Baby Quilt Tutorial

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

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.

Process Pledge or Rosie on Mutant Quilting

The response to Rosie's  post on mutant quilting has been really cool. She says "it seems I'm not alone in my interests and concerns.

I have made a process pledge.  The goal of the process pledge is to create a new sensibility in quilting blogs where we don’t just show finishes or occasionally confess about our moments of indecision, but chat openly and often about our works in progress, our inspirations, and our moments of decision. I know that many of us are already posting about our thinking on quilts and the processes involved from start to finish, let's do more!  And let's post about quilts as we work on them.  I want to see more half-done quilts, not just the finished thing with a journal entry about the process."

I started today.  Am going to post photos of the process as I go along and maybe the pattern I am using. Stay tuned....I have my camera in the sewing room right now.
 
That said....here is the pledge:

So, without further ado.  Here's the process pledge. Take it, shake it, make it yours.

I, ________________, pledge to talk more about my processes, even when I can’t quite put them in the in words or be sure I’m being totally clear.   I’m going to put my thinking and my gut feelings out there.  

All Is Quiet

Grampa and the grandtwins, just pulled out of the driveway. Garth is taking the kiddos back home and will be visiting with his mother in the Bay Area. There was a lot of action around here for the last four days and the quiet is already seeping in. Time to get a grip on my sewing room and finish up three UFOs.

'This week I am taking Freddy Moran's "Liberated Wedding Ring" class. And,boy is it liberated! Not a digital maven, Freddy does not do email and has no website. To see Freddy's work, go to her photographer's website.

Here is a thumbnail photo of the pattern.

I will be spending the rest of the day pulling fabrics from my stash for the class. This qult is in Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston's second book, Freddy & Gwen Collaborate Again

I will report back on how fabulous the class was, so stay tuned.