In economics, externalities are the unintended side effects of industry. Similarly, this quilt is the side effect of many of the other quilts I've made. I always buy more fabric than I think I'll need, so I thought it was time to turn the left overs into some thing more awesome. This quilt is a good way to use up scraps. Each color strip uses only a 3" strip of the width of the fabric. It's a quick and easy quilt, but still interesting.
If you're interested in making other sizes, it should be simple to scale up. If you'd like help, I have a tutorial on how to resize quilt patterns.
Externality Quilt
Finished size
30"x40" - a bit smaller than crib size
Supplies
- Eight sets of twelve 3" blocks
- 2/3rd white (or contrast) fabric, cut into eight 3" x width of fabric strips
- 56" x 80" Batting - I doubled the batting to make the quilt extra fluffy. A precut twin size piece is large enough.
- Backing fabric - 1 1/3rd yards
- 1/3rd yard for binding
- Yarn for tieing
- Thread and other common quilting notions
Top of the Quilt
For each two row set of one color, you will need one strip that is 3" by the width of the fabric. Since this quilt is meant to use scraps, you might not have strips that are the full width of the fabric. This is no big deal, it will just require more cutting.
- If you have a 3" x width of fabric strip, grab one of the strips of white. Sew the two strips together along the long edge. Press seam toward the color. Cut this down to twelve 3" x 5.5" pieces.
- If you do not, cut twelve 3" blocks from the scraps that you do have. From the white, cut down a strip to 3" blocks. Sew one color block to one white block. Press seam toward the color
Continue until you have ninety-six 3" x 5.5" blocks with color on one side, white on the other. For each color, chain together six of these blocks. Press the seams toward the color. You now have sixteen strips of twelve squares (alternating color and white) which can be paired by color.
For each color pair, prepare to sew them together so that the color and white alternate. Take the time to pin and line up the seams. How well your seems line up can make or break this quilt.
One you have sewn together the pairs of strips, lay the strips out to determine what order you would like the colors to appear in. Pin and sew together the strips until the top is together. Press the seams open.
Finishing
I wanted the quilt to be extra fluffy, so I doubled up the batting. Tie in the middle of the white blocks.
Bind your new quilt
