The real flag is 1.9 times as long as it is tall. At this height that would make a quilt nearly 99 inches long, so this one is shortened to 76 inches, about 1.5 to 1, a common choice for flag quilts. The stripes, the canton's depth of seven stripes and the star layout all follow the flag.
Fabric
| Fabric | Used for | Yardage |
|---|---|---|
| Red | 7 stripes | 1⅝ yd |
| Cream or white | 6 stripes | 1¼ yd |
| Navy | Canton and binding | 1⅓ yd |
| White solid | 50 stars | ½ yd |
| Paper-backed fusible web | Stars | About 1 yd of 17-in-wide web |
| Backing | Two 60-in lengths, seamed | 3⅓ yd |
| Batting | Middle layer | Twin size (72 × 90 in) |
A slightly off-white for the stripes and a bright white for the stars makes the stars stand out. Tone-on-tone prints read as solids from a few feet away and hide small wobbles in the stitching.
Cutting
All strips are cut across the width of the fabric.
- Red: 10 strips 4½ inches wide. Trim 4 of them to 38½ inches for the short stripes. Sew the other 6 into 3 pairs, end to end, and trim each pair to 76½ inches for the long stripes.
- Cream: 9 strips 4½ inches wide. Trim 3 to 38½ inches, and sew the other 6 into 3 pairs trimmed to 76½ inches.
- Navy: one rectangle 38½ × 28½ inches for the canton (cut a 28½-inch length of fabric and trim the width), and 7 binding strips 2½ inches wide.
When you join the long stripes, put the seams at different points along each stripe so they don't line up across the quilt.
Make the stars
- Trace the star 50 times onto the paper side of the fusible web, leaving about ¼ inch between stars. Mark a dot at the center of each one.
- Fuse the web to the back of the white fabric, following the heat and time on the web's instructions. HeatnBond Lite is a good fit: it's a light, sewable web, so the stars stay soft and you can stitch through them without gumming up the needle.
- Cut out each star on the line. Small, sharp scissors give crisper points than a rotary cutter here.
Place the stars
The 50 stars sit in nine rows that alternate six and five stars, as on the flag. Measure every position from the top and left raw edges of the 38½ × 28½ inch canton piece (these numbers already include the ¼-inch seam allowance), and mark each star's center with a dot of water-soluble marker or chalk.
| Row | Down from the top edge | Stars | Across from the left edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 1/16 in | 6 | 3 7/16, 9¾, 16 1/16, 22 7/16, 28¾, 35 1/16 in |
| 2 | 5⅞ in | 5 | 6 9/16, 12 15/16, 19¼, 25 9/16, 31 15/16 in |
| 3 | 8⅝ in | 6 | Same as row 1 |
| 4 | 11 7/16 in | 5 | Same as row 2 |
| 5 | 14¼ in | 6 | Same as row 1 |
| 6 | 17 1/16 in | 5 | Same as row 2 |
| 7 | 19⅞ in | 6 | Same as row 1 |
| 8 | 22⅝ in | 5 | Same as row 2 |
| 9 | 25 7/16 in | 6 | Same as row 1 |
A faster way to mark: measure and mark rows 1 and 2 only, then make a strip of cardstock with the row 1 positions on one edge and the row 2 positions on the other, and use it as a guide for the rest.
Peel the paper from each star, set its center dot on a mark with one point straight up, and press. Check the whole canton from across the room before you fuse the last row; a crooked star is easy to spot from a distance and easy to fix before it's fused.
Fused stars won't survive many washes on glue alone. Stitch around each one about ⅛ inch inside the edge with a short straight stitch, or use a narrow zigzag or blanket stitch over the edge. Stop with the needle down and pivot at every point and inner corner. White thread on the stars, or a monofilament, keeps the stitching out of sight.
Sew the stripes
- Top section: sew the 7 short stripes together, red, cream, red, cream, red, cream, red. It measures 38½ × 28½ inches, the same as the canton.
- Sew the canton to the left end of the top section. The seam lines up with the ends of all seven stripes. This unit is 76½ × 28½ inches.
- Bottom section: sew the 6 long stripes together, starting with cream and ending with red. It measures 76½ × 24½ inches.
- Sew the bottom section to the top, so the cream stripe sits under the last red stripe of the top section. The top measures 76½ × 52½ inches, with red stripes along both the top and bottom edges.
Press the stripe seams toward the red so it doesn't shadow through the cream. Long stripes stretch easily; pin every 6 inches and don't pull them through the machine.
Quilt and finish
Seam the two 60-inch backing pieces along their long edges to make a backing about 84 × 60 inches. Layer, baste and quilt. Straight lines through the middle of each stripe, or in the ditch between stripes, are simple and suit the design. In the canton, a loose meander that goes around the stars keeps them standing out. Bind with the navy strips, and label the back.
Is a flag quilt disrespectful?
It's a fair question, and quilters disagree about it. The U.S. Flag Code says the flag "should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery" (4 U.S.C. § 8(d)). The Code has no penalties for civilians; the Congressional Research Service describes it as a guide to be followed voluntarily. Some people see a quilt in the flag's design as a picture of the flag rather than the flag itself; others won't sleep under one.
If the quilt is a gift, especially for a veteran, think about how it will be used. Many flag quilts are made to hang on a wall or to fold at the foot of a bed. For a quilt meant to be used every day, the patriotic star throw gives the same red, white and blue feeling without copying the flag. To give a quilt to a service member or veteran through the Quilts of Valor Foundation, check their size and design rules first: see Quilts of Valor requirements.
Smaller versions
For a wall hanging about 38 × 26 inches, halve every measurement: 2½-inch strips for 2-inch stripes and a 19½ × 14½ inch canton. Fifty stars at half size are tiny and fiddly to fuse, so many quilters make a small flag with 13 larger stars set in a circle, in the style of early American flags. To cross-stitch a flag instead, our free flag chart is sized for a memorial square.
See all free quilt patterns. This pattern is free for personal and charity use; please don't sell the pattern itself.