Bear-y Cozy quilt pattern featuring AGF Flannels

Hello everyone,

I have been busy making new quilts with new fabric collections and today is time for something very soft and cozy – Art Gallery Fabrics has FLANNEL now!!

Oh my goodness, is is ever soft and cozy!! I can’t stop touching it!!

It comes in many beautiful colors and prints and I am pretty sure it will be my GO-TO for quilt backings, but I also want cozy PJs and lounging pants, pillow cases and sheets and definitely many, many cuddly little quilts, just like the one I am sharing today!

As always I tried to take some pictures of my fabrics before cutting and sewing, and while I did get some good shots like this one:

This was also happening ALL. THE. TIME!!

For the Lookbook project and first one to share with you, I designed this quick and easy one – just cut some squares and rectangles and you will be ready to assemble the quilt top!!

Or of course use other available colors and prints to create different variations!

You will find a complete, downloadable PDF pattern HERE.

I should have timed myself while making this cute little quilt, because it honestly went to fast! Cutting large squares and rectangles was a breeze…

Once you have cut all the pieces it is time to assemble your quilt top!! Yes, you heard that right – straight to quilt top!! Well, I actually did it in four quadrants, so you could techincally call them large blocks, but either way you choose to do it it is quick and easy!

Here is how I did it to stay organized and not make a mistake:

1. I laid all the pieces for one quadrant next to my sewing machine, exactly as it is in the quilt (in this case, this would be top right quadrant)

2. I would then sew squares/rectangles in horizontal rows, from left to right, lay each row back where it should be and then join the rows together.

Here is one TIP I can share with you – I pressed seams in each row in opposite directions – so in top row all seams would be pressed to the right and in one under all would go to the left and so on. This way, when I was joining rows together, all seams would “nest” together for perfectly matched corners. Honest confession – with this exceptional quality flannel, I used ZERO pins while making this project!! Flannel pieces, once paired together would lock-in and not move at all!! Quilter’s dream!!

Here is one quadrant all together (before pressing the seams):

And then all four of them together on the design wall:

So before you know it – it was time to quilt this cutie!!

Well…that is if I could pry my beautiful flannel backing from my studio supervisor, who not only LOVED it as is, but especially when it was nice and warm after pressing it!! You see what I have to deal with here?? (insert eye roll…)

I decide on simple wavy line quilting, making a diamond shape in the middle of the quilt and just echoing that all the way out – it was easy and fun to do!!

However!! Mr. Teddy who claimed this cozy flannel and quilt from the very beginning, insisted I need to try something fun and new here!! See that gorgeous, 12wt blue Aurifil thread in hos furry paws?? He insisted I try that one too!!! What is a girl to do….

Of course I had to try it!

But you all know that using thick threads in your sewing machine and doing Free motion quilting can spell trouble… Will it go through smoothly, will it cause tension problems, will it shred…

Well I have another good TIP for you my friends – put that thread in the BOBBIN!! Yes, you heard me right – in the bobbin!! And then you quilt your quilt with the backing facing you, so that beautiful, thick thread that will give amazing texture will be on your quilt top!!

Why bobbin you may ask? Because the bobbin thread goes through less gears and things before it is stitched in, so less chance of causing trouble!! Most of the time it will work just fine without ANY other adjustments!! Of course quilting from the back of the quilt may feel weird and in some instances it might not work – like when you need to see WHERE to quilt certain things, but if it is an overall design, it will be just fine, or – like in my case, I already quilted lines that were my guide where this quilting would go, so no problem there!

So while wavy lines were quilted with 50wt gray Aurifil, loopy motifs are the 12wt blue Aurifil. Isn’t this texture just beautiful?

So there you have it my friends – super easy and very cuddly, Bear-y Cozy quilt!!

I wish I can show the cuddliness even better, but I think you will just have to feel it yourself! I know my grandkids will enjoy this one and I will be making many more real soon!

I will leave you with this little outtakes story:

• I was taking photos of the quilt draped over the chair like this…

• came back to see my quilt suddenly has a “lump”??

• You guessed it – miss Tesla kitty found her way under to get cozy!!

But honestly – who can blame her?? 🙂

I hope you will give this quick and easy pattern a try and snuggle someone (or yourself!) in this super-soft and cozy AGF Flannel. Make sure to check out Art Gallery Fabrics Flannel Lookbook for much more inspiration and lots more projects to make. If you do make Bear-y Cozy quilt, I would love to see it – please tag me at @maraquiltdesigns or with #bearycozyquilt #maraquiltdesigns so I can find it!

Stay well and cozy,

Love,

Marija