Wednesday, October 30, 2013

how to make a zig zag quilt (without piecing triangles!)

There is a long story behind the loss and recovery of this tutorial. I won't share the whole tale here, but let's just say that I'm over the moon thrilled that this tutorial has been recovered and I'm excited to be able to share it with you (again) today.

This was originally posted on the Bee Square Blog on March 23, 2009.


Here's how to make a zig zag quilt without piecing triangles!
First, select your fabrics.

You will need:
-9 quarter yards (not fat quarters) of coordinating print fabric
-1 3/4 yards of solid fabric
-1/2 yard fabric for binding
-3 yards backing fabric
-batting and thread
Cut two strips 3" wide x WOF (width of fabric) from each of the prints.
Cut 18 strips 3" wide x WOF from the background fabric.
Sew each print strip to a solid strip with a 1/4" seam allowance.
Press toward the gray.
Cut into 5.5" squares-you will need 14 blocks for each row.
Each strip will yield 7 blocks.
Layout as shown (except use all 14 blocks-only 12 are shown).
Repeat for the next set of fabrics.
Continue building the rows until all 9 fabrics are arranged.

Now it's time to assemble the quilt top.
Since your quilt squares are set on point, you will be assembling your quilt top on the diagonal.
Join the blocks to make strips, then join the strips together as shown.
Now the quilt top should look like this.

Use a rotary cutter, mat and ruler to cut off the zig zag points....
and your quilt top is finished!
The quilt top should measure approximately 46" x 61".

Baste, quilt, bind and wash.
And you have a finished zig zag quilt!

82 comments:

Brenda said...

Very nice. Easy. Fun, Fast. and it creates a great quilt!!! Love it!

Katie said...

awesome -- I can't wait to give it a try

Patty said...

I have seen this tutorial several times over the lase 6 months or so and it looks like an easier way for sure. I did make one zig zag quilt with the half square triangles but didn't so much enjoy working with all the points that come together. Will have to give this a try.

Kim @ TiesThatBindQuilting said...

This looks so much easier than all of the triangles!

JacquieLH said...

I have been LOOKING for this tutorial for the past 3 months b/c I've had it pinned but could not find it. Thank you so much for posting it again :)

Krista S. said...

This is the exact tutorial I used to make one a few years back :)

Snowcatcher said...

Congrats on recovering the lost tutorial. I really enjoyed seeing how this is done.

SarahZ said...

Such a classic! Welcome back, ZigZag!!

Cathy said...

I love it. You made it easy. Thanks so much for sharing. Hugs

Aimee said...

Glad you recovered this tutorial. I used it to make my nephew's quilt earlier this year. It turned out so cute.

Bennett and Graves said...

That is Brilliant! Thank you, I've been wanting to make a quilt like this.

Susan said...

I've also used this tutorial! It's a great one, making this graphic design very achievable!

Kay said...

I can do this!! Thanks so much for a great tutorial, it is easy to understand and with all relevant photos.

Katherine said...

I remember this beauty. This is a favourite! Love techniques that make sewing quicker and easier. Thanks for the repost, Amanda Jean.

Jacque. said...

AmandaJean...In the last few years, I've made two baby quilts using your tutorial...thank you!

Susan C. said...

Absolutely brilliant!. thank you I have just the fabric for this beauty. :-)

Audrie said...

Dude. I was looking for two weeks ago *cries* Haha! I'm SO thrilled for you that you got it back though! Huzzah!

Jan said...

So happy you found this! I knew I had seen this on your site and when I couldn't find it, I was lost. Yay! Happy it came home.

Unknown said...

Perfect! I just wanted to do a pillow with this zig zag in my next project! I didn't know how to do it... Thanks a lot!

Lea said...

Yay! Love the zig zag quilt, but was not so successful getting all the points to match, will bookmark this to try!

Julia Graber said...

So very nice and yet so very easy. Thank you for sharing.

CarlyMaria said...

so glad its back!! This post (from 2009) was the tutorial I used for my second quilt ever! :)

tink's mom said...

I used the original tutorial last spring/summer and referenced your tutorial when I posted about it. Was so shocked it had disapeared. So glad it's back. It was easy to follow and the results are terrific. I would recommend it to everyone.

Deborah Hamilton said...

Thanks so much for showing how to do that. I wanted to make a zigzag quilt but I hate triangles. I never can get the points right.

charlotte said...

I made a quilt from this for my grandson almost 2 years ago before he was born. I love this method and so happy you were able to recover it.

Oxford Impressions said...

Thanks so much for posting this tutorial. My daughter wants a zig zag quilt and I've been hesitant to attempt it with triangles. This will be a breeze now !!!!

Impera Magna said...

I'm so glad you were able to recover this tutorial! It's the one I used to make a quilt for my grandson... who loves with a capital "L" LOVES his quilt!

Thanks for posting it again!

The Slow Quilter said...

That is so cool and looks so easy, grate way to use up scraps also. Thank you for the tut.

Debbie Lou said...

So glad to see you got this tute back. I had printed it some time ago and eventually made one using 4" strips for my nephew's graduation quilt. It came together beautifully. Thanks again!

Jamie said...

Yay! I've clicked on this a number of times and was always disappointed to find it missing:)

Thanks!

Beth said...

Ditto what Jamie said.

Lorna McMahon said...

Brilliant tutorial, Amanda. Thanks for reposting this. Hope you don't mind if I share this, with a link back, on my facebook page at http://facebook.com/sewfreshquilts

leanne said...

lots of people will be happy - at least it won't go missing again now that its at home :)

Joan said...

Great tutorial and so easy! Thanks for sharing!

Jocelyn said...

Very cool. Thanks for the tutorial.

Kacey said...

Yay for the no-triangle zig zag! I've made two of these, and I'm so glad to see your tutorial back!

Sarah Craig said...

I love this pattern! I've made at least six of them - it's great, so easy and looks wonderful! Thanks for posting the tutorial again. It's nice to have a refresher!!

Glenda in Florida said...

I was looking for this a few weeks ago to use for a chairty quilt and came up with the dead link. Thanks for reposting for us.

Beth said...

Love this pattern. I made it awhile ago. I think your blog was one of the first I found. Glad it is back.

Nancy Wheatley said...

Used this exact tutorial to make a zig zag quilt. Great pattern..love it.

Unknown said...

Great pattern. Thanks for the repost!

Melziebelle said...

I have literally been looking and looking for this tutorial, thought I was losing my mind lol! Yay for perfect timing!
xoxo melzie

A Girl Named Speedy said...

Brilliant!! I definitely see this in my future (near future). Thanks for posting and sharing!!

Maggie said...

Great tutorial, thanks xx

Rebecka said...

WOW! So much easier. Thank you for sharing!!

Rita@PinPrickedFingers.com said...

Genius! That is so much easier (and faster) than HST's! Thank you!

Plum Cox said...

Brilliant! So tempted to ignore my chores this afternoon and try a miniature version of this with some fabrics that I've just been given.....! Thanks for sharing!

AnnieO said...

I used your original tutorial to make a larger version as a wedding gift. So simple and pleasing! Glad the long story of recovering the tute has a happy ending :)

Unknown said...

That is smart.

Mary Ellen said...

This is downright genius! Why ever would you use triangles after learning this technique? I certainly won't. Thanks a bunch.

Jackie Russell said...

I have been looking all over for this. Just finished one with half square triangles, that won't be happening again now that I have your tutorial. Thanks again.

patty a. said...

I have made many of these quilts, but I have put my only spin on them in the construction. Instead of the points being cut off in the top and bottom rows, I add either triangles or a plain block. I cut the plain fabric instead of cutting the fashion fabric. I also have pieced together the scraps from the trimming and added those to the back for a bit of fun.

Unknown said...

I love this quilt design! Can you tell me the size of the finished quilt? Thanks so much.

Unknown said...

I love it

elizabeth said...

I am in love with these quilts and wanting to make several for gifts-your tutorial could not arrive at a better time!! Thank you thank you!!!

mjo said...

I used this tutorial to make an orange and white zig zag quilt for my son's girlfriend, for her college graduation gift. It is lovely. Each orange zig zag was a different fabric. I am now working on an aqua and white queen size zigzag using Moda solid color jelly rolls. Thank you so much!

Pam said...

My word, I have just cut my scraps and random fat quarters into .......3" strips, Serendipity.

Die Fischerin said...

Wonderful idea, i love thise quilt so much.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much. This is just what I was looking for, as one of my married daughters asked for a zigzag quilt for her newly decorated room.

Seamingly Sarah said...

I noticed that pattern somewhere else too. It's what I want to try next because I MUST have chevron in my house someday. Thanks for the step by step instructions and photos. I love your blog.

Dawn said...

I used this pattern before it disappeared for my son's graduation quilt. It was browns, greens and purples (every other stripe was purple). He's a UW Husky now (and I didn't even know that when I started the quilt). It was super easy though I needed a big space to lay it all out or I got very confused. Thanks for a great pattern!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous!! Can't wait to use it for my next last-minute-gift quilt!!

Diane

Penny Schine Gold said...

Thanks so much for re-posting this. I used the tutorial a couple of years ago to make a few quilts--I love the method and will certainly be going to it again.

Charo said...

What a great idea! Thank you

Annalia said...

I'm glad you recovered it! ...cause it's like the best tutorial ever. :)

Jayne said...

I have made several baby blankets from this pattern! I have it bookmarked and highly recommend this pattern!

margaret said...

more thanks coming from me too, will certainly have a go at making some of these blocks, they are so effective.

Unknown said...

Wow this is like magic! Thanks for sharing wonderful tips. Your zig zag quilt looks awesome!!

Samantha K said...

I'm so glad you have this back up again. I made a quilt for my nephew using your pattern and went to make another one and couldn't find the pattern anywhere :( I had to borrow my nephews quilt to figure out measurements and such. I'm going to bookmark this one and hope it stays there forever!! Your instructions are so easy to use and it is a breeze to whip up one of these quilts. Thanks so much for sharing it with us....again :)

Helen said...

Thanks for the re-run on this tutorial. I too dislike all those points coming together as 1/2 square triangles meet. Who needs the stress! This is a great short-cut and a cool looking quilt

Brianna S said...

So glad you found this! I actually used this tutorial to make a quilt (which I love!) It was the first quilt I ever made for MYSELF! Great tutorial!

Suzanne said...

I'm glad you recovered it as well. I don't think I would have had the courage to do a zig zag quilt without your help! xoxo

Token Asian Friend said...

I remembered the tutorial (not the measurements, but the "how to") and I am making one right now!

Crystal said...

Beautiful colors nicely placed. Love this quilt. Well done.

Denny1600 said...

I'm so glad that you were able to retrieve this tutorial! I'm working up to making one of these and was dismayed when I couldn't find it. Wanna make a zig zag quilt! Not so much the triangles, though.

~T~ said...

I'm so glad you could post this again. Great design!

The Heki Family said...

Thank you thank you thank you for posting these easy instructions! You are a lifesaver! :)

Jan said...

perhaps i missed it but what size quilt does this yardage make? thanks in advance.

Unknown said...

I would really like to make this quilt in a queen size. How much fabric would I need?

Unknown said...

THANK YOu - now I can put down my sketch book as this has already been figured out ;-) I wanted the style of this sort of chunky brick laying as opposed to a triangle chevron. Thank you again.

Unknown said...

I would like to make two identical baby quilts from this pattern for twins. I'm not sure of the correct size to fit in a crib. Could you give me some direction for this?

Caron at Michigan Quilts said...

Thank you for the super duper directions! I hate piecing, but love applique. This went together very easily, thanks to your help!