How to Make a Panel Quilt

Handmade quilts have been around for centuries. The colorful, rich fabrics with their different prints and textures number in the thousands. The different varieties of quilt designs, which one can make, are too numerous to name. I have enjoyed quilting for over 30 years and have made all kinds of quilts using all types of fabrics and designs. I have found that one of the fastest and easiest quilts to make is a panel quilt. This quilt can actually be made in a day.

A panel quilt consists of a center (core) printed panel surrounded by fabric strips or quilt blocks. They are great for using up those fabric scraps that you have left over from other projects.

I like to start with the panel. As a quilter I tend to keep quite a bit of these on hand, but you can purchase them reasonably at any fabric store or buy them online. They usually measure approximately 45" x 36" (about 1 yard). The variety of prints on these panels is huge. You can find prints for babies, children, adults, seasonal, and so on. I made a Spiderman quilt for my grandson this past year, which he insists on using every time he stays overnight, even in the summer.

After I decide on my panel, I think about how big I want to make the quilt. My decision here will depend on who or what the quilt is for. It could be a king, queen, full, twin or lap quilt. For this article, I will reference a quilt made for a child's twin bed. Besides the fabric panel, I will need 2 companion fabrics (approximately 1 to 1 1/2 yards each), quilt batting, fabric for the quilt back, quilt binding, and quilting thread.

I then decide on the design. There are many quilt patterns you can choose from to create a panel quilt. For this design I will put strips and blocks around the panel (see picture).

I will start going through my stash of fabric to see what matches well with the panel. If I don't find what I like, I will take the panel to the fabric store with me to appropriately match fabric colors and prints. I always let someone at the store know I am bringing in the panel for this purpose.