How to Make a Quilted Wall Hanging

Quilted wall hangings are an affordable way to add warmth and color to your walls. While a wide variety of patterns are available, a simple wall hanging is a good choice if you are just learning to quilt. This quilted wall hanging is designed for a beginner at quilting and uses a traditional nine-patch design. You can purchase coordinated fabrics or use scrap fabrics you already have on hand. Assemble your quilted wall hanging by hand or machine as you prefer. The finished size is 27 inches by 27 inches, but this can easily be changed if you prefer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fabric scraps, less than 1 yard total required Solid quilt backing, less than 1 yard Quilt batting 27inches by 27 inches Quilt binding Long quilting pins for sandwiching the quilt Rotary cutter, mat and ruler, or scissors Sewing machine, if desired Coordinating thread Quilting hoop (optional) Hand quilting needles and thread (optional)

1. Wash and iron all of your fabrics. Pre-washing fabric will prevent unpleasant surprises when the final quilt is laundered.

2. Use a rotary cutter, mat and ruler or scissors to cut nine 9 1/2 inch by 9 1/2 inch squares to create a 27 inch by 27 inch wall hanging. Combine prints and colors as you like. You can use as few as two colors or as many as nine in your quilted wall hanging.

3. Arrange the quilt blocks for your quilted wall hanging. Be sure that you arrange colors and prints to create a good balance of light and dark. Avoid placing identical quilt squares next to one another. If you are using only two fabrics, the top and bottom rows should be arranged as fabric one, fabric two, fabric one, and the middle row should be fabric two, fabric one, fabric two. You can feel free to use a wide variety of fabrics if you prefer, and it will still create a lovely and warm wall hanging.

4. Seam the quilt blocks together in strips of three. Press all seams to one side. Sew these quilt strips together to form a neat nine-patch square.

5. Sandwich a layer of quilt batting between your quilt top and backing fabric. Pin securely into place. Quilt along the edges of each block, by hand or machine. Bind your quilt with handmade or commercial quilt binding, neatly mitering the corners.

Tips & Warnings

• Add more or fewer patches for a larger or smaller quilted wall hanging as desired. Applique may be used to add additional designs to the quilted wall hanging. Some or all of the blocks in your quilt can be nine-patch blocks made from 3 1/2 inch squares. To make a nine-patch block, cut nine 3 1/2 inch squares and sew them together as indicated in Step 4. Combine the finished blocks together or with solid blocks to make your quilted wall hanging. To hang your quilt on the wall, use Velcro or a frame.

Resources

• How to make a nine patch quilt
• Nine patch gallery
• Nine patch quilt blocks