Creative articles about quilting

Spring quilt with flower appliqué, using left-over fabrics

Making my Pineapple quilt was a lot of fun (BERNINA Blog March 14 and 22). It gave me a lot of left-over fabrics, which I will use to make a small quilt. Because you can choose any size you want, I did not add a special size for this quilt. Just make a small quilt, or a larger one. You can even make a pillow case – fast and easy. 

Requirements:

  • Scraps of bright colored quilt fabrics for flowers and background squares
  • White fabrics for sashings
  • Flower pattern .pdf – download it HERE
  • Heat’n Bond Lite
  • Machine sewing- and/or decorative threads
  • Bobbin thread
  • Batting 100% bamboo
  • Backing for quilt

The pattern:

Print the .pdf on actual size/100%. Place the drawing of the flower under a piece of Heat’n Bont Lite (paper size up, rough side = glue down). Draw the flowers as much as you would like to use. 
Draw the circle = heart the same amount as the flowers. 


For my small quilt, I will need 9 flowers and 9 hearts. You can draw more if you want to use them for a larger quilt. 


Cut the flowers and hearts beyond the lines – each separated. Place them at the back of fabrics you want to use, and iron them onto these fabrics.


Cut the applique shapes of flowers and hearts, Heat’n Bond Lite and fabric – on the lines. I am always using ‘old’ scissors, because of cutting through paper. I don’t want to ruin my expensive fabric scissors. 

Remove the paper from the Heat’n Bond Lite, exposing the glue.

Cutting squares.


Cut large scraps into squares, each approx. 15 x 15 cm: they are too large, you can cut them back to the right size after adding the flowers. Center these onto the squares, try to use contrasting fabrics, to be able to see the flowers and hearts on bold prints.


Iron the flowers and hearts onto the squares. I have shifted and turned the flowers, to be sure they are positioned slightly different, to make it more whimsical. 

Cut the squares back to 12 x 12 cm = seam allowances included, or to the size of your own choice. It all depends on the finished size of your project. You can even cut them back tot 14 x 14 cm.


To be sure the flowers and hearts will stay on the quilt, but also to decorate them I have stitched on the edges with my BERNINA 770QE. You can also use a decorative stitch or a zigzag stitch.

For the quilt layout, I have made 3 rows of 3 squares each, making sure colors and prints are contrasting.


For the vertical sashings = short strips between the squares, I have cut strips of the white fabric, each as long as the squares, 2 cm wide. This will give you a finished size of 1 cm. Sew these strips between 3 blocks in a row, and to the left and right of a row.

For the horizontal sashings = long strips between the rows, I have cut strips of the white fabric, each as long as the rows are. Two sashings can be sewn between the rows, 1 on the top and 1 at the bottom of the quilt.


To make the borders, I have sewn scraps together to make strips, each 6 cm wide. 

Two strips as long as the sides of the quilt, two strips longer for top and bottom. 

Finishing.

Batting 100% bamboo and backing are placed on top of each other. I’ve quilted in the ditch, but you can quilt as you like.

Making a strip of the left-0vers to create a binding, 4 cm in width, I have sewn this onto the quilt. Also made a sleeve to be able to hang the quilt on my wall. Simple and fast: a bright spring quilt. 


My small quilt is made of left-over fabrics, inspired by the objects on the picture. It was fast and fun: you don’t always have to make intricated quilts to enjoy! Just use what you’ve left after making a larger quilt. Enjoy!

See you next time.

Sylvia Kaptein
Sylvia’s Art Quilts Studio

 

Free sewing instructions: Spring quilt with flower appliqués

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