The Easy Quilt
From LoveToKnow Crafts
Quilting can be very intimidating because crafters think that a lot of intricate skill and precision is required. While this is certainly true of complex designed quilts, there are quilts you can make with no more skill than knowing how to sew a straight line.
Inspiration for the easy quilt
I call this project “the easy quilt” because it’s really as simple as quilting will ever be. It requires two pieces of fabric and something to put between the two pieces for weight.
But I’m getting a little ahead of myself. This is one of those times when necessity brought about something pretty cool.
You see, I have this cat, Louis. He’s a big, fat (19 pounds!) cat who loves to sleep on the back of a couch that sits in front of a window. He loves this spot so much that he’s pretty well made a dent in the couch cushion. He also leaves a lot of hair there, which is less-than-pleasant for our guests.
So one day I decided I was going to do something about it. Knowing full well that you can’t train a cat, I decided I’d make a little something for him to sleep on that I could remove from the couch and wash so the fur wouldn’t all end up on the couch.
But I didn’t want to make something fussy. I didn’t want to spend a lot of time on it in case the cat ruined it, and it had to be machine washable. So the easy quilt was born.
Materials
- Two pieces of fabric, each two yards long and of the same width
- A piece of batting of the same length and width, or four yards of muslin
- Sewing machine
- Coordinating thread
- Scissors
- Needle
Steps
First launder your fabrics, with the muslin if you are using it, according to the care instructions found on the bolt of fabric. It’s important to wash the fabrics together so you will know if one bleeds on the other.
If necessary, iron all the fabric once it is dry. It makes the muslin a lot easier to deal with if it is lightly pressed, folded in half so that it is basically in the same shape as your fabric pieces, and pressed again.
The only difficult part (which I did wrong the first time) is stacking your fabric in the right order. Your fabric pieces need to be wrong sides together with your muslin or batting stacked on top. This way, when you sew the seams and turn it out, the front and back will be on the outside and the filling material will be on the inside.
Using a coordinating thread, machine stitch three of the four sides, using a straight stitch and a quarter-inch or so seam allowance. Turn the piece right side out so you can make sure you haven’t missed any layers and that the sewing line looks clean. Turn it back around and trim any excess fabric from the seams. You may machine stitch about half of the fourth side before turning it back out and stitching the rest by hand, or you can stitch the whole fourth side by hand.
Whichever method you choose, when you turn the quilt right side out take time to smooth the quilt and make sure that the muslin or batting is distributed evenly around the quilt. This is the last chance you will get to fix it.
Sew the remaining side seam closed using coordinating thread and a sharp needle. The preferred stitch for this process is known as a whip stitch, which involves using small stitches stitched somewhat at an angle to the fabric. You only pick up a couple of threads of the fabric when you make a stitch, so it is less visible than other sewing methods. This Handstitching page shows a variety of options for finishing your seam.
Once you’ve sewed up all the side seams, you can do any finishing you would like to do. This can be as simple as machine stitching straight lines all across the fabric, or you can do something much more decorative. It’s really up to you. For my cat quilt I didn’t do any finishing, but I may yet go back and stitch a few lines to hold the muslin in place a little better.
Using the project
This is a great project to do when utility is more important than beauty, but you can also make a quilt like this very pretty. It’s the perfect size for a lap quilt, so if you focus on the top stitching it is sure to be admired.
These little quilts would make great holiday gifts. You can finish one easily in an hour or so (not counting laundry time) and match the fabric to the personality of the recipient.
Or, if you like having throws around the house, make a bunch of these in different holiday motifs. Craft stores sell fabric for every possible holiday, from St. Patrick’s Day to Thanksgiving. Buy a few yards when they go on sale after the holiday, and by this time next year you’ll have a year’s worth of throws to keep your house in season and yourself warm and cozy.
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Comments
I have never made a quilt before but would like to try this. I have seen many tied quilts. Could you tie this quilt if so please explain and with what? Thanks. I would like to make a quilts to fit a twin size bed.
-- Contributed by: HeatherPatricia,
I think a straight stitch should be fine for a baby quilt, as long as the fabric is sturdy and machine washable. As for tacking the layers together, I'd just pick a spot that looks the most natural in your design. The closer together they are, the sturdier the end result will be.
Dana Hinders
LoveToKnow Crafts Editor
-- Contributed by: DanahindersI've never quilted before, but this idea has inspired me. However, I'm making the quilt for a baby, so feel like it might need to be sturdier. If I want to tack the three layers together at various points, how far apart should the tacks be, and what kind of stitch do you recommend I use? I'm a pretty poor seamstress, so I hope something simple will work. Thanks for the inspiration-- getting my new year off to a good start!
-- Contributed by: Patricia
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