Safe to say this is the EASIEST quilt I've ever completed. Highly recommend if you are new to quilting and looking for something high-impact and fun to start with. The hardest part was actually picking out the colored fabrics, but because I love a rainbow, that was the most fun part too.
I bought 1/3 yard of 36 different colors. This was not the most economical way to go about it, but I was very picky about my colors and so I couldn't just buy a bundle of rainbow fat quarters. I do, however, have enough fabric to make four rainbow quilts, so if you were going to make a bunch to give as gifts or something, this would be ideal. (I'm going to give away three of the stacks of fabric so three of you can make a similar quilt – details at the end of this post.)
I cut the fabric into squares that were 10×10 inches using a cutting mat, ruler and rotary trimmer. After a million triangle quilts, cutting squares (especially this large) was so easy and enjoyable.
I laid it all out to be sure I had the order right. I wanted to go red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple horizontally and then have it fade from darkest to lightest vertically. I sewed each rainbow together so I had six strips of six squares each and then ironed my creases open and pinned it together. Because there were so few corners to line up, this one actually came together pretty neatly.
I screwed up a bit and cut my backing fabric too small. I went with a white extra wide cotton backing but didn't quite give myself enough wiggle room and over the course of sewing all those lines, it shifted a bit which meant I had to lose some of the front to even it out (you'll notice that the darkest red square in particular is smaller than the others). This sort of thing always bothers me at the time, but I know from experience that months (or even days) from now when we're actually using the quilt, it's not the sort of thing I'll notice or worry about.
To give it a bit of dimension, I quilted tons of horizontal lines across the surface. The thread on the top is white and then I alternated the color in the bobbin so the thread on the backing was multi-colored in a rainbow. It's VERY subtle. Too subtle to be worth it, I'd say. In photos it looks particularly lame. In person you can kind of see, but you really have to look for the color change. If I did it again I would probably just use all one color or even just white.
The finished quilt is about 55×55 inches though it will shrink a bit when I wash it. I bound it in gray stripe but black and white stripe would have looked awesome too.
Overall – it's one of my top ten favorite projects. I'm taking Ellerie to the park tonight for a picnic to break it in.
And now! The giveaway! As mentioned, I have enough fabric for four quilt tops and I only made one. So I have THREE stacks of rainbow squares that are already cut to 10×10 inches. You'd need your own batting, binding and backing fabric but you'd be at least partway there if you won. Please leave a comment if you're interested. I'll draw three winners by the weekend and will ship anywhere.
GIVEAWAY CLOSED, drawing winners now and will announce Saturday AM.
enJOY it 
1,233 responses to “super simple rainbow quilt.”
Put my name in the hat! Would love to win the rainbow fabric bundle!
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What a beautiful quilt! I’ve never made a quilt, but I would love to try!
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Beautiful!! Would love to make one myself
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I love this color combo and would love to make a rainbow quilt!
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I would adore this! My BFF is having her first, long awaited baby and a quilt like this is spot on with her nursery decor!
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I’ve always been convinced that I couldn’t quilt, but your posts are making me want to try!! As I love rainbows, this would be the perfect project to start with 😉
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Wow! So stunning and simple! Believe it or not, I actually have enough batting for a queen sized quilt on the ready.
Just the other day I pinned this paper sculpture. I think you’ll like it. It’s like a wall version of this quilt.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/254453447673818055/
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Oh! I would so love to be chosen! I love the colors. I have a new baby in the family and would so love to make this for a gift.
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I love it! I just did a scrappy rainbow and I love the solid look too!
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Fingers crossed!
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Thanks for the chance to win the fabric to make a rainbow quilt! I have been inspired to make my own since I first saw the beginning of yours on Instagram! Your quilt is beautiful.
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I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these! I have loved your triangle quilts but haven’t tried one because of the cutting involved. All of my quilts (2 haha) have been with squares. These colors are AMAZING!
Thanks for the giveaway. Stephanie
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I’ve been looking for an easy quilt idea and this looks perfect! I love how it came out!
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I love this! I’ve been thinking about trying out quilting and this might be what gets me started. Your projects are always so inspiring!
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Oh this would be wonderful! Baby due beginning of November and I have two quilts to make, one for him and one for his brother so this would save me a lot of cutting and choosing of fabric! YAY – the quilt looks absolutely amazing. And super yay for a quick, fun and beautiful project.
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I’ve never made a quilt, but I would totally be game to try it – you make it look doable!!
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I always love a rainbow quilt! Great job!
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That is so beautiful, and it would be so fun to make!
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Jaw droppingly gorgeous! Even if I don’t win, I’m definitely making one!
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This is so beautiful and fun! I Iove this.
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Absolutely Adore the finished product! Your colors look amazing together. I would love the fabric!!! Thank you for sharing you fantastic talent for great inspiration!
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I would LOVE to win – this would be my first quilt and looks fab!
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This quilt turned out awesome! I would love to make something similar! Have a great day!
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I say it in the words of my 2 year old boy “wow” and “cool” Elise. So simple and pretty. I just love the rainbow idea. I hope, I will make one myself soon, we difinitly need more colour in rainy England.
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My husband and I are starting ‘talks’ about growing our family and this quilt would be a beautiful thing to have ready for a future little kid. Pick me! (this is a great giveaway idea way to go!)
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I would love to win! The colors are so lovely.
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Love this giveaway–would love even more to win so I too can have my rainbow quilt (started!)! 🙂
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Dying to make my own. So inspired by you.
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What a creative idea for a quick quilt! I just love how fun and simple and interesting this is. Thanks for the detailed post. I would love to get a hand on those extra fabrics of yours! Beautiful. I really appreciate how you don’t over-stress about small imperfections. I think that is the best part about all things home/hand-made.
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Me me me 🙋🏻🙋🏻🙋🏻 pick me pick me! I just moved (like literally today) I arrive in Cali from a week long road trip from the east coast and I would love to start seeing to relax my mind!!!
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There needs to be a rainbow quilt in Ireland, so I volunteer to make it! Love all the inspiration you give – thank you!
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Love it!Have a fun picnic! 🍉🐜
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Hey Elise I watched through your IG on this project and was hooked the day you posted the fabric, this is so inspiring to watch the quilt come together & it look’s awesome, WELL DONE!
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I would love to win this!!! It’s a beautiful quilt and I’ve wanting to try quilting for a long time! Looks like a great first project!
I’ll have to buy your e course at some point!!! 😉
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I have always been so inspired by your projects (I’m well into double digits on the cowls) and this one is spectacular! Thanks for the opportunity!!
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This quilt inspires me to try quilting one more time 🙂 Love it!
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What a stunning quilt, so simple, so pretty! I’d love to win a stack and try my own. 🙂
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Oh wow ! You made it SO fast !!! Your quilt is awesome, I love it ! Thank you so much for the giveway, would love to make the same quilt (but I’m pretty sure I woul take much more time! 🙂 )
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Eek! So excited – obsessed with rainbows since having Mallory 4 years ago! Her 1st birthday was a rainbow picnic, and somehow I’ve managed to incorporate rainbows into the scheme each year since. She’s about to have a surgery, and I’d love to make this for her! Thank you for the chance!
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I want to make this! Love it!
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Me!! I’m a quilter and I’d love this. 🙂
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This would be the perfect reason for me to drag my sewing machine out of my closet and …use it.
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Love how simple, yet dramatic the quilt is – so fun! Would love to have a chance at this, as I am a beginning sewer.
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Oh, me please! What a fun project!
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Love the idea of this quilt and his this turned out. Rainbow always wins! I would love to win one of the fabric bundles to try it myself. Thanks momma!
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Ahhhh! I love this so much! Super inspiring, as always. It is amazing how quick you turned this one out. Bummer the multicolored thread didn’t pop as well as you would have liked, but subtle details are still special.
Gosh I want to make one too. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity! 🙂
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I think this would be the ideal quilt for me to start with! I love how yours turned out, Elise. Thanks for the chance to win!
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I would love to win the fabric! The minute I saw you making a rainbow quilt, I knew I had to do one too!
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I love to quilt. If I won, I would hand quilt it with embroidery floss. Thanks for offering a giveaway!
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I recently finished a T shirt quilt and would LOVE a fun new project
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