Scrap Bustin’ Christmas Quilt Tutorial

Hi Fellow Quilters,

Every year, about this time, I am tempted by the new Christmas fabrics that make their way into my favorite shops.  Those bolts of Christmas fabric are just so BEAUTIFUL!  Who could resist?  Who would even want to resist?  I must confess that I frequently give in to temptation, and then I purchase more Christmas fabric than I can use for my projects.  

This year I decided that I needed to take action and make a quilt out of some of that beautiful fabric that has been sitting in my extensive personal textile collection (AKA “fabric stash”).  I had just finished making a baby quilt with disappearing 4-patch blocks, and so I decided that this would be a great way to use some of my Christmas scraps.  Here’s a photo of my finished quilt:

If you’d like to make your own scrap-bustin’ Christmas quilt, here’s how I made mine!  You’re not limited to Christmas fabric; use anything you like!  My finished quilt is 47″ wide by 65″ long, and I used thirty-five 7″ square blocks to make it.

Step #1:  Cut four squares for each block that you want to make.  My cut squares were 4½” by 4½“, to yield a 7″ square block.  Sew the four squares together to make a 4-patch block, like this-

Step #2: Place your 4-patch block on the cutting board and make 4 cuts, one on each side of the seams, both vertical and horizontal.  Place your ruler 1½” from the seam line for each cut.

Step #3: Rotate the cut pieces, as shown in the photo, and then sew them together again to make your block.  

Step #4: Make the 4-patch setting squares out of solid red and green (see the photo!).  Cut 1½” by WOF strips of red and green solid fabrics.  (Each pair of red and green strips will make thirteen 4-patch squares, for planning purposes.)  For my quilt, I needed four strips of each color to make 48 4-patch squares.

Step #5: Sew the red and green strips together using a ¼” seam.  Press the seam to one side.  Cut into 1½” segments across the seam.  Sew pairs of cut strips together, reversing the colors, to make the 4-patch setting squares.

Step#6: Cut sashing strips, 2½” wide by WOF.  Cut again to make the pieces 2½” tall by 7½” wide.  (Each width of fabric will make five sashing pieces, for planning purposes.)  For my quilt, I needed nineteen strips of fabric to make 92 sashing rectangles.  I used a pretty creamy-white fabric, with tiny gold metallic stars, to show off the Christmas prints on my blocks.

Step #7: Now it’s time to put the quilt top together.  Using your standard ¼” seam allowances, sew the rows of blocks together with a sashing strip between each block and at both ends.  Sew the rows of sashing pieces together with a red & green 4-patch block between each piece and at both ends of the row.  Stitch the rows together to make the top, alternating the block rows and sashing rows.  (Look at the picture of the quilt top if you get stuck!)

Step #8: After the top is finished, layer with backing and batting, and then quilt as desired.  I quilted “in the ditch” around each block with clear monofilament thread, and then diagonally through the blocks with red+green+white variegated thread. 

Step #9: Bind the edges of your quilt, and you’re all ready for a long winter’s nap!  I decided to use a two-color binding, made from the same red and green fabrics that I used to make the 4-patch setting square blocks.  Cut the red fabric strips 1½” by WOF, and the green strips 1¾” by WOF.  Sew the red strips together end-to-end, repeat with the green strips, and then make a seam along one long edge to join the strips.  Press the seam toward the red strip, and then fold it in half.  Pin it to the back of the quilt, with the red side facing down and then bring it to the front side to machine-stitch in place.  This was my first attempt with the two-color binding technique, and I love how it turned out!

Here’s another photo of my finished quilt!  I ended up using quite a lot of my Christmas fabric stash, but still have plenty left for another project when I have the time.  Rowdy really likes this quilt too!  He usually tries to photo-bomb when I’m taking pictures outside.  What a good dog!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed seeing how I made my scrap bustin’ Christmas quilt!  Do you have a nice collection of fabrics that you hope to make into a pretty quilt?  Or maybe you have a favorite block pattern that you prefer for scrappy quilt projects?  Leave a comment- we’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for visiting us today, and please come back real soon!

Happy quilting,

Sharon