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Showing posts with label Project Linus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Project Linus. Show all posts

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Baby Quilt Tutorial

Tutorial: The 3-2-1 Throw, A Quick, Easy Little Quilt

3-2-1 Quilted Throw My Happy Garden Organic Fabric
Melanie over at Modern Organic Fabrics has put together a tutorial for a fast and fun quilt.  To the gals in my Project Linus Group, I am thinking this would a great pattern for baby size.

According to Melanie this is "Perfect for beginners who feel a bit intimidated about quilting, or for the more experienced who want to put something together super-quick! This quilt utilizes the "pillow-case" method of binding, so there are no bias strips to make. Please note, however, this method of binding quilts is best only for small quilts like throws and baby blankets."

The 3-2-1 Quilted Throw is made with organic fabrics and organic batting. Fabric shown is from Melanie's  "My Happy Garden" collection by Cloud9 Organics. (Found at Modern Organic Fabrics Shop)

Supplies:
~My Happy Garden organic cotton fabric as follows:
  • Speckle Grass - 12 1/2" x 48"
  • Meadow - 12 1/2" x 24 1/4"
  • Speckle Sun - 12 1/2" x 24 1/4"
  • Speckle Sky - 12 1/2" x 16 1/4"
  • Toadstools - 12 1/2" x 16 1/2"
  • Flock - 12 1/2" x 16 1/4" 
  • Lines -  approximately 37" x 49" (this is the backing fabric, it is cut a little large at first and will be cut to size after the front is finished)
~Organic cotton batting:
  Approximately 40" x 50" (cut a little large, will be cut to size when the front is finished)
~Thread

Tools:
~Rotary cutter & cutting mat (or scissors)
~masking or painter's tape
~pins
~sewing machine (or needle & thread)
 ***1/4 inch seam allowances are used, unless stated otherwise***
Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics
Diagram is not to scale

~Step One~
Cut pieces for quilt front. Do not cut back to exact size yet.

~Step Two~
With right sides together, pin Speckle Sky and Toadstools together on one short side and stitch. Place Flock on Toadstools, right sides together, pin and stitch on short side.
~Step Three~
With right sides together, pin Meadow and Speckle Sun together and stitch on one short side.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics

~Step Four~
 Place each column on the batting in it's approximate finished spot. Remove the 3-piece column and the 1-piece column. Pin the 2-piece (middle) column to batting.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics

~Step Five~
 Stitch the middle row to the batting by stitching around the edge.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics

~Step Six~
 Place the 1-piece column right side down on the 2-piece column. Pin and stitch long sides together (you are also stitching it to the batting).
~Step Seven~
 Flip the 1-piece column back, pin wrong side to batting. Stitch around edge.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics


~Step Eight~
 Place the 3-piece column face down on the 2-piece column. Pin and stitch long sides together (you are also stitching it to the batting).
~Step Nine~
 Flip the 3-piece column back, pin wrong side to batting. Stitch around edge.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics


~Step Ten~
 Trim the batting to the quilt top. Make sure the quilt edges are straight and corners are squared up, trim if necessary.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics


~Step Eleven~
 Tape the backing fabric to a table or the floor right side up. Place the quilt top right side down on the backing and pin. Trim the backing to same size as top, keep quilt pinned together.
~Step Twelve~
Stitch front and back together, leaving a 4-inch opening on one short side.
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics


~Step Thirteen~
Trim the corners. Turn quilt inside-out and use a dull, pointed instrument (such as a chopstick) to turn out corners.
~Step Fourteen~
Press edges. Sew opening closed (the best way is to hand sew it closed).
Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics

~Step Fifteen~
Sew around edge of quilt using a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Photo:  Courtesy of Modern Organic Fabrics

~Step Sixteen~
You can be finished, if you'd like. This quilt is small enough that you don't have to quilt the back. However, this is a great little quilt to practice some machine quilting. I used a walking foot on my machine and stitched random diagonal lines.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

A Day For Linus...

Yesterday was our day to quilt for Project Linus. We meet at Cabin Fever Quilt Shoppe down in town. They have been providing us with a classroom to use for the last two years. That is a significant contribution to our efforts to make quilts and blankets for children in crisis. We had a great potluck lunch (nobody says quilters are not foodies too) and a four hours of sewing together. At right snap of our leader, Sandy, who is the provides the enthusiasm and emotional glue that keeps us energized.

Two visitors from the Red Cross came to say thank you for our quilts. Their volunteers respond to disasters small and large carry our quilts in their vehicles.....A family sitting on the curb in front of their burning house will get age-appropriate 'blankies'......piles of quilts went to New Orleans. Well, if you are not familiar with the organization, please click here. If you sew....think about joining a group in your town.