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How to Make a Cheater Quilt

heather handmade sewing

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Learn how to make a cheater quilt that is fast, easy, and you can use any striped or plaid fabric. A cheater quilt is perfect for gifts!

As someone who loves to sew clothes, I just love the idea of making a quilt. It’s a great gift and so cozy cuddly. But I’m not very good at it because I don’t have the patience or perfectionism for multiple blocks. That is why I LOVE LOVE LOVE cheater quilts.

Cheater quilts are so fast and easy. I love giving them as handmade gifts because they look detailed and intricate, but they only take a couple of hours to make. Learn how to make a cheater quilt for you or a loved one!

Don’t miss the free printable cheater quilt guide at the end of the post!

make a cheater quilt

What is a Cheater quilt?

A cheater quilt is a quilt that has one piece of fabric for the quilt top instead pieces of fabric sewn together. You can use cheater quilt fabric or just large stripes, buffalo plaid, or triangle fabric. Essentially you can use any fabric that has a grid you can follow.

I’ve also made a baby cheater quilt made with pretty rainbow fabric!

make a cheater quilt

Where to buy cheater quilt fabric?

Spoonflower has some great cheater quilt fabric options, and it’s my favorite place to looke for quilt tops. I used this Harry Potter cheater quilt fabric. A cheater quilt is such a great beginner sewing project!

cheater quilt details

I made a Harry Potter inspired quilt for my son because he’s reading the books and just loving the story. We hung some quotes from the books on his wall to inspire him. I can’t wait to see him wearing his Harry Potter shirt and snuggling in this Harry Potter quilt.

It makes me so happy to see that this quilt is important to him. I see him wrapping it around himself and wearing it all around the house.

He loves Harry Potter so much I made him a Harry Potter costume for Halloween and a Gryffindor ornament for the Christmas tree!

harry potter quilt

I used flannel for the back to make it warm and cozy and durable. I could’ve even put minky on the back for a different texture. That’s why blankets are so great since you can customize the details for your loved one.

make a cheater quilt

How to Make a Cheater Quilt

Supplies

  • Cheater quilt fabric, large striped fabric, buffalo plaid fabric, or triangle fabric for the quilt top in the amount of your choice – DO NOT PREWASH
  • Backing quilting cotton or flannel fabric in the amount of your choice – DO NOT PREWASH
  • Batting in the amount of your choice – The quilting size of the batting should coincide with the size of the cheater quilt fabric grid.
  • Matching pre-made bias binding or handmade bias binding – learn how to make and use bias tape
  • Sewing tools
  • Sewing machine
cheater quilt supplies

Trim off any white space and selvedges from the quilt top fabric like the selvedge. If you order Spoonflower fabric there’s a lot of white space to trim off.

trim quilt top edges

Make a quilt sandwich by laying the back fabric right side down, then the batting, and then the quilt top fabric right side up. Make sure all the fabric is centered with each other and the wrinkles are smoothed out.

This process is a little easier if the backing is the same size as the batting, and if they are both larger than the quilt top.

make quilt sandwich

Safety pin all the layers first. Your saftey pins should be at about 12 inches apart or closer.

safety quilt layers together

Using a walking foot quilt along the lines of the quilt top fabric. I sewed all my horizontal lines first and then all my vertical lines.

I start on one side and go to the middle and then start on the other side and go to the middle. It’s a little easier that way.

sew quilting stitches

Trim all the excess off of the edges so that the corners are squared and edges are straight.

trim edges and square edges

Cut a curve into the corners. I prefer curved corners since they are easier for me to sew bias binding on. You can do regular 90 degree corners if you prefer.

cut corners into curves

If you use pre-made bias binding it makes the quilt much faster. I topstitch my binding on since I like the look of it.

pre-made bias binding

If you make your own bias binding it takes it a little bit longer, but you can have a cool print along the edge. I still topstitch bias binding on because I like the look of it.

make your own bias binding
diy baby cheater quilt

How to Make a Cheater Quilt

Yield: 1 quilt
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Beginner
Estimated Cost: $50

Learn how to make a cheater quilt that is fast, easy, and you can use any striped or plaid fabric. A cheater quilt is perfect for gifts!

Materials

  • Cheater quilt fabric, large striped fabric, buffalo plaid fabric, or triangle fabric for the quilt top in the amount of your choice - DO NOT PREWASH
  • Backing quilting cotton or flannel fabric in the amount of your choice - DO NOT PREWASH
  • Batting in the amount of your choice - The quilting size of the batting should coincide with the size of the cheater quilt fabric grid.
  • Matching pre-made bias binding or handmade bias binding

Tools

  • Sewing tools
  • Sewing machine

Instructions

  1. Trim off any white space and selvedges from the quilt top fabric like the selvedge. If you order Spoonflower fabric there's a lot of white space to trim off.
  2. Make a quilt sandwich by laying the back fabric right side down, then the batting, and then the quilt top fabric right side up. Make sure all the fabric is centered with each other and the wrinkles are smoothed out.
  3. This process is a little easier if the backing is the same size as the batting, and if they are both larger than the quilt top.
  4. Safety pin all the layers first. Your saftey pins should be at about 12 inches apart or closer.
  5. Using a walking foot quilt along the lines of the quilt top fabric. I sewed all my horizontal lines first and then all my vertical lines.
  6. I start on one side and go to the middle and then start on the other side and go to the middle. It's a little easier that way.
  7. Trim all the excess off of the edges so that the corners are squared and edges are straight.
  8. Cut a curve into the corners. I prefer curved corners since they are easier for me to sew bias binding on. You can do regular 90 degree corners if you prefer.
  9. If you use pre-made bias binding it makes the quilt much faster. I topstitch my binding on since I like the look of it.
  10. If you make your own bias binding it takes it a little bit longer, but you can have a cool print along the edge. I still topstitch bias binding on because I like the look of it.

Recommended Products

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make a cheater quilt

Get the free PDF guide here!

Get the free printable cheater quilt guide and tutorial

how to make a cheater quilt

If you make a cheater quilt using this tutorial, Iā€™d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!

heather sewing

I believe small sewing moments can create great joy. Find your own ā€œrightā€ way to sew. -Heather

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I made several items back in the 1970’s (I’m old!) using this method. One of my favorites was potholders. They were quick to cut, easy to sew, and I could personalize pairs of them for gifts. Plus, they were cheap because I didn’t need much fabric or batting. I even had my roommate making a pair of the potholders!

I’m just starting out so I was looking for something simple and easy to start with

Question: Why would you not prewash the material? I’m curious why you wouldn’t do that. šŸ™‚

Thank you for giving me a Christmas gift idea. My kids and parents will receive a personalized blanket. I’ll send pictures too!

Have you finished this tutorial? I’d really like to see it! TIA!

Do you have a tutorial for attaching the binding? Especially when joining the end and beginning? Thanks in advance!