So you’d like to make a quilt, but you’re intimidated by all of those little pieces, right? I am, too. But you can make a quilt without blocks. It’s easy and looks just as nice! Here’s how I did it:
Materials
1 – 36×36″ piece of top fabric
1 – 36×36″ piece of bottom fabric
1 – 36×36″ piece of batting
1 – 38×8″ piece for making the trim*
matching thread
bias tape tool
rotary cutter and ruler
walking foot (optional)
*even easier: use 4 yards (plus a few inches) of pre-made bias tape
Step 1
Lay your fabric on the floor wrong sides together with the batting in the middle. Pin baste from the center outward.
Step 2
Starting from the center and working your way outward, draw parallel lines every four inches with sewing chalk, water soluble pen or light pencil.
Step 3
Starting from the center, sew along these lines working your way outward, taking out the basting pins as you go. Here’s where a walking foot is helpful, but if your batting isn’t too thick, you should be fine without it. Square up your edges with a rotary cutter and ruler.
Step 4
Cut your trim fabric according to the measurements for your bias tape tool and make the trim. Even easier: open the package of pre-made bias tape.
Step 5
Fold the trim over the edge and attach with a zig zag stitch. Fold the ends over at the corners to enclose the raw edges.
I hope I didn’t oversimplify this, but it’s really easy. The zig zag trim takes a little practice. This was my first time, and I’m sure it will get a lot neater the more I do it.
resource: I was inspired by Soule Mama’s Beach Blanket To-go for this blanket. One day I hope to make something as beautiful as her daughter’s quilt, but for now, I’m going to stick with single pieces of fabric until I’ve got more free time.
Don’t be afraid of the little pieces of fabric! Seriously, you just did all of the hard parts. If you do something easy like a fence rail pattern, you can finish a baby quilt top in an hour or two.
Be fearless!
Love the simplicity of this blanket!! It can easily be made in any number of styles – traditional, modern, girly, funky, etc – just by switching out the print of the fabric.
I blogged about your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-5-steps-to-a-handmade-baby-blanket/2009/09/30/
–Anne
That’s my kind of quilt- cute and easy! Thanks so much for this, I’ll be linking.
This one definitely hits the note for me. I am way to impatient to fiddle with small pieces but a single piece of fabric seems like something I could handle. Thanks.
Hi,
I made a blanket this afternoon, thanks for the easy to follow tutorial.
http://mylifeisthejackpot.blogspot.com/2011/06/baby-kamryn-is-here.html
Sometimes simple is far more effective – really like your simple tutorial, thanks!
Thank you!
This looks just easy enough to attempt!
Up til now I have only made rag quilts and thought that was all I was capable of, but I am going to attempt this tomorrow!!!
Thank you, thank you , thank you!!! Finally, I have found a site that simplifies the baby’s quilt that I can sew in a day without lots of little squares.
this was easy and fun!! my baby cousin absolutley loves it!
I love this idea, thanks! I have a project for charity that i will use this for. Thank you so much.