Grungy Windows

A 63″ x 63″ square throw-sized quilt.

I love buying pre-cuts! It’s a great way to an have entire fabric line in your stash without spending a fortune. However, my pre-cuts usually end up sitting on the shelf because I don’t exactly know what to do with them. While traveling for the summer I came up with a quick and easy way to make a throw size quilt out of two charm packs and one jelly roll.

I call this Grungy Windows because I had two charm packs of Grunge fabric. This fabric is so bright and bold, and when sewn together this way they reminded me of Stained Glass Windows. Thus the title… Grungy Windows!

A few notes:

1. All seams are a 1/4″. Don’t stress trying to get a perfect scant 1/4″ either.  There are NO points to match!!
2. I won’t be going into detail about how to piece a quilt.  If you are a beginner quilter there are many tutorials out there that cover this better than I can!
3. This tutorial is for a throw size quilt. At the bottom of this tutorial there is information on what you need to make a Twin, Double, Queen, and King size quilts.

Supplies needed to make quilt top:

• (2) Charm packs with 42 charms in each pack or (81) 5″ squares.
• (1) Jelly Roll with 40 strips (you will only need 30 of the 40 strips) or (30) 2.5″ Width Of Fabric (WOF) strips.
• Matching thread
• Thread snips or scissors
• Sewing Machine
• Iron and Ironing/Pressing board
• Rotary Cutter and Mat
• 12.5″ Quilter’s Ruler

Supplies needed to complete quilt:

• Batting 69″ x 69″
• Quilt Backing 71″ x 71″
• (7) 2.25″ strips for Binding fabric (1/2 yd)

The first thing you’ll need to do is sort your charms into groups of 9 to make your 9-patch blocks. Make sure that there are no repeat colors next to each other.  I didn’t have a lot of space to leave my blocks spread out, so I grouped them together leaving just enough of each block showing to be sure I didn’t have any same colors right next to each other.

Make your 9-patch blocks by first sewing three rows of three blocks. Always be sure you are sewing right sides of the block together (RST).  Press seams (see note below).  Sew all three rows together to make a single 9-patch block. Press seams. Continue sewing the rest your 9-patch blocks.  Your charm squares will give you nine total 9-patch blocks and you should have 3 charm squares left over.

Note: When sewing the rows I pressed the seams on the middle row in toward the center square and the upper and lower rows I pressed towards the outer squares. That way the seams nested together perfectly when sewing the rows together. I pressed both of the row seams open.

My finished 9-patch block came out to 14″ square. After pressing your rows, cut all nine of your 9-patch block in half horizontally and vertically. After cutting, you will have 36 blocks. They should be around 7″.

Take time to square up each block to 7″ or nearest common 1/8″ mark on your quilting ruler.  It is important that you square them all up to the same measurement. I was able to square all of mine to 7″. If you have to square them all to 6-7/8″ or 6-3/4″ that’s okay! Just so long as all blocks are the same size.

Now for chain piecing!  Take a jelly roll strip and start sewing one side of the blocks to the strip, making sure right sides are together.  Add another block about 1/4″ after the previous block. You should be able to fit six blocks on each strip, and you should also be able to avoid that pesky middle fold on your jelly roll strip too.

Take your chain pieces over to your cutting board and cut them apart in the 1/4″ spaces you left between the blocks.  Take your separated blocks back to your sewing machine and sew the opposite side of the block to jelly roll strips, RST.  You should still be getting 6 squares per jelly roll.

After chain piecing the other side of the squares to the jelly roll strips, cut them apart and press all the jelly roll seams. You can press to the dark (seams toward the square) or press open. I pressed mine open.

At this point your blocks should be 7″ tall by 11″ wide.  Don’t worry about trimming them right now.

Take your blocks back to the sewing machine and repeat the chain piecing process with the top and bottom of the blocks, making a complete border around your block. You should be able to get four blocks per jelly roll strip this time, and you should still be able to avoid that crease on the jelly roll strip!

When you have added strips to both the top and bottom of the block, press and then square your blocks to the nearest common 1/8″ mark on your quilters ruler.  That may be between 10.75″ to 11″ for you. I was able to square mine all to 11″.

Now it’s time to arrange your squares into a top. You will have 6 blocks across and 6 blocks down. I decided to organize my blocks by positioning the small square in the “windows” part of the block on the lower left side of the block in the first column, and then alternated the little square from the lower left corner to the lower right corner in the next block down. Continue alternating blocks down the column. In the next column I put the little square on the upper right side of the block and alternated it to upper left in the next block down (the opposite of the first column).  I continued alternating columns across. See picture above.

This is the fun part so organize your blocks in any way that is pleasing to you!

Sew the blocks in each row together, pressing the seams, and then sew your rows together, pressing those seams. (I pressed all my seams open, but press to your preference… open or to the side).  I sewed the first three rows together, and then I sewed the second three rows together, making two halves of a quilt.  Then I sewed the two halves together, completing my quilt top.

And there you have it!  A completed quilt top!  Yay!!  Now you just need to baste your quilt top to your batting & backing, quilt as desired, label, and bind!  I am not home from my travels yet, so I have not completed these steps.  I will add them to the tutorial when I do.

Edit: You can find the finished quilt HERE.

If I have made any errors or if I have left anything unclear, please let me know.  This is my first time writing a quilt tutorial, so any input is appreciated!  Thank you!!

As noted above, here are the fabric requirements for different quilt sizes.  I have noted requirements both in pre-cuts and cut pieces of yardage.  Click the picture for a larger image.