This simple patchwork flag quilt is still one of my favorites! July means it's time for a heavy does of patriotism here in the US as we get ready to celebrate Independence Day (aka the 4th of July). I've always been a sucker for Americana - lots of stars and stripes, red, white, and blue, not to mention hot dogs on the grill and a side of watermelon. 
The words of Erma Bombeck pretty much sum it up best for me:
"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."
Every summer I pull out a flag quilt that I made about 10 years ago. I shared it on my blog AGES (like 7 years ago?) but I still get questions and comments on it - even asking for a pattern. It's such a simple quilt to make - just patchwork squares - that I decided I should finally share the dimensions and layout in a quick tutorial
This quilt measures 39" x 51" and is made of 4" x 4" finished (4 ½" x 4 ½" unfinished) squares and a little bit of yardage for borders and binding. I personally think the scrappier the better when it comes to this quilt.
Fabric requirements:
- 25 blue 4 ½" x 4 ½" squares (at least 3 different ⅛ yard cuts)
- 45 red 4 ½" x 4 ½" squares (at least 5 different ⅛ yard cuts)
- 38 white 4 ½" x 4 ½" squares (at least 5 different ⅛ yard cuts)
- 5 strips 2" x 42" (width of fabric) for borders (⅜ yard)
- 5 strips 2 ½" x 42" (width of fabric) for binding (⅜ yard)
- 1 ½ yard backing
Once your squares are cut out you are going to lay out your quilt in rows. You can either have the flag go in the traditional horizontal layout or, like mine, in the vertical layout. Either way, you want to have your blue/star field in the top left corner.
Click here for the printable the Flag Quilt layout diagram.
Then it's just simple patchwork-squares quilt assembly, sewing the squares into rows and then sewing the rows together. If you'd like more details, click here for a simple squares patchwork quilt tutorial.
When adding the borders, sew the border to the two short sides of the quilt first - this way you won't have to piece them. Then sew the remaining border strips together end to end to add side borders. There is an additional tutorial for adding borders here.
If you are using unwashed fabric, your backing yardage should be just wide enough for this quilt. (If your backing yardage is pre-shrunk you may need additional yardage.) Quilting and binding tutorials here.
And that's it! A really simple, American Flag quilt. Of course, if you'd like to make a bigger size, just increase the size of the patchwork squares. You might need a calculator and some graph paper, but the basic dimensions are 9 squares x 12 squares - just multiply those numbers by the size of your finished squares to change the size of the quilt.
(Remember to cut squares ½'' bigger than the desired finished square size to leave room for the seam allowance.) You could also add wider and/or more borders to make the quilt size bigger.
UPDATE: I've created an updated version of this same quilt with a single star motif in the blue field. You can find the tutorial + free printable instructions here.
I'm such a sucker for Red, White, and Blue quilts in any design. I've started a pin board for my own (and your!) inspiration if you want to see more:
Follow Amy Smart's board Red White and Blue quilts on Pinterest.
And here are links to other fun 4th of July projects and tutorials and party ideas for your patriotic needs:
Follow Amy Smart's board Patriotic on Pinterest
And now, I plan to pig-out as patriotically as possible this week. 😉
Kelly Cline says
Simple and quick! Just what I need, thanks!
Amy Smart says
You're welcome. Simple and quick is my favorite. 🙂
julieerose says
Oh I do love that flag!! I will have to make one for both of my children to hang up for each year. I do postage stamp quilts--so 2.5" squares would be my choice.....great stars fabric !! hugs, Julierose
Amy Smart says
Oh, it would look so fun in the little squares!
Donna Murdock says
This flag looks so much easier than the one I just bought an expensive pattern for. I could use this one for Christmas presents! Thank you so much. I didn't even begin to dare to think of quilting seven years ago when I was so deeply buried in No Child Left Behind in my former teaching career. No I'm happily retired. Still very busy but doing lots of happy things without much stress!
Amy Smart says
Good for you! I'm so glad. 🙂
JOAN HARTWIG says
I love anything to do with the American flag. Love this quilt. Thank you for sharing.
Nicole says
That's a great, easy quilt! I could do it with my kids probably. I don't want to be a stickler but the stars are supposed to be on the upper right when the flag hangs vertically, and upper left when it is horizontal. Correct?
Amy Smart says
Good question so I Googled it. 😉 Here is what I found: "When hung over a street or on a wall without a flag pole or staff, hang the US flag vertically with the union to the north or east. Over a sidewalk, the union should be farthest from the building. The US flag may be displayed vertically or horizontally. The union (stars) should be at the top to the observer's left."
Carol says
ok..but how it supposed to lay on top of a bed? the only thing I could find was for a coffin. which would be the upper right.
Marsha says
Flag's right. Observer's left. She has it correct but great thought!
Gwen Humphries says
Great flag quilt.
Colleen says
I do like your flag quilt .
I looked up which way the flag would be displayed and gosh for our flag there are a whole lot of rules. It's interesting also that a flag quilt is seen from one side only, but a flag is viewed from both sides.
Anyway I like your quilt and I love our country so have a truely happy 4 of July weekend everyone
Amy says
Amy, do you know if Quilts of Valor allows quilt designs that look like the American flag?
This would be great for a QOV if I enlarged the squares to a larger size to make it 60x80 inches.
Amy Smart says
So interesting you asked! Quilts of Valor just reposted my tutorial on Instagram and said, "Yes, you can make flag quilts."
So there you go!
Amy says
That's great! I have a red, white, blue stash and have more on the way because Connecting Threads has their line 50% off this week!
BEtH says
I have to admit some red, white, and blue fabrics snuck into my stash this year. Unfortunately, I didn't get anything made wth them this year in time, but next year I have a chance 🙂 I must admit that I am just generally finding that color scheme quite attractive. I can't wait to look at your Pinterest boards. Thank you very much for this quilt pattern. It's just perfect. And I think I may try to make some cute place mats along the same lines. I love the quote you found from Erma Bombek. Her writing is just so great and funny! I wish that's how the fourth was around me, but unfortunately, it really hasn't been. I think I'm going to have to try to help make it that way.
I finally got away from the heat in Texas, or so I thought until the recent heat wave, but the drunks and the not drunks with explosives are worse where I moved. I truly feel like I have a feel for what it was like to be in the trenches during World War I. It was unbelievable at our new house last July.. Of course, our dogs were terrified. They would have been at half that noise. I have to say I was kind of wanting to hide behind the sofa! It was terrible...and long! Ok, sorry, we just need to find a place where we and the dogs can go that isn't quite such an assault of gunpowder. It's just sad to me that the heat and the noise have ruined it for me so far. And I would so love to have a Norman Rockwell kind of Fourth. I don't know what made me spill all this out here. How depressing I am. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Fourth of July! And I hope I figure out a way that I can too!
Rosemary Bolton says
Beth, I hope you can make yourself a Norman Rockwell 4th of July.
I live in Virginia, and Fireworks are legal here. Many here set off their own FW but hubbs and I do not like it right in the neighborhood. Some people are rather dangerous. So far after 20 years here, we have never had anyone's house on fire, thank goodness.
I suggest you pull out everything that makes you happy and enjoy that.
Plan an outing with your Norman Rockwell kind of friends and have a picnic
Amy Smart says
Oh yikes! That sounds scary! I hope you can find a nice quiet place to get away to, to celebrate your 4th!
Sharon says
So charming! I can see why it's been a favorite.
Rosemary Bolton says
I love this flag quilt. I just won a pile of patriotic fabric (One Nation, by PB Tex) at last month's quilt club at G Street Fabrics (in Chantilly, Va) Now I have a great idea to use it.
I am going to follow your pinterest page, Amy.
Have a fun 4th. I always eat stuff I never usually eat, like hot dogs, and lots of cake and brownies.
Our country is still great. It is just getting over populated by nutty people making weird life decisions and expecting the tax paying "makers" pay for them 😀
Tanja says
Hey Amy,
thanks for the nice tutorial!
Could you help me of something? I am from Finland and I was wondering where can I buy fat quarters if I want to increase my fabric pile and want to have one fq of this and one fq of that collection. So that I don´t need to buy bundles but I can decide what I want one by one. Is there any online shops that sell individual fat quarters?
Thanks,
Tanja
Amy Smart says
Good question. There are some beautiful online shops that sell individual Fat Quarters. Here are a few:
https://bobbieloufabric.com/
https://pileofabric.com/
Tell them I sent you! 🙂
Savvy says
LOVE this- can't wait to have it, use it, and display PROUDLY!! thanks AMY- you made my day!!
Kim says
Links to this are popping up everywhere! This quilt is what introduced me to you, way back in the day when I ordered the kit from you.
Amy Smart says
That's right! We have quite the history. And crazy how this has gone viral! (But you were in the know way back when ;))
carol pearce says
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT TUTORIAL. A WONDERFUL AND QUICK PATTERN, MY FAVORITE KIND! HAVE A WONDERFUL 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY! CAROL
lissa rogers says
Thanks so much for sharing this! It is just darling!
MELISSA MILLER says
I really like the flag a lot. I love Americana and simple square patchwork. Very nice! Happy Independence Day! 🙂
Rose says
Thank you so much for sharing this pattern.
zein says
thanks for share 🙂 i like flag number 3 from left
CARILYN J. MILLER says
I TINK THIS QUILT IS ABSOLUT ELY GEORGEOUS!!!!
CARILYN J. MILLER says
HOW DO I ORDER THIS QUILT?????
MY E-MAIL ADDRESS IS [email protected]
Amy Smart says
Do you mean the pattern or the finished quilt? The pattern is free on this post. I'm afraid I don't sell finished quilts. If you're looking to order a custom quilt, I could recommend someone who could make it. Just let me know!
Cindy says
I was born on flag day in the US. I am definitely making your quilt. Thanks for sharing the pattern. You are a talented quilter. The quilt you made for your friend is beautiful. A wonderful keepsake.
Renee says
Oh, thank you for sharing measurements! My daughter is a patriotic soul and would love something like this!
Donna says
Love the tutorial. I’m gonna try it this week. Thank you.
Francesca says
Making some of these for active service members in my family and as donations to veterans fundraisers. Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
That is wonderful!
Bear Creek Quilting Company says
Having a July birthday, I have always loved Red, White, and Blue. Thank you for great project ideas!
Pat says
This is a great flag pattern, but the big problem with this pattern is that you cannot hang the flag horizontally because of the placement of the stars. I would make this with the stars in the opposite corner.
Amy says
Yep - that's why I have both vertical and horizontal layout options on the printable diagram: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B84-9qxKZITOOElOcS1uNTlWelU/view
I made my original one to hang in a narrow space, hence the vertical layout. But you can choose to make it either direction that you want. 🙂
Pat says
Thanks, I didn't see that!
Lynsey Bennett says
I am new to sewing and this is the first quilt I am making. I have one question. Does this quilt have just the top and back with no batting in the middle? Batting is not listed in required fabrics, but the link you shared for quilting does use batting. I am leaning towards yes use batting, but want to make sure 100%. Thank you for this amazing project and tasking the time to share it with us. I will be making more of your amazing projects.
Amy says
You're welcome and Good question! Yes, this includes batting. I put batting in all of my quilts (even the mini ones) unless specifically stated.
I
Ruth Kaspar says
I love this quilt! I am so excited to try it for my son. He is graduating from high school and would like size it up for him to use it as a bedspread. How do I convert the size to fit a full-sized (double) bed? Is it just a matter of making each piece twice as big (using 8" squares instead of 4" squares)? Or should I really increase the number of blocks? For increasing the number of blocks there must be some kind of magic formula...
Amy says
Sadly, no magic formula that I'm aware of. Sizing up the squares is probably your easiest bet. Sketching it out (graph paper is awesome) and using a calculator is my method and my recommendation. I'd love to see how it turns out!
Caro says
Thank you for this wonderful pattern, Amy. I had a lot of fun doing it and just finished it today on the American Independence Day (I am German). I chose to sew the horizontal flag and it turned out amazing. 🙂
My American friends loved it.
Your website is so neat and helpful, I come here every day. My next project will be the Lone Star Baby Quilt.
Happy Fourth of July to y'all!