Test Squares

Get your test squares ready

Buy a bolt or several yards of white muslin and tear it into 2 or 3 yard pieces, then wash them all. 

Tear the pieces into 11 inch strips, then tear each strip into four roughly 11 inch squares. 

Make a big stack of these, and use them for your test squares. 

When it's time to make a quilt square, you can take a 10 inch square clear plastic cutting guide, and center the design in the middle before cutting it out. These are for sale at Wal-Mart or quilting stores.  

When you mess up a t-shirt, cut it up into squares, and use those for testing on knits.

Here's some ideas for things to do with test squares

a framed picture to match the "real" item
nap attack quilt
quilt blocks for gift quilts
quilt blocks for lap quilts 
quilt blocks for charity group 
a cut-up piece in a crazy quilt
pillow centers
baby bibs 
pot holders
coasters
add binding, backing, dowel, and string to make into decorative wall hangings
pocket on a shirt
pocket on a bag
jewelry pocket on a hanger cover
armchair cover pocket for remote control
pocket in walker caddy 
quiet book pages (make up a story)
jar lids
eyeglass case
checkbook cover
little jewelry bags
little makeup bags for your purse
front flap of a fanny pack 
front flap of a cell phone holder
appliqués on a shirt (see bottom of this page)
appliqués on a towel border
small decorated doily
cut out design and use as a patch
Cut out design and use as a pin
Cut out design and glue onto a plant stick
cut out design and use as a magnet
cut out design and use to decorate soap 
cut out and use to decorate picture frame mat
cut out and use on a Christmas ornament
book page marker
Use inside a cutaway hole in a blank greeting card
one side of a stuffed baby block
pincushion
sachet pillow
gift tag
one side of a little clutch purse 
coin purse 
business card holder 



Here's an example of how you can use a test square as the fabric in an appliqué.  See the Frames and Labels project page to see this other ways to use this stamp.