How to Make Quilts Out of Strips of Material
The traditional art of quilting has enjoyed a comeback in recent years, with folk art quilts hanging in both museums and professionally decorated homes. A handmade quilt can cost upwards of $3,000, but you can create an attention-getting quilt for your own home for less than $50 in materials. Using outgrown baby clothes, favorite T-shirts or hand-me-down tablecloths turns this project into an heirloom for generations to come.
Things You'll Need
- 2 1/2-inch strips of fabric, pre-washed, starched and ironed
- Self-healing cutting mat
- Rotary cutter
- Ruler
- 100 percent cotton thread
- Sewing machine
- Iron
- Ironing board
- Sewing pins
- Quilt batting in desired size
- 100 percent cotton backing fabric in desired size, pre-washed, starched and ironed
- Double-fold bias tape
Instructions
-
Prepare Fabric
-
1
Determine the size for your finished quilt. Wall hangings are traditionally 36 inches by 36 inches, which require you to complete 36 of the 6-inch square quilt blocks. For larger sizes, add additional blocks.
-
2
Separate your fabric into three equal piles of dark, medium and light colors. They do not all need to be in the same color family but should be of similar tones.
-
-
3
Use the self-healing mat, ruler and rotary cutter to cut all strips of fabric into 6 1/2-inch lengths.
Assemble Your Quilt
-
4
Sew together a light-colored fabric strip and a medium-colored fabric strip along the 6 1/2-inch sides, allowing a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Sew a dark strip to the other 6 1/2-inch side of the medium fabric strip. Repeat until you have created 36 squares or the number needed for the size quilt you are making.
-
5
Preheat iron. Place a pieced square on your ironing board, seam-side up. Set the iron against each seam to set the threads. Gently open each seam and press the seams open (place the iron onto the fabric without moving it). Repeat with each square.
-
6
Lay your squares out on the floor to determine your final assembly pattern. For a lap quilt, you will arrange six squares by six squares.
-
7
Pin horizontal rows together. Sew blocks together, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Once all rows are completed, remove all pins and press open all seams as the block seams were pressed previously.
-
8
Pin rows together. Sew rows together to form a complete top, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Remove all pins and press open all seams.
Quilt Finishing
-
9
Lay your quilt top face down. Lay batting over the quilt top, followed by the backing fabric, with the right side facing up. If the batting or fabric needs to be trimmed, mark it with your ruler and trim it with the rotary cutter and self-healing mat.
-
10
Pin all layers together. Baste stitch around the perimeter of the quilt 3/16-inch from the edge. If desired, hand or machine-quilt the layers together.
-
11
Sew together bias tape until you have a length that is equal to the perimeter length of your quilt plus 1 1/2 inches. Press all seams open.
-
12
Unfold and pin bias tape around the perimeter of the quilt, securing through all layers. Check to ensure that the inner fold of the tape fits snugly against the edge of the quilt. Fold all corners neatly.
-
13
Sew bias tape around the perimeter of the quilt, turning corners and securing folds with stitches. Fold 1 inch of the end of the bias tape under itself when you are close to returning to the starting point. This leaves 1/2 inch of overlap on the starting point. Stitch over the end of the bias tape to secure.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Heavy irons are best for quilting, as weight helps set the seam.
Always keep the cover on your rotary blade when not in use. The blade is extremely sharp.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit quilts image by Christopher Martin from Fotolia.com
