Fat Quarter Quilt for Tweens
My daughter and I have started working on another quilt. It’s been a few years since we made our Spring Mother Daughter Quilt so it’s time for something fresh! While we were shopping at Walmart a few weeks ago, we were caught up in all the colors and designs of the Fat Quarters in the fabric section. We couldn’t decide which ones we liked the best, so we just bought a whole bunch of different ones. Now, we’re well into the process of our next quilt – and this pattern is perfect for tweens who are just beginning to learn to quilt.
Fat Quarter Quilt for Tweens
When I was pregnant, I did a quilt for my baby girl. I wanted something easy but full of color. Since I was also working on a strict budget, I searched the budget bins first and found most of my fabric.
What is a Fat Quarter? Fat quarters are pre-cut pieces of cotton fabric. They are taken from one yard of fabric,cut in half lengthwise,and then in half width-wise. The dimensions are approximately 18″ x 22″ (46cm x 56cm). A normal quarter yard cut from a bolt would measure 44″ x 9″ (112cm x 23cm).
The fabric section of most Walmart stores has a wide selection of Fat Quarter colors and designs. We picked up several varieties of the bright tween colors and patterns but I also picked up a few other designs for future projects. Don’t these Star Wars fat quarters look like they are going to be fun? I still haven’t decided what to make with them, but I’m thinking a tote bag will be a fun easy project!
Stripes and Half Square Pattern
We wanted a simple pattern that looks more complex than it really is. To make this stripes and half square pattern, we simply cut 1 inch strips of the fat quarters then sewed them together in long strips.
Tip: Use plastic canvas to make a pattern for your half squares and full square. I made two 6 inch squares: one for my finished square and another to cut in half and use for my half square.
Cut half square (triangles) out of the stripes that you have sewed together.
Cut half squares out of the solid fabric to contrast with the patterns and stripes that you have sewn together.
A photo posted by Sharon (@hobbiesonabudget) on
Have you ever designed a quilt using this pattern? Do you know what it is officially called? I would love to know!
Once you have enough of the finished 6″ squares, you can start to design your actual quilt. We don’t have enough finished squares yet, so we haven’t decided how the final quilt will look. Stay tuned for more progress soon!
