How to Make a Plaid Quilt

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Measure and cut your first color fabric. Cut four strips 2.5 inches wide and one strip 1.5 inches wide. Place the short end of each strip on the selvage. Then cut the 1.5-inch strips into squares. There should be 20 1.5-by-1.5 inch squares. Use your quilter's rule, rotary cutter and mat to cut across the fabric to make these squares.
Step 2

Use the quilter's rule to cut your second color fabric. You need four strips 5.5 inches wide. Cut two of these strips into 24 2.5-by- 5.5-inch rectangles.
Step 3

Cut your third color fabric. You need three strips 3.5 inches wide and four strips 2.5 inches wide.
Step 4

Continue by cutting the fourth color fabric. You need four strips 3.5 inches wide.
Step 5

Finish by cutting your fifth color. You need two strips 12.5 inches wide. Cut each of these strips to make 1.5-by-12.5 inch rectangles. You need a total of 31 rectangles.

Step 1

Sew a strip of color 1 fabric that is 2.5 inches wide to a 3.5-inch strip of color 3 fabric along the long side. Straight stitch with medium stitches to the edge. Repeat twice making two more panels. Make 48 sections by cutting these three panels into 2.5-inch wide strips along the short side, cutting through both colors of fabric.
Step 2

Stitch a 2.5-inch strip of color 3 to a 3.5-inch strip of color 4 along the long edge. Repeat to make a total of four panels. Cut these panels on the short side into 3.5-inch strips. You should have made 48 of these strips as well.
Step 3

Join a 5.5-inch color 2 fabric strip to the long edges of the two 2.5-inch strip of color 1 fabric to make a color 1, color 2, color 1 pattern. Make 12 2.5-inch wide sections.
Step 4

Assemble the blocks by taking one piece from Step 1, with color 1 at the top, one from Step 2, with color 3 at the top, 1 2.5-by-5.5 inch rectangle of color 2, another from Step 2 with color 3 at the top and another from Step 1 with color 1 at the top. Sew these in order. Repeat this until you get 24 half squares.
Step 5

Take one half square and a piece from Step 3, then stitch one half square on both sides. This will give you a total of 12 blocks.

Step 1

Sew your quilt blocks together in rows of three pressing the seams as you go. Cut two strips of fabric the length of the assembled quilt blocks and sew to the two opposite sides of the front, then cut two strips the width of the quilt blocks plus the width of the two fabric strips and sew to the top and bottom of the plaid quilt.
Step 2

Cut batting the size of the finished front of the plaid quilt and center the quilt backing over this. Tack in place with safety pins or quilt tacks and quilt.
Step 3

Create a binding with the 4-inch piece of fabric and whip stitch top and bottom together. Now you can enjoy your quilt.

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