Easy Directions for a Hole in the Barn Door Quilt

Learn how to create quilt blocks.

A "hole in the barn door" quilt is a basic pattern that is often the starting point for beginning quilters. To create this type of quilt, you make blocks that you then piece together to create the entire quilt. For the most part, quilts in this pattern are hung as wall décor rather than using the quilt as a blanket or bed cover -- although this is preference rather than rule of thumb.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Fabric marker/pen
• Sewing machine
• Thread

Instructions

1. Place your fabric on a flat working surface.

2. Measure a strip of fabric that is 4 7/8 inches long.

3. Cut the strip of fabric into two squares, each square measuring 4 7/8 inches.

4. Turn one of the squares of fabric over so that the pattern side of the fabric is facing down.

5. Place a ruler diagonally across the square and draw a diagonal line.

6. Draw another diagonal line (¼ inch) on the right side of the original diagonal line. Then draw one on the left side of the original diagonal line. You should have three diagonal lines on the back of one of the fabric squares. The two outer lines are the lines you will use as your sewing guides, while the center diagonal line is where you will cut open the fabric after you have sewn on the other two lines.

7. Go back to the original 4 7/8-inch strip and cut another square measuring 2 ½ inches.

8. Place one the of 4 7/8-inch squares on top of the other. Sew a seam along each of the two outer diagonal lines.

9. Cut along the center diagonal line between the two seams you just created.

10. Repeat steps 1 through 9. You now have the four corners for your first quilt block.

11. Place the two 2 ½-inch blocks of fabric side by side so that they are lying horizontally. Sew one end of the fabric to the other end of the fabric using a ¼-inch seam, so that the two pieces of fabric make one long strip.

12. Cut the strip of fabric into four 4 ½-inch pieces.

13. Lay out your pieces to create a 12 ½-inch block with the four corners of the block positioned in the four corners of the quilt block. Sew these pieces together to create the quilt block.

14. Create one quilt block for each piece of the quilt.

15. Sew all of the quilt blocks together to create the entire quilt.

16. Sew on the trim to the quilt or sew a seam along the entire outer edge of the quilt to close the outer edges of the quilt and finish it.

References

• Quilt Lovers Guide: Hole in the Barn Door