Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to make a simple framed-look wall hanging, finished at about 24 inches wide by 32 inches long.
The fabric is Black Poppies, from Blissful Blooms. It's by Henry Glass. The designer is Color Principle. It's 100% cotton. It runs 43/44 inches wide.
The print is poppies. Big, friendly flowers. That's the whole charm here. The tags on this one also note a leaves pattern. So you get blooms and leaves together. It reads floral without feeling fussy. On a wall, that matters. You want the flowers to show from across the room.
Quilting cotton like this presses well. It cuts clean. It holds a fold nicely. Alrighty, let's use it well.
The project: a wall hanging
A wall hanging is a small quilt for your wall. That's really it. No bed to cover. No huge top to wrestle. You make a center panel. You add a border. You quilt it simply. Then you bind it and hang it. Just like that, a blank wall looks finished.
Why does this fabric suit it so well? First, one print does the work. You don't need ten fabrics. Second, the 43/44-inch width gives you room. One width covers a 24-inch panel easily. Third, poppies deserve to be seen whole. A wall hanging lets them stay whole. No chopping them into tiny pieces. Super duper fun.
Here's my sizing, so you can check me. The center panel finishes 18 by 26 inches. The border adds 3 inches on each side. That lands you at 24 by 32 inches finished. Want it smaller? Trim the panel first. Completely up to you.
What you'll need
- 1 yard of this Black Poppies cotton for the center panel and border
- 1 yard of fabric for the backing and hanging sleeve, or use more of the same print
- One piece of cotton batting, about 28 by 36 inches
- Matching all-purpose thread, plus a quilting thread you like
- An 80/12 universal needle for piecing, and a fresh needle for quilting
- A ruler, pins or clips, and scissors or a rotary cutter
- A wooden dowel or slim rod, about 26 inches long, for hanging
Here's the cutting math. From your yard, cut one panel 18 1/2 by 26 1/2 inches. Cut two border strips 3 1/2 by 26 1/2 inches. Cut two more border strips 3 1/2 by 24 1/2 inches. Cut your backing 28 by 36 inches. That leaves room all around. Good room, not wasteful room.
Brief steps
One: press your fabric first. Take out the fold lines now. They love to sneak into seams later.
Two: sew the long border strips to the sides. Use a quarter-inch seam. Press the seams toward the border. Then sew the top and bottom strips on. Press again. Your top is done.
Three: layer it up. Backing face down. Batting on top. Quilt top face up. Smooth from the center out. Pin every 4 inches or so.
Four: quilt it simply. Stitch in the ditch around the panel. Then echo the border once, a quarter inch inside. Or do a gentle meander across the middle. Keep your stitch length around 2.5. Slow down on the turns. If you rush, that's where it puckers.
Five: trim the edges square. Bind it like a small quilt. I cut my binding strips 2 1/2 inches wide. Sew a hanging sleeve to the back, across the top. Slide the dowel through. Hang it up and step back.
Practical tips
Check your panel before you cut. Lay the fabric flat first. Look where the poppies land. Shift your cut a little if needed. One flower dead center looks intentional. Half a flower at the edge is fine too.
Press, don't push. Let the iron sit and lift. Dragging the iron can stretch an edge. A wavy edge makes binding harder. Ask me how I know, folks. I learned that one the honest way. The fix is simple. Press gently, and re-square before you bind.
Now the permission beat, y'all. Your quilting does not have to be perfect. A wobbly echo line reads as texture. You're your own worst critic here. Nobody visiting is measuring your stitches. Take your time. It's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Want options? Skip the border for a cleaner, modern look. Or make two smaller hangings instead. Or quilt feathers in the border if you love ruler work and freehand practice. We're not reinventing the wheel here. Pick the version that fits your wall.
Thanks for sewing along with me, folks. Hang it where you'll see it every day. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Black Poppies Blissful Blooms Cotton 43"/44" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
