Modern Strip Quilt – Free Quilt Pattern and Tutorial
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Are you a jelly roll collecter? Then today’s post is for you! I have a fun new jelly roll Strip Quilt Pattern to share.
This easy Jelly Roll quilt can be sewn up in just a few short hours. All you need is 13 colored or patterned jelly roll strips, 17 solid strips for the background, plus about a yard of the background color for the borders, and you will have your own version of a Modern Strip Quilt in just a few hours!
Modern Strip Quilt Pattern
When I was searching around for Halloweenish fabric a few months ago, I came across several fabric collections I liked.
The 1st was the fat quarter set I used in my plus quilt pattern, but at the same time, I also found this interesting Halloween solid colored jelly roll over on amazon.
The price was excellent and it was one-day delivery, so into my cart it went! (I’m a sucker for one-day delivery.) The repeating colors just screamed strip quilt to me.
I also thought any of these Kona Solid Jelly Roll/roll-ups would be great too!
Why Make This Jelly Roll Strip Quilt
- The Strip Quilt Pattern is super simple and easy to follow.
- Since it is mostly piecing together strips, the quilt is fast to put together.
- There are no corners and blocks that need to be lined up perfectly, so a jelly roll strip is super fast and beginner-friendly.
- The use of negative space around the brightly colored strips gives it a dramatic eye-catching look.
Finished quilt size
This free strip quilt pattern makes one 55 by 60-inch throw quilt.
I also included a quilt coloring page along with the pattern template to make it easier to keep track of the order of your strips.
The good news is. it would be super simple to increase the length or the with of the quilt by just adding an additional bit of a jelly roll strip to each color strip and then adding additional rows to the bottom of the quilt. (If you look at the quilt pattern you will see the amount of the background color fabric added to each row repeats.)
The jelly roll strip quilt also looks great in either direction. (In fact, when I first imagined the pattern, I pictured the stripes going up and down, but in the end, I went with the more traditional horizontal stripe for the pattern presentation.)
Tell me, which direction do you prefer, horizontal or vertical?
It’s a perfect quick and easy quilt for Halloween don’t you think? Looks fantastic on my front porch!
More Simple Free Quilt Patterns To Sew
- Basket Weave Quilt Pattern
- Herringbone Quilt Tutorial
- Free Zig Zag Quilt Pattern And Tutorial
- Mini Patchwork Pincushion Tutorial
Where do I get the pattern?
The link for the free jelly roll strip quilt pattern / template is under the materials needed section. Click the link, add the pattern to your cart and check out. (takes about 15 seconds for the process.) A copy of the pattern will be emailed to you.
Ready to make a strip quilt?
Read on for the fabric amounts, sewing instructions, and downloadable template.
Pin the strip quilt pattern for later
Pattern Notes:
- wof = width of fabric
- 1/4 inch seam allowances used
- RST = Right sides together
- Press the seams to the colored fabric side.
Skill Level:
Beginner-friendly
How to make a Strip Quilt
Recommended Tools and Materials
- Fabric (see requirements below)
- Pattern
- Rotary Cutter and mat
- Ruler
- Iron
- If you want the use yardage for your quilt, this slotted ruler makes quick and easy work of cutting fabric into 2.5-inch strips.
Fabric Requirements
Strips:
- 13 contrasting colored strips – 40 by 2.5 inches (Jelly roll is perfect for this.)
- 17 background color strips – 40 x 2.5 inches (1 ¼ yard of fabric or a jelly roll is perfect for this as well.)
Border:
- 1-yard (same color as bacground color strips)
Binding
- ½ yard for binding
Backing
- 3 ⅝ yard
Cutting Instructions
Strips:
If using jelly rolls, cut strips to 40 inches.
Cut 5 white strips into:
- 6 – 5 by 2.5 inches
- 6 – 2 by 2.5 inches
- 8 – 3.5 by 2.5 inches
- 3 – 6.5 by 2.5 inches
- 12 – 6 by 2.5
Borders:
Cut the background fabric into:
- 6 – 5.5 by WOF (based on 40-inch wide fabric) strips
Modern Strip Quilt Sewing instructions
Step 1: Sewing the colored strips “blocks”
Using the quilt template, line up the strips in the desired color order. Match up top and bottom background pieces
Sew your strip “blocks” together.
Press your strips and set them aside.
Step 2: Assemble the background strips.
Sew 12 background strips to 12 – 6 inch pieces to make 46.5 strips.
Press these strips and lay the colored and background strips out in the template color order. (I love my portable design wall for this.) Also, you can see I went back and forth on which direction this quilt should be, lol.
Step 3: Sew all the Strips Together
Sew the strips together.
I like to piece them together 2 to 3 strips at a time and then sew the strip blocks together. It helps keep the strips lined up at the edges.
Trim the edges of your strips so everything is even.
Step 4: Add Borders.
Side borders – Piece together your white border strips so you have 2 strips that are the same height as the quilt top. (with the stripes going side to side) Should be about 50.5 inches, you may want to measure just in case you are over/under that measurement.
Add the border strips to the sides of the quilt top.
Top/bottom borders – Piece together your white border strips so you have 2 strips that are the same width as the quilt top. (with the stripes going side to side) Should be about 56.5 inches, you may want to measure just in case you are over/under that measurement.
Add the border strips to the top and bottom of the quilt.
Press all your seams.
Step 5: Add your backing and batting and quilt as desired.
Finish with binding and you are done!
FAQ’s and Quilting Tips
What size strips for a strip quilt?
For this modern strip quilt, I am using 2.5-inch strips. So either a jelly roll or yardage could work.
How much fabric do I need for a strip quilt?
This strip quilt pattern makes a lap size throw quilt. To make this quilt, you need:
- 13 contrasting colored strips – 40 by 2.5 inches (Jelly roll is perfect for this.)
- 1 ¼ yard of fabric (or 17 jellyroll strip) for the background fabric
- 1-yard for the border fabric. (should be the same color as background fabric, so if using yardage, a total of 2 ¼ yardage for background and border.)
- ½ yard for binding
- 3 ⅝ yard for the backing fabric
What size strips do recommend for quilt binding?
I like to cut my strips at 2.75 inches for binding. This gives enough width to the binding so when machine sewing the binding onto the quilt, I rarely miss catching the binding on the backside when sewing.
Binding tips
- For quilt binding, you can use strips cut on the bias or strips cut from the straight grain of the fabric. For the binding fabric calculation on this quilt, I calculated the binding to be from the straight grain. (side to side – wof.)
- To make the straight grain binding strips, cut 2 and 3/4 wide strips across the width of the fabric. Piece the strips together until you have enough length for your quilt.
- I recommend joining your strips at an angle to reduce bulk.
- Fold the fabric in half and press.
Did You Make this Pattern?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmompatterns! You can also share an image to my private Facebook sewing group!
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Make a super easy, eye-catching strip quilt with the free quilt pattern.
Materials
- Fabric (see requirements below)
- Pattern
- Rotary Cutter and mat
- Ruler
- Iron
- If you want the use yardage for your quilt, this slotted ruler makes quick and easy work of cutting fabric into 2.5-inch strips.
Instructions
Cutting Instructions
Strips:
If using jelly rolls, cut strips to 40 inches.
Cut 5 white strips into:
6 - 5 by 2.5 inches
6 - 2 by 2.5 inches
8 - 3.5 by 2.5 inches
3 - 6.5 by 2.5 inches
12 - 6 by 2.5
Borders:
Cut the background fabric into:
6 - 5.5 by WOF (based on 40-inch wide fabric) strips
Modern Strip Quilt Sewing instructions
Step 1: Sewing the colored strips "blocks"
- Using the quilt template, line up the strips in the desired color order. Match up top and bottom background pieces
- Sew your strip "blocks" together.
- Press your strips and set them aside.
Step 2: Assemble the background strips.
- Sew 12 background strips to 12 - 6 inch pieces to make 46.5 strips.
- Press these strips and lay the colored and background strips out in the template color order. (I love my portable design wall for this.) Also, you can see I went back and forth on which direction this quilt should be, lol.
Step 3: Sew all the Strips Together
- Sew the strips together.
- I like to piece them together 2 to 3 strips at a time and then sew the strip blocks together. It helps keep the strips lined up at the edges.
- Trim the edges of your strips so everything is even.
Step 4: Add Borders.
- Side borders - Piece together your white border strips so you have 2 strips that are the same height as the quilt top. (with the stripes going side to side) Should be about 50.5 inches, you may want to measure just in case you are over/under that measurement.
- Add the border strips to the sides of the quilt top.
- Top/bottom borders - Piece together your white border strips so you have 2 strips that are the same width as the quilt top. (with the stripes going side to side) Should be about 56.5 inches, you may want to measure just in case you are over/under that measurement.
- Add the border strips to the top and bottom of the quilt.
- Press all your seams.
Step 5: Add your backing and batting and quilt as desired.
- Finish with binding and you are done!
