How to Make a Bandana Quilt

Bandanas come in a variety of colors and pattern styles. There are the original red and blue bandanas. There are also green and yellow in the same style as the red and blue bandanas.

There are also bandanas with college colors and emblems, Christian style bandanas, and a variety of other bandanas that can be found at Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Micheal’s.

Many people use bandanas during the summer as a way to keep the sweat out of their eyes while working outside landscaping their yards, working their fields, and to use as a way to wipe their brows.

Bandanas date back to the 19th century. Bandana sizes are normally about 24 inches square. Over the years the meaning of the bandana holds have changed and varied with different cultures. No matter the meaning of the bandana; they are fun to collect, wear, and use for different things in our daily lives.

Materials for Making a Bandana Quilt

Bandanas. Any color scheme with any print will work. That will be up to you.

5 ½ yards of corresponding material 3 yards wide. This will be for the back and border of your bandana quilt.

Sewing machine and thread. The making of the quilt will go faster with your sewing machine.

Cotton batting or old worn blanket. This will be used for the filling or middle of the quilt to make it heavier for winter use.

Cotton crochet thread. Any color that will fit into the color scheme of the bandana quilt will work. You will only need the smallest ball of crochet thread you can find. The crochet thread will be used to tie the quilt.

Sewing needle. You will need a sewing needle with an eye large enough for the crochet thread. The needle will be used to run the crochet thread through the finished quilt.

Yard stick and quilting pencil. You will need the yard stick and quilting pencil to mark the bottom of the quilt for cutting. See instructions below.

Directions for the Bandana Quilt

NOTE: If you have multi colored and pattern bandanas, you may want to alternate the colors and designs for a more colorful quilt.

Lay two bandanas right sides together sewing across one end. Open the two pieces, sew another bandana onto the end and repeat the process for the fourth bandana. You will repeat this process two more times.

You will have three rows of the bandanas with four bandanas making each of the rows. The rows will run vertical for this quilt. In other words, the length of the bed.

Sew the three bandana strips together.

Lay the fabric down on a flat surface with the right side facing down. Lay the filler, the batting or the old blanket, on top of the material. Lay the bandana quilt top on top of the other two layers.

You will pin the quilt top and filler together around the outer edge of the quilt top. Trim the filling material to the same width of the top. Pin all three layers together.

Measure two inches from the edge of the quilt top on the back material. Make your two inch marks around the sides, top, and bottom. Take the measuring stick and pencil and make a solid line for trimming away the excess material.

Trim off the excess material from the markings you made for the trim around the quilt.

Fold the trim of the quilt over one inch and fold over one more time another inch. Pin the trim of the quilt to the quilt top and filler and sew trim down after you have completed the pinning of the trim.

Thread the eye of the needle with the crochet thread. DO NOT TIE A KNOT IN THE END. You will want to make your stitches at least 6 to 8 inches apart. You will want to make about eight rows of these stitches either across or down the quilt. You can use a piece of tape to hold the starting ends of the stitches down.

Cut about half way in between each of the stitches and tie the loose ends in a double knot.

You now have finished your first bandana quilt. You can make these for gifts for family, friends, and co-workers in a single afternoon.