Got five spare minutes and a mountain of fabric scraps? Good. Let’s make a quilt.
No jargon, no fuss, just the essentials you need to go from “What’s a walking foot?” to “Check out my handmade throw!”

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1. Gear Grab 🧰

• Rotary cutter & mat – Faster than scissors, trust me.
• Quilting ruler – Clear acrylic, 6″ × 24″ is the workhorse.
• Fabric – 100% cotton behaves best. Pick 2–4 prints plus a solid.
• Batting – Cotton or cotton-poly blend; crib-size is easy for beginners.
• Backing – One piece of fabric that’s 4″ larger than the top on all sides.
• Thread & needles – All-purpose 40 wt cotton thread; 80/12 universal needle.
• Pins or clips – Whatever’s in the drawer.

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2. Plan the Pattern (30 sec max)

1. Squares rule. Cut 40 squares at 5″ × 5″.
2. Lay them 8 × 5. Shuffle until the colors look balanced. Snap a phone pic so you don’t forget.

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3. Piece It Together

1. Chain-stitch rows: Sew row 1, square to square, ¼” seam; don’t cut thread between pairs.
2. Press seams → one side (alternating direction per row = easy nesting).
3. Join rows: Match seams, pin, sew. Boom—quilt top done.

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4. Make the Quilt Sandwich

• Layer backing (right side down), batting, quilt top (right side up).
• Smooth & baste every 4″ with safety pins or spray baste.