✨ Wholecloth Quilts: The fastest way to create a handmade masterpiece

• Do you want to sew a quilt but don’t feel like or have time for hours of cutting and patchwork puzzles?
• Are you looking for an easy entry into the patchwork world?
  
• Or do you just need a quick result?

Then I have the perfect solution for you: wholecloth quilts! They are quick, stylish – and ideal for beginners or anyone with little time (Hello, all parents out there!).

What is a wholecloth quilt?

A wholecloth quilt consists – as the name suggests – of a single, continuous piece of fabric for the top. No patchwork, no blocks, no complicated patterns. Instead: a great fabric + some batting + quilting lines = a modern one-of-a-kind.

Especially popular for: baby blankets. Light, soft, easy to wash – and a wonderful gift.

Which fabrics are suitable for wholecloth quilts?

Here comes my favorite part: the fabric comparison! Because the right fabric makes a big difference – visually, tactilely, and sewing-wise. Here are my favorites:

💡 My tip: If you are unsure, start with batiste or high-quality cotton. Both are easy to work with and show quilt lines beautifully.

Step-by-step: How to sew your wholecloth quilt

You need:

• 1x top fabric (approx. 100cm x 110cm, resulting in about 90cm x 100cm ideal for a baby blanket)
  For a larger blanket, use fabric that is wider or sew two strips together. 
• 1x backing (e.g. muslin or cotton) at least the same size,
  If you want to fold the back instead of sewing on a binding, after trimming, 10cm should extend on each side. 
• 1x batting (e.g. cotton batting or bamboo batting if allergies are an issue) at least as large as the top fabric
• Quilting thread, possibly water-soluble pen or masking tape

And here’s how it goes:

1. Cut fabrics and prewash or iron with hot steam (especially muslin and linen!)
2. Stack quilt sandwich: back side (with right side down, possibly fix to the table), then the batting, finally the top (right side up)
3. Fix layers: either with spray adhesive (caution, cover surroundings) or safety pins or also with coarse stitches using basting thread (my favorite method, because nothing interferes with later marking and quilting)
4. Mark quilt lines or start sewing directly
   → e.g. simple grid lines, diagonal stripes, or free lines
   (Tip: The more excited the fabric, the more beautiful simple quilt lines look!)
5. After quilting, straighten edges and sew on binding 
   When quilting, your sandwich distorts. This is completely normal. Now is the time to cut it back into a rectangle. Start in a corner, with a rotary cutter and as wide a ruler as possible, and work your way around the quilt.
   If you have let the back side extend as binding, straighten this edge. Now fold over + topstitch or sew on the binding traditionally. 

Done! Yes, really. That's it.

If you want to further educate yourself to become a Wholecloth expert, I recommend this great course by Katie @zahmco. Here you learn the basics of quilting, which are also useful for a patchwork quilt. 
It is in English and available on-demand. 

To the course

Material packages – ready bundled

Do you want to get started right away without fabric research and measuring?

👉 Write me an email! I will gladly put together a material package for you, including:

• finely coordinated fabric combos (e.g. batiste + cotton) for top, back, and binding
• matching batting
• Inspiration for quilting lines

💬 My personal tip:

I love Wholecloth Quilts as last-minute sewing projects. No cutting stress, no elaborate blocks – just fabric, needle, and calm. When I have more time, a Wholecloth Quilt is also a great opportunity to try hand quilting. ✨

Your turn!

Have you ever sewn a Wholecloth Quilt?
Which fabrics do you like best for this – very soft or rather textured?

👇 Write to me in the comments or on Instagram – I'm curious!

PS: If you're not sure which fabrics can be combined, feel free to write to me! I'll help you with the selection.