"Put a Little Love in Your Quilt" - Blog Hop

Can't believe it's February already, and ♥ Love ♥ is in the air!

Applique' Sampler by Deonn Stott 2018 featuring Love Birds
by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake Designs,
and Riley Red and White Confetti Cottons, 42" x 42" Wall Hanging

I {Heart} Applique Lesson II: Chenille Applique'

Today's tutorial features the unusual technique of DIY chenille strips for applique';  a bonus tutorial in my I ♥ Applique' series for Riley Blake Designs' "Cutting Corners College".

I remember sleeping under a chenille bedspread at my Grandma's house.  Soft, fuzzy caterpillar-like channels were stitched into a design on the blanket.  And interestingly enough, "chenille" is actually the French word for "caterpillar." 

Fancy Finishes: Pack-Along Quilts!

Today's fancy finish tutorial will show my favorite way to turn any quilt into a self-contained, packable, portable quilt-on-the-go!

The simplest way to make a quilt into a pack-along is to add a flap!  Stitch on a handle, add a closure and away you go!  I think it's a great gift idea.  Printable instructions to follow.  But first, some samples.

For this Pack-Along Stadium Quilt, the flap is an extra quilt block, made just a little smaller than one-fourth of the quilt width.  The pattern is my fun and easy "Throw Me A Curve" pattern HERE (Sports Throw version).  The quilt measures about 60" square, and the block for the flap is about 13-1/2" finished.

I quilted the flap, then added binding by machine on the lower three sides so the little bee would be right side up when the quilt was folded.

Throw Me A Curve Sports Throw featuring School Colors & Basics by Riley Blake Designs

Show some school spirit!  It's just the right size to fold and sit on a riser, pull over your lap or wrap around your shoulders on a chilly evening.  See more game day ideas HERE.

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And then, there's this sweet Pack-Along Picnic Quilt:

It all began with a quest for the perfect picnic.  See the whole story HERE.

Can you tell I love Houndstooth?!  This adorable pattern is from the book Just 4 Fun by Abbey Lane Quilts.

To make the flap I used two 8" x 10" rectangles -- rounded a couple of corners,

 then machine-stitched the edges with bias binding for the perfect finish.

Featuring Laminate prints by Riley Blake Designs

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Now to make your own!

PACK-ALONG QUILTS by Deonn Stott

Supplies:
Make a Quilt.  Or not.  This technique will work with any un-bound quilt, but you may use fleece, a quilt top with laminate backing, or other options of your choice.  Whatever you choose, you will want to stay within a lap-size quilt range, up to 60" x 72" for pack-ability.
Flap:  Cut 2 @ 8” x 10” rectangles, or use an extra quilt block, quilted or lined (see Step 1 for size).

Binding:  3/4 yard for bias or cross-grain binding.
  Cut 2-1/4" strips to go around quilt perimeter, plus an extra length or two for the flap.
Handle:  4" x 10" rectangle plus (optional) 4" x 10" fusible interfacing

Closure:  1/4 to 1/2 yard sew-in Velcro hook & loop tape

Instructions:
Step 1)  Make a Flap.  Fold your quilt into a manageable size, lengthwise in thirds or quarters.  The flap should not be any wider than the quilt when it's folded.  Prepare the flap and finish the sides and lower edge with a binding OR by stitching right sides together, then turn and top-stitch.

Step 2)  Attach the Flap.  Lay out the flap right side up, then lay out the quilt right side up.  The right side of the flap should be facing the back side of the quilt.

If your pack-along quilt will be folded into thirds, center the flap and align the raw edges.  If you plan to fold the quilt into fourths, center the flap along one quarter of the quilt's top edge. Pin in place and baste the flap to the quilt edge with a zig-zag stitch.

Step 3)  Machine-Bind the Quilt.  If you need a refresher, see my Binding Basics Tutorial. Binding will be applied all around the quilt, enclosing the raw edges of the flap.  For durability, use a machine-stitch to finish.  In each of the previous examples, I used 2-1/4" binding strips.  The binding is applied to the quilt using 1/4" seam allowance, and with the help of a little glue-stick, pins and/or binding clips, machine-stitched to finish.

Binding applied to quilt back, brought around front to finish with an Edge-stitch.

OR binding applied to quilt front and folded to the back, finished with a "Stitch in the Ditch".

Plant the needle and pivot at the corners.

Step 4)  Add a Closure.  I like to use sew-in Velcro hook & loop tape for my closures, though you could stitch buttonholes to the flap and sew a couple of buttons to the quilt back if you prefer.  Stitch the hook section to the flap, and the soft loop section to the quilt back, stitching through all the quilt layers.  Don't worry about stitches showing through, after all, it's a pack-along quilt!

Step 5)  Add a Handle.  Cut a 4" x 10" rectangle.  You may wish to reinforce with fusible interfacing for more durability.  Fold in half lengthwise to find the center, then open up and fold the outer edges to the center.  Fold in half again to enclose raw edges, then top-stitch along the edges to finish.  Love to use my edge-joining foot with the needle position at the far left.  Perfect edge-stitches every time.

Turn the ends under 1/4" and stitch to the top edge of the flap.

Step 6)  Fold it up, secure the flap, and away you go!

Pack it up:

Outside edges to center, 

Fold in half,

Fold in half again, 

Roll up or fold into thirds,

Secure the flap. 

Ready to go!

That is, if you can pull yourself away!

PACK-ALONG QUILTS - PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS

Fancy Finishes: Odd Angles - the Ins and Outs!

A few good tricks to remember for those quilts with a little something extra!

Have I told you that I love binding a quilt?  I do!  I usually stitch my double-fold binding to the front of the quilt, then hand-stitch to the back.  One of my favorite things about quilting is to sit with my feet propped,  put on a good movie as I hand-stitch, think about the recipient of the quilt, infuse a little more of myself into the quilt (sometimes blood, sweat and tears), and then it's done!  I've finished my creation and it can go out in to the world and serve it's purpose. And yes, my quilts are like my children.

Like all children, each quilt is unique - and some are more "special" than others, requiring a bit of effort and creativity in their rearing.

The following tree skirts' edges have all sorts of angles - including sharp points and gentle slopes, odd-angled both inner and outer corners.  (Isn't it time to start thinking Christmas?)

Star Medallion Tree Skirt by Deonn

First, let's tackle those odd OUTER ANGLES.  I generally use 2" strips, joined and folded in half lengthwise, raw edges aligned, stitched with 1/4" seam allowance.

Insert a pin to mark a seam-allowance-distance away from the next edge;

the same width you are using to apply the binding.  Mark each corner.

Stitch binding to the quilt and stop just before the pin.  

Backstitch a couple of stitches and remove quilt from the machine to clip threads.  

The first step is pretty much the same as any square corner with a 90-degree angle.  See the basic binding tutorial HERE.  Next is the tricky part:  creating those mitered corners.  Pivot the quilt so the next edge is to your right.  

Here's the trick:  Fold the binding up so as to create a straight line,
continuing from the quilt's edge.

 Next, fold the binding back down, aligning raw edges of the binding
 with the quilt edge. Place the quilt back under the needle and continue
 stitching, repeating the mitering process at each corner.

Once the binding is stitched to the quilt, give a light press or finger press the binding so it will fold back right at the stitching lines.

Now, take a little time to pin or clip the binding corners in place,

forming identical miters on the back side, ready to hand-stitch!

If you wish, you can stitch the miters down as you bind the quilt.

Beautiful!

Star Medallion Tree Skirt.2  by Deonn  - Lost & Found Chritsmas by My Mind's Eye for Riley Blake Designs

No matter how sharp or wide or odd the angle, the trick is the same.  Here's a look at the 45-degree corner finish:

 Insert a pin to mark a seam-allowance-distance away from the next edge;

Stitch binding to the quilt and stop just before the pin.  

Backstitch a couple of stitches and remove quilt from the machine to clip threads.  

 Fold the binding up so as to create a straight line,

continuing from the quilt's edge.

 Fold the binding back down, aligning raw edges of the binding

 with the next edge.

 Place the quilt back under the needle and continue stitching.

Fold binding to the back, forming identical miters.

You may need to fiddle a little bit to tuck in the miters.

Star Weave Tree Skirt  by Deonn 

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Now for those INNER CORNERS.  If you have not basted the edges of the quilt, take a minute to baste or stay-stitch (garment construction term) a scant 1/4" on all inner corners. 

Here's the trick:  CLIP a scant 1/4" notch to, but not through

the inner corner basting stitches.

Insert a pin to mark the center of the clip.  Stitch binding to the quilt,

stopping at the pin, then plant the needle.

Remove the pin, take one more stitch.  With needle still down, pivot or fold the quilt
to straighten out your stitching path, then resume stitching.

   

Finish the binding as usual, mitering the outer corners and straightening out the inner corners.

Once the quilt springs back, it forms a natural miter.

If desired, stitch the inner miter closed.

Sweet!

Here's another sample of some Ins & Outs.  These on-point hexagons give a picket-fence look.

Sheep Shape pattern by Deonn, quilt made by Suzanne M.

Nice, gentle angles, in or out.

Use the same techniques above, even for gentle angles like this.  Now you're all set to tackle binding with any angle!

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And what of those sometimes problem-children, SCALLOPS??

Basically, it's the very same technique as above, plus stitching around curves.  Again, baste or stay-stitch a scant 1/4" at the inner points.  You must also use Bias Binding.  Check out the Curvaceous Curves tutorial HERE for a full bias binding lesson.

After basting, clip to the inner point, then insert a pin to tell you where to stop.

In addition, be sure to ease the binding around the outer edges of the scallop. 

Stitch to the pin, then plant the needle and remove the pin.
Pivot or fold the quilt to be able to continue stitching in a straight line.

The final mitered seam is a little bit tricky, since it is on a curve,

but you can do it!  Just allow a little extra ease.

And finally, fold the miter over as you press the binding to the back side.

Pin or clamp in place, then it's ready to machine- or hand-stitch to the quilt.

Quilted placemats by Deonn - Fancy Free by Lori Whitlock for Riley Blake Designs.

For more binding fun and some "Alternate Endings", as I call them, see more >> Binding Tutorials. << 

Happy Binding!