How to Make a Hexagon Mini Quilt – Rainbow Style
Quick, simple, and scrap or precut-friendly, this rainbow hexagon mini quilt from Weekend Quilting author Jemima Flendt offers a colorful introduction to English Paper Piecing. You’ll learn how to make a hexagon mini quilt that’s oh-sew cute while honing your EPP skills! What’s not to love? An added bonus is this mini quilt design is super easy to customize with fabrics of your choice. We highly recommend taking on this small-scale project with big impact!
How to Make a Hexagon Mini Quilt Step-by-Step
If you’ve ever wanted to give English paper piecing a try, this beginner-friendly mini quilt is a great first project. Just by using some of your fabric scraps, you can make this sweet design inspired by all the colors of the rainbow.
Finished Size: 19” square
Materials
All seam allowances are ¼” unless otherwise noted.
✓
Colorful print fabrics, (7) 2½” squares each of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, purple, and white/black (mini charm squares and scraps are perfect for this project)
✓
Background fabric, 5⁄8 yard
✓
Backing fabric, 5⁄8 yard
✓
Black/white stripe binding fabric, ¼ yard
✓
Batting, 27″ square
✓
Precut paper hexagons, (50) 1″ pieces
✓
Cotton thread in coordinating colors for handquilting hexagons and handsewing needles
✓
✓
Erasable fabric marking pens in coordinating colors for drawing hexagon shapes
Cutting Instructions
1
From each of the colorful print squares, cut: 7 hexagons using the acrylic template (49 total)
2
From the background fabric, cut: (1) 20″ background square
3
From the binding fabric, cut: (2) 2½” × WOF (width-of-fabric) strips
Making the Blocks
Click here to get a PDF of the pattern and be sure to check out our Sew Easy Lesson on English Paper Piecing for detailed instructions!
1
Attach the fabric hexagons to the precut papers (Figure 1).
2
Sew each of the hexagon color groups together, starting with the center hexagon and handsewing your way around the center (Figure 2).
3
Referring to Figure 3, sew each of the colored hexagons to the black-and-white center hexagon in the order shown. Pin the rainbow hexagon block to the center of the background fabric.
4
Sew the rainbow hexagon block in place using an appliqué stitch along the edges of the hexagons (Figure 4).
Assembling the Quilt
1
Trim the quilt top to 19″ square. Layer the backing (wrong-side up), batting, and quilt top (right-side up). Baste the layers together with safety pins about 3″ apart, starting from the center and working your way out to the edges of the quilt top.
2
Quilt as desired. (The featured quilt was handquilted around each of the colored hexagons using a running stitch.) Note: To create the colorful hexagon design, draw 1″ hexagons on the background fabric with an erasable fabric marker, then handquilt around each hexagon using a running stitch and matching colored thread (Figure 5).
Whether you’re using chic, stylish prints or playful patterns designed for a child, this sweet mini quilt is sure to brighten any room! For more quilting inspiration and beginner-friendly patterns from Jemima Flendt, pick up a copy of her book, Weekend Quilting. Now that you know how to make a hexagon mini quilt, we hope you’ll consider creating one! If you do, be sure to share with us on Instagram and Facebook.
Enjoying this article? Sign up for our newsletter!
*This article contains affiliate links that helps us earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you). We’re grateful for your support!
This mini quilt is a perfect size to get started with EPP. I’m going to dig through my fabrics and start creating!
I love reading your emails on your friends and family also your experience and how you learned to quilt.