From Flannel Scraps to Handmade Quilts

A Vermont Flannel customer shares how our flannel quilting squares became the most rewarding hobby of his life

Up in Johnson, Vermont, inside our flannel factory, there’s a cutting table where yards of flannel get shaped into clothes. Once those pieces are cut, the leftover flannel gets gathered up and brought back to the table. That’s when our team starts cutting perfect quilting squares. Four inches. Clean edges. True corners.

We take pride in it, because quilters notice details like that. And our crew knows those squares are headed for craft tables, sewing rooms, and long quiet evenings where something meaningful gets made.

Those squares become our Quilt in a Box DIY Quilt Kits—small-batch boxes of flannel squares made right here at our Johnson factory. They give beautiful fabric a second life, keep scraps out of the landfill, and put some of the best flannel in the world into the hands of people who like making things.

And sometimes, those squares turn into stories like this one from Neil N.

STORY & PHOTO BY NEIL N.

A Vermont Flannel Customer Story

“I’ve been making these flannel blankets for over four years. My wife and I are snowbirds—so to keep me busy while in South Carolina, I make the blanket tops in the winter, and quilt them when we are back in New Jersey for the summer.

I started to make them after purchasing a Quilt in a Box kit at the Vermont Flannel Company Store in Burlington, VT. I was never a quilter, that is my wife’s hobby not mine. I did, however, do all the Longarm Quilting to her quilts. After purchasing the kit, I gave it a try and found out how easy it was to assemble a blanket, since the flannel squares in the kit are all pre-cut to 4” squares. So you just have to sew four together into a rough block, and then square it up to a 7” block, and with adding some sashing between the blocks you come out with a beautiful lap blanket.

Each kit has enough flannel to make about four 50 X 70” blanket tops. Because the flannel is of such a high quality, they last forever. I suppose a true quilter would cut them into much more ornate shapes—but I like to leave the pieces bigger to keep that true rugged Vermont Flannel look.

So far, I have made over 100 blankets ranging in size from King Size to Baby Blankets—and every size in between. Making these blankets is the most rewarding hobby I have ever had. I don’t sell them, rather I give them to friends, family, and nursing homes. Nothing is more rewarding than when people send me pictures or tell me how much they use them and love them. Please never stop making those Quilt In a Box kits!!”

"Making these blankets is the most rewarding hobby I have ever had."

- Neil N.

The Beauty of Flannel Squares

Every Quilt in a Box starts with leftover flannel from our production runs. The same organic cotton flannel fabric used in our flannel shirts, flannel hoodies, flannel pants, and cozy flannel blankets.

Instead of letting those scraps go to waste, our Johnson factory team cuts them into quilting squares—the perfect gift for quilters who love flannel. It keeps beautiful fabric out of the landfill and puts it into the hands of people who know how to turn it into something meaningful.

That means every quilt made from these kits carries a little piece of Vermont craftsmanship inside it. Small batch. Cut by hand. Made to last.

Because of that small-batch approach, Quilt in the Box kits sometimes sell out quickly. When they’re available, they tend not to sit around for long. If they’re out of stock, you can sign up on the product page to get notified when the next batch is ready.

Explore the Quilt in a Box DIY Quilt Kit

Your Turn to Make Something

Flannel is a wonderful material to work with. Soft. Durable. Forgiving. The kind of fabric that invites creativity. You can make quilts. Blankets. Pillows. Patchwork jackets. Something entirely your own. Our invitation is simple: get creative.

And if you make something you’re proud of, we’d love to see it. Send us your photos and your story. Around here, the best part of making flannel isn’t just the fabric—it’s seeing where it ends up.

Because sometimes a small stack of flannel squares turns into a hundred blankets. And a hundred blankets turn into a lot of warm laps. Not a bad way to spend a winter.

WHERE HAVE YOUR FLANNELS GONE?

Flannel tends to follow people into good moments. Early mornings. Road trips. Campfires. Quilting tables. Long winters that turn into good stories.

And after 35 years of making flannel in Vermont, we’ve learned something: the best part isn’t what we make here in Johnson. It’s what you do with it out there in the world. Maybe it’s a quilt. Maybe it’s a well-worn flannel shirt that’s been everywhere with you. Maybe it’s a flannel blanket that never leaves the couch. Whatever it is—we’d love to hear about it.

Send us your photos and your story. With your permission, we might feature it in a future blog, email, or on our social channels so the rest of the Vermont Flannel community can see what you’re making, wearing, and living in. Good flannel deserves good stories.

Email stories@vermontflannel.comTag @vermontflannel on Instagram