How to Make a Quilt Using Quilt Squares

Quilts can be elaborate or simple, but even the simplest, most elegant quilt can add to a room's décor. Sew squares of coordinating or scrap fabric together for a fast and easy quilt.

Things You'll Need

• Iron
• Fabric squares
• Ruler
• Fabric scissors
• Rotary cutter (optional)
• Self-healing mat (optional)
• Needle
• Thread
• Pins
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Batting larger than desired finished size
• Large piece of fabric larger than desired finished size
• Embroidery floss or yarn

Instructions

Cutting and Sewing Your Fabric

1. Press the fabric so that the squares will be accurate when they are cut. Use spray starch if necessary to get wrinkles out.

2. Squares can be cut in one of two ways. The first option is to trace around a template made of cardboard or plastic (quilt and fabric shops sell lightweight plastic for this purpose). Remember to add a 1/2 inch to the square measurement for seam allowances. In other words, there will be 1/4 inch extra around each square that will disappear behind when you sew your squares together. This method works best when you have small pieces of fabric or scraps.

3. The other way to cut squares is with a rotary cutter, plastic ruler and self-healing mat. This method is best when you have large pieces of fabric. Make sure your fabric is wrinkle-free and folded with the grain or weave of the fabric. Lay it down on the self-healing mat, and line up the ruler with the grid lines on the mat. Hold the ruler with one hand, and using the rotary cutter like a pizza cutter, slice the fabric into strips with the other hand. It's usually best to stand for this step to get the right amount of pressure on the cutter. Be careful as these blades are very sharp. Safety gloves are available for this purpose. Do not cut the strips into squares yet because you can sew them more efficiently in strips.

4. Start sewing. If you have cut squares by hand, sew them, right sides together, by hand or machine. Use a few pins to keep the edges lined up while sewing. Take up only a 1/4-inch seam (make your line of stitches 1/4 inch in from the edge of the fabric). If you are machine sewing, sew the square pairs one after another without cutting the thread. If you have cut fabric strips, use the same method of matching raw edges and taking up a 1/4-inch seam. Again, the strip pairs can be sewn one after another on the machine without cutting the thread. You can join several strips together this way, but vary the order if you are sewing several units.

5. Press all seams to one side before proceeding. This will help when lining up seams for the next step and keep the right side of the quilt flat.

6. Sew your square pairs together into small units of four, then eight, then 16 squares. Make sure the seam allowances meeting in the back go in opposite directions to prevent bumps, and use a pin to keep fabric in place. It is easier to make the seams meet on the right side when the seam allowances go in opposite directions. Press new seams after each step.

7. If you are using fabric strips, slice perpendicularly to the original strip at intervals the same width as the original strip; this should create squares of each strip. Then sew these multi-fabric strips together making sure each pair of seams is matched up. Make sure seam allowances that meet go in opposite directions. Create variety by not putting two squares of the same fabric together.

Finishing Your Quilt

1. When all squares have been sewn together, press the quilt one last time. Cut a piece of batting and a piece of fabric the same size as the quilt top.

2. Lay the backing fabric right-side-up on a table or floor. Lay the quilt top right-side-down on top of the backing fabric, and put the batting on top of that. Pin the three layers together matching the edges.

3. Sew by hand or machine around the edge of the quilt, and leave 6 to 10 inches open on one side for turning. Trim the corners off to within one stitch length from the stitched corners to reduce bulk. Pull the quilt through the opening. The batting should be in the middle. Make sure to poke the corners into points from the inside, then stitch up the opening with an invisible hand stitch. You can also stitch 1/2 inch from the edge in a large machine or hand stitch to keep the layers in place.

4. Quilt the three layers of the quilt together by sewing through all layers in a grid or decorative shape or by tying square knots at intervals with embroidery floss or yarn.

Tips & Warnings

• Most quilts are made from all-cotton fabric, but variations on this are possible. Make sure all the fabrics in the quilt are similar weights (all cotton, all flannel or all denim for example).

• When sewing squares, strips or other units by machine, sewing one after another without cutting saves yards of thread.

• Plan to include only fabrics that are laundered the same way in your quilt. If you have a felt, velvet or other unusual fabric in the quilt, it will have to be replaced after machine washing and drying.

• Consider investing in a pair of safety gloves for cutting with a rotary cutter. It is easy to slip, especially when just learning this technique.

References

• Quilting101.com

Resources

• How to use a Rotary Cutter