3/8 yard AGF Evolve Meadow Matcha
- Background – 3 1/8 yards AGF Signature PURE Solids Pearl
Printed Planetarium Quilt
Sandy of Thai Charm LLC made this version of the Planetarium quilt with a mixture of prints and solids. The white background looks perfectly snowy! Get her kit here. And of course, the beautiful quilting was done by Sandy herself.
Sandy will be sharing a tutorial for her Planetarium block tote bag on the Suzy Quilts blog right after the pattern release! Isn't it sweet?
Desert Skies Planetarium Quilt
The big, open skies above the desert offer some of the clearest and most beautiful views of stars anywhere in the country. That's what makes this desert-inspired version of Planetarium so special! Get the kit from Lamb & Loom.
Sunny Planetarium Baby Quilt
For everyone who loves sunny warm colors, this quilt made by Mandy Mace knocks it out of the park! While there aren't kits available for this baby quilt, you can recreate it using Warp & Weft fabrics by Alexia Abegg for Ruby Star Society. Longarm quilting was done by Quilting by David.
What Type of Planetarium Quilt Will You Make?
Did one of these Planetarium quilts catch your eye? Or do you have an idea for making your own version? Tell us what you think in the comments! And don't forget to set a reminder to get this fabulous pattern on January 11.
Suzy, what a beautiful quilt. It’s so unusual. That’s another quilt planned – after I’ve finished three I’m working on! Happy New Year
That’s wonderful! Hope you have a wonderful new year as well!
Which water soluble pen do you use to mark your quilting lines? I adore your concentric circle hand quilting!!!
Thank you! I started with this one – https://amzn.to/3TJ9H8y but I’ve had it a long time so it dried out. I then switched to this one – https://amzn.to/3vpsN9r and it worked great too!
Thank you! Happy new year!
I also have a question about circles. What is your method for drawing the circles, particular the large circles? I would love to give this pattern a try and hand quilt for the first time.
You can see exactly how I make the circle units in this tutorial video – https://suzyquilt.com/quarter-circles-planetarium we’ll cover it in even more detail in Week 3 of this sew along.
Just what I’ve been looking for!
Yay!! 🥰
Wow! This might be my favorite pattern. It is gorgeous! Perfect color scheme, perfect backing fabric, and hand quilting was a great choice.
Thank you so much, Marianne!
Hi Suzy. I’ve been teaching myself to hand quilt for a couple years now. However, I’m painfully slow at finishing a quilt. Some of my problem is fitting quilting time into my busy schedule. Although I’m retired I seem to stay busier than ever – with everything other than sewing and quilting!! I wondered if you have any tips that might help me be more efficient when I sit down to hand quilt. I use a round 24″ hoop on a stand for my quilt frame. For finger protection I use stick on pads, some leather. Thanks! Happy New Year from Kentucky!
Hi Lola! Have you tried quilting on a table without using a hoop? That may help speed things along! Here is a great blog post with more information (the comments are also helpful!):
https://suzyquilts.com/diy-quilted-play-mat-part-ii-finishing-the-mat/
That being said, I think that is the beauty of hand quilting, taking our time and enjoying the process for what it is, a moment of quiet and stillness in all the busyness of life. Happy (hand) quilting, friend!
Fabulous, striking design! I also really like the hand quilting you did on your quilt. It was worth the time it took you to complete that.
Lovely quilt Suzy. Congratulations.
I just love this design! I’m looking forward to the pattern
That’s wonderful! I’m so happy to hear it 🙂
I’m really looking forward to making a king size, but I am a little confused at the fabric requirements when you add in that other color set. It appears as the Monet/Haze/Velvet have 2 blocks each, with only one block using Shrimpy/Thistle/Snapdragon. Are the larger fabric requirements used for making 2 blocks, and the “throw” size the amount of fabric for a single block? I’d like to get my fabric ordered in time for the sew along!
Hi Taryn! We’re so glad you’re making the Planetarium quilt! Quick question — have you purchased the pattern already? There is a diagram on Page 14 that should be helpful. Let us know if you’ve had a chance to look at that diagram, and if you still need some help, email us at [email protected] 🙂
Suzy- I love to hand quilt and love the look of your big stitch quilting on Planetarium! What needle size and thread type did you use?
You can find a hand quilting tutorial plus supply list here! https://suzyquilts.com/how-to-hand-quilt/
Have you ever used Crayola water soluble markers? I bought a box for my grandkids and found they really come in handy in my sewing room.
Well isn’t that the most creative idea! Do they come out with just water, or do you need to fully wash the quilt with soap to get them out?
I just love this pattern but with sew many wonderful colour choices how can I choose?? Another glass of wine might help?
That was my thought too 😉
There is no way I should begin one more project, but I love this pattern so much. And who wants to miss a sew along, anyway? Not me. I always feel bad when I skip one! I have great memories of visits to Cranbrook planetarium as a kid and stunning starry nights when we lived in the desert. I’m ready to cut, piece and quilt! Let’s go!
I grew up going to Cranbrook too! Love that this quilt is evoking that memory 🙂
It was often a field trip from grade school! Such a wonderful experience each time.
Love your enthusiasm! Buckle up, it’s going to be a fun one!:)
Haha, I couldn’t resist thinking “Buckle up, Buttercup!” when I read your reply. I’m ready.