How to Sew a Mosaic Quilt

The mosaic quilt is a perfect example of the "waste not, want not" philosophy of quilt-making. A multitude of salvaged fabrics is cut into small pieces, often smaller than a half inch, and then arranged in patterns to depict floral designs or geometric patterns. The designs were always original and constructed from the center out.

Instructions

1. Collect fabrics for the quilt. Consider re-purposing children's clothing and retired cotton and Oxford cloth apparel. Mix fabrics of similar weight, like cotton, chintz and silk.

2. Sketch out a preliminary design for the quilt on graph paper. Consider the various colors and hues of fabrics and how they are best arranged to create a pleasing mosaic pattern. Number-code the fabrics or divide them by color family.

3. Determine the size of the individual quilt pieces and add a seam allowance all around. Cut the fabrics into standard sized, workable pieces. Launder the fabrics and iron. Stack fabrics for cutting with a rotary cutter and cutting mat.

4. Use a pencil and ruler to mark off the fabric in squares or diamond shapes in the desired size. Cut the fabric into strips with the rotary cutter, then cut the strips into the smaller shapes.

5. Start at the center of the design and assemble the quilt pieces. Create small strips and then join the strips. Refer to the sketched design frequently to keep the pattern on track.

6. Layer the finished quilt top with fabric backing and quilt batting. Quilt through all three layers in a pattern that highlights the design. Use hand-tying as an alternative to quilting.

7. Finish the quilt by binding the edges. Make the binding from bias strips of the same fabric as the backing, or piece it together with leftover fabrics from the quilt.