13 Unbelievably Gorgeous Summer Quilt Patterns That Will Get You Excited for Summer Sewing
Do you enjoy the cozy feeling of a quilt but know when summer comes, it’s too uncomfortable to use a regular quilt on those hot summer nights? Well, we’re going to address this dilemma here and now! Summer quilt patterns are a fun way to brighten a room and feel cozy during the hot months.
We’ll discuss the best fabric and batting to use, plus look at some gorgeous summer quilts to inspire you to make your own this summer.
FAQs About Making a Quilt for Summer
Quilts are like a great big hug, and who doesn’t love that? Am I right? A lot of love and care goes into making quilts, so it’s completely understandable why someone would also like to use a quilt during the summertime.
Let’s address some of the concerns I’ve seen surrounding the topic of making a quilt for summer use.
What is the Coolest Quilt for Summer?
A few variables are essential when figuring out the coolest quilt option for you. For instance, do you keep your bedroom cool? If you do, you may not need to create a unique quilt for the summer. The one you have might already be perfect for your bedroom temperature.
Another variable to consider is what type of fabrics you plan on using for the quilt top and quilt backing. That can play a massive role in the overall warmth of a quilt, and we’ll talk about that in full in just a few minutes.
Also, you need to decide if you want to use batting or not in your quilt. If you choose to use batting, what batting will you use? Let’s discuss that next.
What is the Best Batting for a Summer Quilt?
If you want a quilt that will keep you cool during the summer, I recommend using batting made from natural fibers such as cotton and wool. I also recommend using a low loft, very thin batting that will be breathable and lightweight like this Quilter’s Dream 100% cotton batting.
If you want a super light quilt, you could use flannel or quilting cotton as the batting to give it an extra layer, but it will still be breathable, lightweight, and comfortable.
How Do You Make a Summer Quilt without Batting?
This is a great question, and I think it’s safe to say that some of us may have never considered making a quilt without batting. You learn right away in “Quilting 101” that the quilt sandwich consists of the quilt top, batting, and backing; however, you can definitely make a quilt using only a quilt top and backing fabric. In fact, I’ve seen many pristine vintage quilts made this way in antique stores I’ve visited over the years.
If you plan on making a quilt without batting, I recommend making sure you quilt it well to ensure your piece quilt top is stabilized and won’t fall apart over time or become “wonky” after several washes.
What is the Best Fabric for Summer Quilt?
You want to use breathable, lightweight fabrics for the quilt top and backing fabric when making a light quilt for summer. The best materials would be quilting cotton, flannel, linen, canvas/duck cloth, or other lightweight, woven fabrics.
I mention duck cloth because it makes a great backing fabric for picnic quilts or quilts used outdoors. It probably isn’t the best choice for a bed quilt since it is a bit stiff and not super soft like cotton or flannel.
13 Summer Quilt Patterns to Inspire Your Quilty Dreams
I’m super excited to show you guys the patterns I’ve found for this section! Summer quilts are such a fun quilt category, and they bring so much joy and brightness to the quilting community.
Here is a beautiful quilt pattern by Running Stitch Quilts that features large flower blocks. The pattern includes a crib and throw sizes and has well-written instructions on constructing the blocks in two sizes: 12” squares and 16” squares. This is a fantastic beginner-friendly quilt pattern.
How cute are these popsicle quilt blocks? This pattern is both fat-quarter and layer cake (10” squares) friendly and includes three quilt sizes. This modern quilt pattern is excellent for any skill level.
Free quilt pattern alert! Here is an awesome free quilt pattern from Sew Can She. With this free pattern, you can make a 64” x 85” quilt. There are step-by-step written instructions and easy-to-understand diagrams of how to piece the quilt blocks together, so if you’re a beginner quilter, this is a great choice for you.
Who doesn’t love a good sampler quilt pattern? This pattern features bees, cherries, strawberries, pineapples, eight-point star blocks, apples, and flowers. Since there is a variety of different blocks, I recommend this pattern to a confident beginner and up. The finished quilt measures 58” x 86”.
Suzy Quilts is well-known for her beautiful and surprisingly simple modern quilt patterns, and this free pattern is no exception! Mod Melons was written to take the guesswork out of sewing with curves, and the diagrams, instructions, and video tutorials included in the pattern will help beginners sew curves with ease. The finished pattern will be 56” x 65”.
This adorable pattern will help you make a 51” x 59” throw-size quilt that features bright, beautiful ladybug quilt blocks. You can use this pattern to make a small mini quilt as well. Each block measures 7” x 9”.
Here is a beautiful pattern that features surfboards, palm trees, vintage trucks, and pinwheels. You can use this pattern to make a large throw measuring 71” x 77” or pick and choose which blocks you want to make a smaller or larger quilt. You could also make pillow covers or wall hangings with single blocks.
This quilt pattern is from the Etsy shop “MySewQuiltyLife,” and it features three sizes of daisies in a fun chain design. The finished quilt will measure 77” x 98”, which can be used as a large throw or on a twin bed. The designer suggests this pattern to advanced beginners and intermediate quilters.
This pattern is by See Kate Sew and includes four quilt sizes in the diagrams. The pattern provides step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and printable templates to make this quilt. Pictured above is the throw quilt size.
These adorable butterfly blocks are pieced using traditional methods; no paper piecing is required. The instructions include fabric cutting and block piecing directions. The finished quilt measures 58 ½” x 72”, but you could simply add or subtract quilt blocks if you like to make a larger or smaller quilt.
This beautiful fat-quarter-friendly pattern features small flowers, leaves, and berries in the design. It also includes a bonus Jam Jar quilt block pattern. When you finish the quilt, it will measure approximately 60 ½” x 68 ¾”. You can also download a printable coloring page to try out different color combinations before cutting into your fabric.
Isn’t this mini quilt gorgeous? This pattern is specifically written to make a wall hanging that features a beautiful bike with a basket full of blooming flowers. The finished mini quilt measures 30” x 36” and would look amazing hanging on the wall as a piece of art, don’t you think?
This quilt pattern is best suited for advanced beginners to intermediate quilters and features large flowers and leaves. This modern quilt pattern includes two sizes in the instructions and looks gorgeous in bright and dark color palettes. The pattern also includes a coloring page to try out different colorways.
I hope you enjoyed these summer quilt patterns as much as I did! If you’re interested in spring quilts, check out this blog post, where I show you some gorgeous ideas for spring quilting projects!
Happy Stitches!
