Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to make a cozy lap quilt with a pretty blue floral that does the hard work for you.
Here we go.
First, let's talk about this fabric.
This is the Blue Viney Floral Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard from Marcus Fabrics.
It is cotton.
It is 108/110 inches wide.
That extra width is a gift, y'all.
No piecing a backing from narrow cuts.
No seam line down the middle.
The designer is Judie Rothermel.
It comes from the Aunt Grace Garden Variety collection.
The look is a viney floral.
Think blue flowers.
Think vines traveling across the fabric.
I love a print like this for a lap quilt.
Why?
Because a lap quilt gets seen up close.
Those vines give your eyes a path.
And they give your quilting a path, too.
Just like that.
Why This Fabric Suits a Lap Quilt
A lap quilt is smaller than a bed quilt.
Mine here finishes about 48 by 60 inches.
Big enough to cover your lap and feet.
Small enough to finish in a weekend or two.
This wideback helps in two places.
First, the backing is one piece.
Cut it about 56 by 68 inches.
That gives you extra all around for quilting.
Second, the front can stay simple.
One large center panel shows off the floral.
You are not chopping those vines into tiny bits.
Add a wide border and you are done piecing.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Let a beautiful fabric shine.
My preference is this floral for the center and back.
Then a calm border to frame it.
Completely up to you.
Materials List
- Blue Viney Floral Cotton Wideback — about 2 1/4 yards total; the 108/110-inch width gives you the one-piece backing, the center panel, and room for borders
- Batting — one piece about 56 by 68 inches, trimmed after quilting
- Border fabric — optional, about 3/4 yard of a coordinating cotton if you are not using the wideback for borders
- Thread — a good quilting thread in a soft blue or neutral tone to blend with the floral
- Binding — about 1/2 yard, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips; you will need about 220 inches total for a 48 by 60-inch quilt
- Your usual tools — rotary cutter, mat, long ruler, pins or basting spray, and a walking foot or free-motion foot
Here are the numbers I use.
Cut the center panel 36 1/2 by 48 1/2 inches.
Cut border strips 6 1/2 inches wide.
Seam allowances are 1/4 inch.
Finished, you get 48 by 60 inches.
Simple math. You can do this.
Brief Steps
- Press your fabric well. Smooth out every fold before you cut. Folds turn into crooked cuts, folks.
- Cut your center panel and your border strips. Check the vine direction as you cut, so the vines run the way you want on the finished quilt.
- Sew the side borders on first. Press the seams toward the border. Then sew the top and bottom borders on the same way.
- Cut your backing about 56 by 68 inches. Lay it face down, smooth and flat.
- Layer it up. Backing first, batting in the middle, quilt top face up. Smooth from the center out.
- Baste well. Pin every 4 to 6 inches, or use basting spray if that is your preference.
- Quilt it your way. Travel along a vine. Echo about 1/4 inch out from a flower. Or keep it easy with a soft meander all over.
- Start in the center and work out. Aim for about 8 to 10 stitches per inch on a test piece, and keep your pace steady.
- Trim the edges square. Join your binding strips on the diagonal, then bind all the way around.
Practical Tips From My Table
Make a small test sandwich first.
Just 12 by 12 inches is plenty.
Test your tension there, not on the quilt.
If the stitches look balanced, you are good.
Slow down when you follow a vine.
The layers can shift on a curve.
Slow down or the needle snaps, and nobody needs that.
I have quilted right off a vine before.
Oh my goodness, off into nowhere.
We just picked it out and went again.
No harm done.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
You're your own worst critic.
Take your time. It's not a race.
One more helpful trick.
Stitch in the ditch around the border first.
That stabilizes the whole quilt.
Really really helpful, honestly.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Alrighty. Thank you for spending a little time with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Blue Viney Floral Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
