Hopscotch Quilt (donation for Project Linus)

I made this quilt to donate to Project Linus. This quilt measures 40" x 47.5" (suitable size for an elementary aged child).

Hopscotch Quilt is a free pattern from P&B Textiles, written by Nancy Mahoney. Nancy used Suede Flannel Brights fabric in solids, but I wanted to use up my fabric scraps, so whatever fabrics I had enough of to cut the A & B blocks is what I used, which were mostly prints.

It's an easy quilt to make. Just squares and rectangles. I like the wonky setting of each block. 

I decided to finish the quilt by sewing right sides together to a flannel backing and birth the quilt. I pressed it, and turned it right side out and pressed it again. Topstitched all around the quilt first, which closed the opening, (but I still hand stitched the opening closer too as I wanted to make sure it stayed closed). Then I did a simple serpentine stitch on the diagonal, forming a grid. I used a walking foot to hold the 2 layers together. Yes, I said 2 layers. I just quilted it to the flannel backing and didn't add any batting at all. Batting is expensive and we don't often get free batting from Project Linus, but we do get free fabric donated a lot.

By not adding batting, it is still soft and cuddly with the flannel and has much more drape to it. Not as hot to cuddle in the warmer months. I think this is my new way to finish donated quilts: birthing with flannel backing and not batting, topstitching and simple quilting. It not only is cheaper to make this way, but faster too! I normally do bindings by first sewing by machine to the front of the quilt and then hand stitching the binding to the back side. I learned that way and find it looks the best too, but it takes a lot of time to do the binding, especially when hand sewing half of it. It also takes a bit of fabric to make binding, depending on the quilt size of course.

I had that appliqué heart (above) that was leftover from another project I made, so since it was the right size square, I used it in this quilt. Everything finds a home eventually, lol!

Serpentine stitch with variegated thread for the diagonal quilting.

It is certainly a bright happy quilt for a child. Even has a few "I Spy"

 elements in it, such as fish, ladies baking, teddy bear, heart, monsters, flowers, llamas and circles. 

The Project Linus label that is added to every PL donated quilt. Linus is cuddling his quilt on the label, so cute.

Happy Scrappy quilt making.

Pin It Now!