DIY Bandanna Quilt

I love quilts.

It's been nearly a year since I first envisioned this project. I had the design all worked out in my mind, but when it came down to executing it, I couldn't get it to work the way I wanted it to. So, I set it aside in hopes that I could figure it out at another time. Have you ever had that happen? The next thing you know a year or two has gone by and your project still is undone. Let it be known that I am now finally finishing my project! I found the right fabric to make it work, although I had to redesign a bit once again.
I love bandannas, they remind me of long summer days of my childhood. They also constantly remind me of the Fourth of July in red, white and blue colors. What can be more American? You can read more about bandannas in my original post from last year at the link below:

http://designerssweetspot.blogspot.com/2011/07/bandannas.html

I was inspired to make a quilt from them. I think they are very casual, country and classic, like a favorite pair of blue jeans. I used two colors of 18" square blue bandannas (2 in a package for $1.00 each at Farm and Fleet), mixed with some Cranston Printworks fabrics in similar red and white bandanna prints that I scored at a recent trip to Walmart (they were $1.00yd and $2.50yd). Add the quilt batting and thread, plus an old sheet that I used for the backing and the entire project cost me roughly $25.00. Not bad, huh?

I started by prewashing and drying all the fabrics. Then I tore the red and white print into 8" strips, 60" long. I made 4 of each color. Then I stitched them together in alternating rows.

For the blue bandanna border, I cut the blue bandannas on the bias, and sewed 4 of them together with alternating edges to make the zig-zag pattern for the top and bottom borders, and 6 of them together to make the sides.

Sorry for the strange photo angle, but you get the idea.

Laying the quilt out on the floor, I put the pieces together, with the blue bandannas as the border, and trimming the bias cut ends to make the corners square. Then I overlapped a whole bandannas in each corner, and cut away any excess fabric underneath. I like the layered look it has.

I also added another some blue bandanna pieces as an applique in the middle of the quilt by using some fusible applique webbing. I measured to be sure it was centered, ironed it on, then top stitched around the perimeter and zig-zag stitched over the raw edges.

Next I spread out the sheet for the backing, added the quilt batting, and the quilt top. Holding it together was easy with the help of my giant quilting pins.

If I was a patient person, I would hand stitch this quilt. But I am not patient, so I stitched in the channels vertically and then in a zig-zag pattern on the border. I also stitched in the corner bandannas. The finished binding was double folded strips sewn to the quilt face, folded over the edge and hand stitched to the back. This much hand work I can manage.

That's it, I love the way it turned out. Happy Fourth of July!

Designer Mom