Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to make a cozy fall lap quilt you will actually finish.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is Happy Harvest Tonal Pumpkins.
It comes from 3 Wishes Fabric.
The collection is Happy Harvest.
And the print is Tonal Pumpkins.
The theme is pure autumn, y'all.
Pumpkins layered tone on tone.
It reads like fall without shouting.
This is quilting cotton fabric.
It is 100 percent cotton.
And it is sold by the yard.
It is sold by High Country Quilts.
I love a tonal print like this.
It gives you pattern and texture.
Really really pretty for the season.
One quick, honest note, folks.
Seasonal collections print once for the year.
So a colorway like this rarely returns.
If you love it, grab enough now.
Why it suits a lap quilt
A lap quilt is a smaller quilt.
It is made for laps and couches.
Not for covering a whole bed.
Ours will finish 48 inches wide.
And it will finish 60 inches long.
That is perfect for a chilly evening.
This fabric suits it so well.
The tonal pumpkins need some space.
Big pieces let the print breathe.
You see the pumpkins, not confetti.
Quilting cotton presses flat and crisp.
It sews clean and layers easily.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Simple blocks, warm fabric, done.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
What you will need
- This Happy Harvest Tonal Pumpkins fabric — 1 3/4 yards for the large center blocks, so the pumpkin print stays big and clear
- Coordinating solid or small-print cotton — 1 yard, for sashing and the inner border
- Second coordinating cotton — 3/4 yard, for the outer border and binding
- Backing fabric — 3 yards of quilting cotton, pieced as needed for a 54 by 66 inch backing
- Cotton batting — one piece at least 54 by 66 inches
- All-purpose thread to match, plus a quilting thread you love
- A fresh 80/12 needle, rotary cutter, ruler, and mat
- Pins or clips, and your favorite marking tool
Brief steps
- Cut your big blocks first. Cut twelve blocks at 12 1/2 inches square from the Tonal Pumpkins fabric. Take your time centering the pumpkins you love best. This step sets the whole mood.
- Add the sashing. Cut sashing strips 2 1/2 inches wide from your first coordinate. Sew strips between the blocks in each row, then join the rows with long sashing strips. Use a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press seams toward the sashing.
- Add the borders. Sew a 2 1/2-inch inner border all around, then a 4 1/2-inch outer border. Measure through the center before you cut. That keeps borders flat, not wavy.
- Layer it up. Lay the backing right side down. Smooth the batting over it. Then center your quilt top, right side up. Baste with pins or spray. Smooth from the middle outward.
- Quilt it simply. Stitch in the ditch along the sashing first. Then echo inside each big block, or add a gentle meander. Keep it open and loose. Let the pumpkins stay the stars.
- Trim and bind. Square up the edges, then bind with 2 1/2-inch strips from your second coordinate. Join strips on the diagonal. Sew the binding on, then finish it by machine or by hand.
Practical tips
Let's talk numbers for a minute.
I piece with a 2.5 stitch length.
That is about 10 stitches per inch.
It holds well and sews smoothly.
For quilting, lengthen it a touch.
Try 3.0 and see how you like it.
An 80/12 needle handles quilting cotton fine.
Slow down over the thick seam joins.
Pushing fast there can snap a needle.
Ask me how I know, y'all.
I have done it more than once.
The fix is easy, though.
Slow down, and let the machine walk.
Press as you go, friends.
Press every seam before the next step.
Just like that, everything lines up better.
And here's your permission beat.
It does not have to be perfect.
You're your own worst critic here.
Nobody else will notice a wobble.
Take your time, it's not a race.
Want it a little bigger?
Add one more row of blocks.
That takes you to 60 by 72 inches.
Want it smaller for a wheelchair lap?
Use nine blocks instead of twelve.
My pick is twelve blocks with sashing.
But it is completely up to you.
When it's done, drape it over the couch.
Oh my goodness, instant fall.
Thanks for sewing along with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 3W Happy Harvest Tonal Pumpkins at Linda's Electric Quilters.
