UPDATE: This tutorial is now a complete, downloadable pattern that you can get for $3.95 HERE.
Today I get to share a fun quilt design that I love to make. It’s a a quick sew with fun results. It really is a quilt that you can select the fabric for today and then have it cut and sewn before the weekend is over.
The entire quilt is made out of one solid square of fabric next to four small squares of fabric (called a 4 patch)…
…and then comes another solid square and then another Four Patch and so on…….
Here are the dimensions that I almost always cut mine and how I put them together:
And the only other thing that you need to know is that I use a quarter inch sew allowance when I sew my blocks together.
Easy Peasy!
Then to assemble the quilt you will basically just assemble it how you assembled your four patch! (Sewing the entire row of blocks together, then the next row and then sewing row one to row to and so on….it’s simple and fun!)
And I love this design because you can easily make your quilt as large or as small as you want just by adding more blocks and 4 patches.
For this quilt each row had 4 solid fabric blocks and 4 Four Patch Blocks and was 8 rows long. Which makes a great over-sized lap quilt.
As for the boarder it is cut into strips that are 4.25 inches wide and then the length of the quilt sides.
Again…easy!
It really is a perfect weekend project.
I made this during the winter for my in-laws out of super soft flannel…but it also works up darling with all styles of quilting cottons!
-liZ
PS: You can see that this quilt was finished by hand binding (which I love) and it was tied instead of quilting which I do very often. My husband built me a set of quilting frames and they seem to always be in use!
This is beautiful! Would make a great weekend project . I love tying quilts. Thanks for the post.
looks warm and cozy, I have never done a tie quilt, nor understand the hand binding, lol, I do not think I hae the patience. Tell me about that couch/chair in the background!
I have a storage draw full of flannel and have been looking for just the right pattern to use to make a cozy project for this Fall. FOUND IT! Thanks so much!
Would love to see a photo of the quilting frame your husband built!
I love this quilt!
Did you use batting in the making of this quilt or just put on a flannel backing?
Thank you for your reply.
Beautiful! I would also like to see your quilting frames and know if you used batting, flannel, or whatever. Thanks.
You could also do this with precuts. Using flannel 10″ and 5″. They will finish 9 1/2″ blocks. I love the tieing that’s how my grandmother made her quilts.
I did put some warm and natural batting inbetween the top and back before I tied it. Just for added warmth and softness! -liZ
I love this pattern. Thanks for the tutorial. I just bought some flannel to make quilts for my 2 adult sons and will use this pattern. I am sort of new to quilting and don’t understand tying. I guess I can google it. It adds a nice finish.
Thanks for the tutorial. Love your quilt. This is a perfect pattern to use with the flannel I just bought to make my 2 adult sons quilts. I love the tying but I do not understand how to do it. It adds a very nice finish. I will have to goggle it.
Tell me what is best for tying yhis quilt please. I have used embrodery floss on light-weight quilts , but yours looks much stronger. Thanks!
Maybe I am missing something…What is on the back of the quilt? The same blocks? I would love to see a pic of the back as well as the front. Very cute and looks ever so cozy!
Shouldn’t the 8 inch blocks be 8 1/2 inches to include the seam allowance ? My husband just passed away and I plan to make each child a lap quilt with his flannel shirts. This is a good pattern.
Where did you find your flannels? Also, should the large block be 8 1/2 inches?
Please tell me how you decided to place your large squares and four patch squares. I am having difficulty with my color design
Could you tell me approximately how many yards of flannel I would need to make this quilt the same as yours? Also, should the big block be 8.5 inches??
Do you have a tutorial on tying?
Hi there! I love this quilt and would love to make a few for Christmas gifts. I’d also like to know how much yardage you used for this size. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love the cozy colors of this quilt , could you share where you purchased these great colored flannels ? thanks so much !
Love this quilt gives me ideas for the 10” and 5′ squares i have had for a while. I see you use yarn to tie your quilt i think i better stick with the embroidery thread. I was thinking abut using buttons. thank you the instructions.
I just use yarn! It’s what my grandmother always used!
I just sewed together two chunks of plaid fabric that I had left over from the front. So it is just plain…nothing very exciting.
It depends on your seam allowance. I only use a .25 inch seam allowance but if you are you using a .5 inch seam allowance then you would need to cut the smaller blocks at 8.5 inches.
I bought the flannels at several different local quilt shops. And if you want the large blocks to finish at 8 inches then yes, you should cut them at 8.5 inches but then you need to change the size that you cut your smaller blocks as well or else they will finish off .5 inches too small.
I laid them all out on my living room floor and did lots of rearranging! Sometimes “random” patterns can be trickier than set patterns!
If you make the large blocks 8.5 inches then you will need to change the size of the small blocks or else they wont be the same size….
I absolutely love this flannel quilt. Did you prewash the flannel fabric before cutting?
Can you tie a quilt without using a frame? I too need help in that area! Beautiful quilt! Thank you so much for sharing with us!
Do you pre wash your flannel?
I would like to know if you pre washed the flannel before you made the quilt, the yardage for the blocks, border, binding and backing and instructions on how you tied it please! Thank you in advance for your reply! ::) Chrissy
I’m also new to quilting, how many yards total should I buy to make this quilt?? Love It
Can you tell me how you decided which fabrics you used for the large and small a squares and which method you used to place them? Many thanks! Lee
You can absolutely tie a quilt without using a frame! Otherwise I guess I did it wrong when I did. Heehee. I’m EXCELLENT at doing things however I think best!
My personal preference is to not prewash when quilting, although if some of the fabrics are washed (from repurposed clothes, for example), I will usually prewash the rest for a similar start point.
I love your Flannel Quilt! Could you tell me how much yardage to buy to make It? Thank U
I love this quilt, the colors and the simplicity are calling me to make one. Do you have any idea of how much fabric you need for this quilt and what is the size? Just looking at it makes me want to take a nap, well done. All most forgot, how many different fabrics did you use.
Thanks much, keep up the great work.
We tie all our quilts. Tying does not smash the batting down like quilting and it makes them warmer. We use carpet warp for tying, it does not frizz up like yarn does.
How many of yards of flannel did you use? Just curious how much to buy. Thanks!
What is the yardage for this, just a ball park figure?
Have wreitten down the sizes and important measurement for this. I have made a few flannel quilts for the guys in my family. I use a flannel sheet for back and also in-between. and I tie them with craft thread. A friend gave a stack of the sheets and you can pick them up in thrift stores and yard sales. Most of my flannel is from clothing so do not have to wash. have had some new stuff too, but just wash after it’s done. Works fine….
If u make The larger square 8.5″ what would I end making the smaller squares???
I am a beginner quilter and I would like to make this for a friend who has be difonised with leukimia, Ty!!
Can u use cotton born material also???
When you sew the four 4.25″ squares together, it makes an 8″ square block. So, no, you don’t need to add a seam allowance to the solid 8″ block
Yes! For sure!
And that is how my grandmother made her quilts too…and I love it.
I would guess about 3.5 yards total….but it is made up of a variety of fabrics.
I just made another one of these and used scraps from my scrap bin and I loved how it turned out.
It took an afternoon….I just laid them all out on the floor and kept moving pieces around until I was happy. I wish I could say there was a more exact process but for me there wasn’t.
For the quilt top it is about 3.5 yards total made up from a variety of fabrics. I just did another of these quilts and used scraps from my scrap bin and loved that as well.
The flannels were purchased over several months at a variety of different local quilt shops. I love plaid flannels so if I ever see some that I like I buy them!
Yes.
(But I am bad and don’t always do that…)
You can tie without a frame. It can be tricky but is totally doable!
And I did prewash these…prewashing is “best practice” but that doesn’t mean I always do it 🙂 .
Yes, I prewashed the fabric. The border, if I remember right was just 4 inches (maybe 5 inches wide), and if you use the search bar we have several binding tutorials here on the blog.
The top is about 3.5 yards total…but is made up of a variety of different prints. And actually a lot of the prints in my quilt I bought as fat quarters….
The top takes about 3.5 yards total of fabric for the squares…most of the fabric I used came in fat quarter bundles.
And then I just used the fabric I liked best in the big blocks and spent and afternoon laying out the quilt on my floor and moving blocks around until I had a pattern I liked….I wish there was a simpler process but that is what I did.
It’s about 3.5 yards total of a variety of fabrics to create the squares on the quilt top.
The top uses about 3.5 yards total of a variety of fabrics…and I honestly dont remember how many different farics I used.
The top squares take about 3.5 yards total of a variety of different fabrics.
If you were to make the larger squares 8.5″ then cut your smaller squares to 4.5″. And yes you can totally use quilting cottons. I just made one from scraps from my bin recently!
I think you have lots of patience – not just the quilt, but answering the same question over and over! I’ve never seen the tie method before. I look at lots of quilts and have a small stash of material but have only done a patchwork cushion cover so far! One day …….!
If you like the over-sized lap quilt(which sounds like the size I want to make) could you tell me how much material I would need for the quilt? I’m just a beginner at quilting, Figuring out how much material to by is what I stumble on every time. Is there a site that can help with figuring this out.
I really want to make this quilt for my husband for Christmas.
Thank you, Linda
When you made this, did you tie the batting and the back all together instead of somehow sewing it together? I have a quilt right now, working on the front of it, but no idea how to attach it all?
Thanks!!
I love the hand sewn binding. That is how I always do mine.
Please me the picture.
Your quilt is very beautiful in its cozy colorful simplicity. I just finished my first quilt on my antique hand crank sewing machine it turned out nicely. This will make a great second project for me thanks for explaining your method it sounds fun. It will be the first quilt top for me to try out my singer featherweight and I do intend to hand tie it. Again thanks for the pictures and instructions. Happy Sewing.. brenda
Liz, thanks for the inspiration. I did make the quilt but I did it on the hand crank sewing machine including the quilting. I did hand stitch the back of binding. I did not put a border on it just a 1/2 inch binding. I learned a lot along the way and it turned out nice but not without some issues. But again thanks so much for sharing your quilt to give me the idea. I’m going to make another only now that spring is here I’m going to use some spring like cottons. Thanks again, and happy sewing. Brenda
Beautiful quilt. I have NEVER made a quilt before and was looking for something easy to make as a gift for my grandson.
Forgive my many questions. Is there batting between the front and back?
Do you stitch 3 sides together and hand stitch the 4th side or a small seem after turned right side out.
Do you tie the little ties befor putting on the back or after.
Looks like you have 2 finishing borders..again, were these attached on 3 sided and the last side hand stitced?
I guess I need a complete steop by steop tutorial.
Susan, If you look at our tutorial, “how to tie a quilt” it should answer all your questions 😉 Happy quilting!!
Please send a picture of your quilting frame.
There is a tutorial on our site called “how to tie a quilt”. It explains the whole process 😉
Beautiful quilt! What did you use for your binding strips? Regular cotton fabric or flannel?
I used flannel…but I think you could do either!
Hi! This looks perfect for a memory quilt of dad’s old flannel pjs and shirts. I haven’t done much with plaids. How do you get the plaids cut so straight. I don’t have a lot of room for error b/c I’m making several lap quilts for my sisters.