How to Sew a Silk Quilt

A silk quilt has a beautiful finish with sufficient weight that does not require a batting. You can embellish the squares with an intricate quilting pattern, or add brocade ribbons, beading or lush embroidery to create your very own masterpiece.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Visit wholesale fabric outlets and look for silk remnants. Choose silk noil, which has a muted finish, resists wrinkling and does not fray easily. Keep in mind that colors fade when laundered, so plan to dry clean the finished quilt.

2. Calculate the amount of fabric. Purchase silk noil in the desired colors. Use a pressing cloth and low heat and iron the fabric on the wrong side before cutting. Use a ruler and straight edge or a template to draw squares on the wrong side of the fabric.

3. Stack several layers of fabric on a cutting mat. Use a straight edge and rotary cutter to cut through several layers. Organize the squares by color and stack them neatly.

4. Begin sewing the squares together, carefully aligning the edges so that the top and bottom are even. Pin several squares together. Sew 6 to 10 pairs of squares together, then separate clip the threads between each pair.

5. Create strips of squares by joining the pairs, and then joining the strips of four and eight until the desired strip length is achieved. Pin the strips together, carefully aligning the seams to achieve an even patchwork pattern.

6. Layer the quilt top over a lightweight backing fabric and pin all around the edges. Quilt the two layers together using an all-over design or one that accentuates each color block.

7. Cut silk strips on the bias and join them to create a binding. Stitch the binding around the quilt edges to complete the project.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a pressing cloth and iron the joined squares on the back side each time they are seamed together. Do not press the seams open. Block the seams by alternating the direction each is pressed.
• To calculate the total yardage needed for the quilt, decide the size of the individual square. Figure out how many squares, minus 1/2 inch of the length and width for the seam allowance, are needed to create the quilt in the desired size. Determine how many squares can be cut from one yard of fabric (45 inches wide).
• A simple patchwork pattern, makes it easy to calculate the fabric needs for a crib quilt, throw or bed cover. The simple design also invites an intricate quilting pattern.