What Can Be Made With 5-Inch Fabric Squares?

Quilt

• One of the simplest and most obvious uses for five-inch fabric squares is to turn them into a quilt. The project is extremely adaptable because, depending on the number of fabric squares you have, you can create a quilt that is quite large--big enough to keep the largest adult warm on a winter's night--or very small--appropriate for decorating a doll's bed. Use your creativity in developing an attractive pattern from the fabrics you have on hand, then stitch the squares together to form a quilt. At the small end of the spectrum, a two-square-by-three-square quilt forms a simple rectangle for a doll's quilt; there is no upper limit, other than the amount of fabric you have, for a quilt!
  
  

Fabric Cube

• Five-by-five inch fabric squares are ideal for constructing fabric cubes for children's toys. In addition to being simple to make, these toys make thoughtful baby shower and birthday gifts that can easily be customized to suit different children's personalities and interests. In addition to the fabric squares, you will need a 4.5 inch foam cube, a sewing machine or needle, and thread. Stitch the squares to form a cross shape: four squares connected in a long rectangle, then a square attached to either side of the second square. Sew together the four squares that currently form a plus sign, creating a fabric box. Insert the foam cube, and stitch the final panel, by hand, to the rest of the cube.
  
  

Bean Bags

• Bean bags are an entertaining and safe toy for children of all ages, and can be easily formed from five-inch fabric squares. Place two fabric squares with printed sides together. Stitch around three sides; on the fourth side, stitch just halfway across. Use the hole to flip the bag right-side-out and fill with beans, then hand-stitch the hole shut. These same steps can also be used to make doll-sized pillows, or tiny throw pillows for a child's bed, by simply substituting fiber fill or feathers for the beans.
  
  

Doll Blanket

• Five-inch fabric squares are the perfect size for creating an assortment of doll accessories. A tiny doll blanket might be the simplest to create, making it perfect for teaching children to sew a straight line, either by hand or on a machine. With adult supervision, iron a hem around each of the four sides of the square, then stitch flat. For a decorative touch, use a zig-zag stitch.