I know that Father’s Day is still some time away, but us quilters are way ahead of the game! To make our quilts for men we need to order fabric, sew that top, quilt the quilt and add the binding. Not an easy task.
The first step to starting a quilt is to find a pattern and fabric that you will love. Nana found ten ideas that ought to please any man you make it for!
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Let me give you one BIG hint. When making quilts for men, it is ALL in the fabric. No matter which pattern you choose, you will no longer be making it with floral fabrics. Think plaid, sports teams, and hobbies with a simple design. You can also use his dress shirts, ties or T-shirts to create a special memory quilt. And who doesn’t like flannel?
PLAID
I don’t think I ever met a man who didn’t like plaid. And what can be better than a Buffalo Plaid quilt.
Shea from Empty Bobbin developed a fabulous pattern. She even gives alternatives for various sizes! Her pattern uses red, black, and a red-black blend but these quilts for men also look fabulous using Black, White and Grey.
RAG QUILTS FOR MEN
Everyone LOVES rag quilts. And you can make them in a weekend from any design. I make mine with themed flannel – everything from cars to zombies! Rag quilts are super soft and comfy and great for lying on the couch and watching your favorite movie!
Simply combine a themed fabric with plaids and solids or add some applique! Every member of my family has one and they ask for more! Need ideas? See my Pinterest Board “Rag Quilts”. And Jenna from Flip Flop Barnyard shares a great tutorial.
USE HIS SHIRTS
Round up his favorite T-shirts and make him an heirloom! Whether he likes band shirts, team shirts, funny saying shirts, etc., you will be sure to please him by sewing them all together to make him something he will remember forever. Grab some inspiration and a FREE tutorial over at Sprucecrafts!
Dress shirts or denim shirts can provide you with the cotton you need to create just about anything! And the shirts don’t have to be dressy – use old plaid flannel shirts to make a rag quilt (see above). PS. You can even use his jeans!!
NECK TIE QUILT
REALLY! Old neck ties also make great quilts for men. Whether you use some old neckties or purchase a handful from the thrift store, the patterns add a unique element to any quilt. There are some great pattern books out there that show you all different ways to make a quilt from neckties!
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM OR SCHOOL COLORS
Grab some Fat quarters and make a quilt using simple squares. Fabric.com sells lots of team fabrics and you can use Nana’s “Simple Squares” pattern. Simply make bigger squares to enlarge your quilt. Increase the size of your cut squares to 5″ (finished size 4-1/2″) to make a lap quilt measuring 59″ x 77″. OOH! 5″ squares are available as precuts!! YAY! NOTE: You will need 28 – 5 inch squares of 5 different colors and 27 – 5 inch squares of 3 different colors – 221 squares in total!! If cutting your own you will need 2/3 yd of 8 different fabrics.
Have you heard of “cheater” quilt fabric. You can get “Cheater Quilt” fabric from Spoonflower in baseball, football and hockey. To find out how to make a fast and easy quilt with the cheater quilt fabric, read Nana’s post from last week.
HOBBIES
Instead of sports, you may want to make his quilt from fabric that reflects his favorite hobby. Fishing, photography, music and more!
PANEL QUILT
Quilt panels are a great way to showcase what he loves. Frame the panel with his favorite colors and you have the perfect quilt for your guy!
Panels come in all shapes and sizes and almost any theme!
SIMPLE IN HIS FAVORITE COLOR
Men tend to like simple designs. Brittany Lloyd from Lo & Behold Stitchery designed this quilt for her husband. Whether a throw or bed sized, create something timeless in his favorite color. Check Brittany’s website for ideas on color combinations. Get the pattern here.
GEOMETRIC DESIGN
Simple geometrics and manly colors come together to create a quilt that any man would love. No fancy florals – just simple shapes and a manly design. This pattern is available on Etsy
NANA’s FAVORITE
Grab your favorite batiks to make this awesome quilt. This masculine quilt’s geometric design & easy technique is appealing to all.
I hope you now have some inspiration to make some quilts for the men in your life. Which one will you make for your man?? I would love to see your creations. Tag them on Instagram with #whatsnanamaking @whatsnanamaking2019. I would also love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and don’t forget to share!!