Hey everyone. Today we're sewing a simple lap quilt with big squares, so a beautiful teal batik does all the talking.
Here we go. The star is the Essence Circle in Circle-Teal Aqua Batik from Lumin Fabrics. It is 100% cotton batik. It runs 44"/45" wide. It comes per yard, in the Essence collection.
The pattern is right in the name, y'all. Circle in Circle. Rings inside rings. The color is Teal Aqua. Cool teal, soft aqua. It shifts a little as the light moves. That is the beauty of a batik.
For a lap quilt, that color is a gift. It feels calm on the couch. It still has plenty of life up close. Those rings give your eye somewhere to wander.
The project: a cozy lap quilt
We are making a lap quilt that finishes about 45" wide by 54" long. That is a good size for one person. It covers your legs on the couch. It folds small over a chair back. Want it longer? Add one more row of squares. Completely up to you.
Why this fabric suits it? Big squares show off big rings. No tiny cutting chopping the circles apart. The 44"/45" width helps too. You can cut four squares across one width. And batik cotton presses crisp and flat. Just like that, simple piecing looks special.
Materials list
- 1 1/4 yards of Essence Circle in Circle-Teal Aqua Batik for 15 feature squares
- 1 1/4 yards of a coordinating solid or soft blender, 44"/45" wide, for 15 alternate squares
- 1/2 yard of fabric for binding, cut into 2 1/2" strips
- About 3 yards of backing fabric, pieced to make a backing roughly 53" by 62"
- Batting roughly 53" by 62", a lap-size piece
- 50-weight thread to blend with teal for piecing and quilting
- An 80/12 or 90/14 needle, rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and safety pins for basting
Brief steps
First, press your fabric well. Batik presses really, really nice. Then cut your squares. Cut 15 batik squares at 9 1/2" by 9 1/2". Cut 15 coordinating squares the same size. That includes your 1/4" seam allowances all around.
Second, lay out the quilt on the floor. Five squares across. Six rows down. Alternate batik and solid, checkerboard style. Turn a few batik squares as you go. Let the circles fall where they fall. I have fussed over ring placement before. Oh my goodness, I moved one square nine times. The fix was simple. Step back across the room. If it looks good from there, it is good.
Third, sew the squares into rows. Use a 1/4" seam and a 2.5 stitch length. Press the seams in one row to the left. Press the next row to the right. Those seams will nest when the rows join. Sew the six rows together. Press the whole top flat.
Fourth, layer and baste. Backing face down first. Batting in the middle. Your pretty top face up. Smooth from the center out. Pin every 4" or so. Take your time here. A smooth sandwich now means no tucks later.
Fifth, quilt it simply. Stitch in the ditch along the square seams. Then try a little echo quilting. Follow one or two circles inside a batik square, freehand. Slow down on the curves. Rush a curve and your echo wobbles. The wobble is fixable, but slow is easier. Finish with binding. Join your 2 1/2" strips, fold them in half, and stitch them around the edge. Just like that, you have a quilt.
My honest tips
Test your batik before you cut. Batiks are dyed, so rinse a small swatch in warm water. If the water runs clear, you are good. If teal color shows, give the yardage a gentle soak first. Five quiet minutes saves a headache later.
Use a fresh rotary blade. Batik is tightly woven. It cuts clean with a sharp blade. A dull blade skips and drags. Really, really worth the swap.
And here is your permission beat. Your echo lines do not have to be perfect. Nobody is measuring the space between your circles. You are your own worst critic here. From the couch, it reads soft and teal and lovely. That is what everyone else will see. Super duper cozy, and made by you.
It does not have to be perfect. It just has to be finished and used. Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Big squares, pretty batik, simple quilting. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Thanks for sewing along with me today, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Essence Circle in Circle-Teal Aqua Batik 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
