Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to turn a pack of shimmering strips into a bright wall hanging for any room.
Here we go.
This is a friendly, straight-seam project. No tiny pieces. No fussy points. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Meet the fabric first
We're working with the Shimmer Tonals 2.5 Inch Strips. They are a multi color quilting cotton fabric from Connecting Threads.
This pack includes 40 pieces of fabric. Every piece is a 2-1/2 inch strip. That cutting is already done for you, folks.
The collection is Shimmer Tonals. It is part of the Basics & Blenders line. The description calls these prints brand new and ours alone, in 40 colors.
These are pearly prints. They have a subtle texture. The tonal pearlescent metallic printing adds a special sparkle to your projects.
That shimmer is gentle, not loud. Up close you see the glow. Across the room you see rich, changing color.
Because this is a tonal pack, the colors work like blenders. They play well together. They also let light do a lot of the decorating.
Why these strips suit a wall hanging
A wall hanging is a perfect first strip project. It is flat. It is a manageable size. It shows off a lot of color at once.
Our finished hanging is about 26 inches wide by 24 inches tall, before a hanging sleeve. That is big enough to notice. It is small enough to finish in a weekend.
The strips give you the rainbow without a big cutting session. You sort them. You sew them. Just like that, the top comes together.
Try a light-to-dark flow. Or group warm colors together and cool colors together. Or alternate dark and light for a lively rhythm. Completely up to you.
Materials list
- 1 pack Shimmer Tonals 2.5 Inch Strips Multi Color Quilting Cotton Fabric — 12 strips for the top, plus 3 strips for binding
- 7/8 yard quilting cotton for backing and a hanging sleeve
- One piece of batting, about 28 inches by 26 inches
- 50-weight cotton thread to match your middle strip color
- An 80/12 needle for sewing quilting cotton
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and safety pins for basting
- Iron and pressing surface
- A wooden dowel or slim rod, about 28 inches long, for hanging
Brief steps
Step 1: Sort and trim. Lay out 12 strips in the order you love. Take a quick phone photo before you sew. Trim each strip to 26 inches long, keeping the cuts square.
Step 2: Sew the strips. Sew the strips together along their long edges with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Work at about 10 to 12 stitches per inch. Chain them in order so your color flow stays put.
I have sewn strip three in backwards before, y'all. Oh my goodness, yes. The fix was easy. I checked my photo, unpicked one seam, and turned it around. Nobody knew but me.
Step 3: Press with care. Press each seam to one side as you go. Press from the front at the end, too. Flat seams make quilting so much easier.
Step 4: Layer and quilt. Lay the backing wrong side up, then the batting, then your top right side up. Pin well. Quilt in the ditch along a few seams, or echo those seam lines about 1/4 inch away. Simple lines let the shimmer shine.
Step 5: Bind and sleeve. Join the 3 binding strips end to end. Bind all four edges. Then sew a simple sleeve to the back near the top, slip in the dowel, and hang it up. Super duper cute.
Practical tips from my table
Stand back before you sew. A color that looks quiet in your hand may glow on the wall. Give your eyes a minute from a few feet away.
Slow down as you cross thick seam joins. Slow down or the needle snaps. Steady wins here, every single time.
Want options? Sew the strips vertical instead of horizontal. Add one leftover strip across the back as a label. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Save those extra strips, too. Twenty-five strips stay in this pack after this project. That is plenty for another small make later.
And hear me on this one. It does not have to be perfect. You're your own worst critic. Take your time, it's not a race. A slightly wavy seam still hangs warm and pretty.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Shimmer Tonals 2.5 Inch Strips Multi Color Quilting Cotton Fabric at Linda's Electric Quilters.
