A Literary Cotton for Quilts with a Story
Some fabrics do more than fill a space in a quilt — they set the mood for the whole project. Emma Woodhouse 43"/44" Fabric Per Yard, from the Emma collection by Riley Blake Designs, is that kind of fabric. It is 100% cotton quilting fabric, 43"/44" wide, and sold by the yard, and it belongs to Riley Blake Designs' collectible series honoring Jane Austen's six published works. This is an official licensed product, created for quilters who love classic literature as much as they love a well-pieced block.
Riley Blake Designs describes the Emma collection as great for quilting, apparel and home decor. In a quilt it brings a literary, Regency-inspired character to patchwork; in apparel it works for pieces that call for quilting cotton; and in home decor it adds a bookish note to cushions and runners for a reading corner.
What Emma Woodhouse Fabric Is Best For
Reach for this fabric when the story matters as much as the stitches. It is a natural centerpiece for a Jane Austen-themed quilt — a gift for a book club friend, an English teacher, or anyone who rereads Austen every year. Because it comes from a collectible series honoring Austen's six published works, it also pairs beautifully with other prints from the Emma collection and coordinates from the wider Austen series, letting you build a quilt that feels curated rather than scrappy by accident.
It also works well as a featured print rather than a background blender. Use larger cuts so the design has room to show, and let it anchor a simple layout instead of chopping it into tiny pieces where its character would be lost. Fussy cutting is a good option too: isolate a favorite motif for block centers, then surround it with calm, low-volume coordinates.
How to Use It: Cutting, Piecing and Pairing
Plan your cuts around the print. At 43"/44" wide, this is standard quilting-cotton width, so it cuts easily into the strips, squares and rectangles most patterns call for. Before cutting, lay the fabric flat, press it well, and look at how the design repeats across the width. Decide which parts you want featured, then cut those first before using the remaining yardage for smaller pieces.
Keep piecing simple. Literary and collectible prints reward straightforward geometry: large squares, half-square triangles in generous sizes, sashing strips, and borders all show off the fabric instead of competing with it. If you mix it with small-scale prints, keep those supporting fabrics quieter in scale and value so Emma Woodhouse stays the focal point.
Pair colors with intention. Build your palette from colors already in the print rather than matching it to unrelated fabrics from your stash. Add one or two solid or near-solid coordinates for rest, a low-volume print for backgrounds, and a slightly deeper tone for binding to frame the finished quilt. If you are combining it with other Emma collection fabrics, repeat each fabric at least twice across the quilt top so the mix reads as deliberate.
Think beyond the quilt top. The same yardage works for a matching pillow sham, a book tote, a zip pouch for reading glasses, or a table runner — small projects that make a lovely companion set alongside a finished quilt.
Project Ideas to Try
Make a lap quilt for a reading chair using large blocks of Emma Woodhouse separated by soft sashing. Sew a set of throw pillow covers for a library or sitting room. Create a wall hanging for a book lover, with fussy-cut centers and simple pieced borders. Or use the fabric for the back of a quilt as well as the front feature print, so the literary theme carries through when the quilt is folded back.
Care
Follow the care instructions given for this fabric: machine wash cold and tumble dry low. Wash and press your yardage the same way you plan to launder the finished project, especially if you are combining it with other cottons, so everything behaves consistently once the quilt is complete.
Shop the Emma Woodhouse 43" / 44" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
