Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to turn a wide floral into a soft wall hanging quilt.
Here we go.
First, let's talk about this fabric.
This is the Cream Floral Anna B's Indigos Cotton Wideback Fabric Per Yard from Marcus Fabrics.
It is cotton.
It is 108/110 inches wide.
That width is a gift for wall pieces, y'all.
It comes from the 108" Premium Quilt Backs collection, in Anna B's Indigos.
The designer is Carrie Quinn.
The look is a gentle floral.
Think cream first.
Think beige and natural tones around it.
Think floral pattern that feels calm and classic.
The details also lean cottage lace.
There is a crochet and lace feel in the tags.
Soft and pretty. Not loud at all.
I love that for a wall hanging.
Why?
A wall hanging lives at eye level.
This floral rewards that close look.
Why This Fabric Suits a Wall Hanging Quilt
A wall hanging quilt is part quilt, part picture.
It hangs flat.
It fills a bare wall.
It does not need to be bed size.
A nice size is about 36 by 48 inches.
A larger foyer piece might be 42 by 54 inches.
Completely up to you.
At 108/110 inches wide, one cut covers it.
No piecing a backing from narrow panels.
No seam running through your floral.
You can use it for the front as a whole cloth.
Or you can use it for the back and let a pieced top shine.
My preference is whole cloth here.
Let the cream floral be the art.
Then let your quilting add the texture.
You can echo the floral shapes.
You can stitch in the ditch around a motif.
You can travel from bloom to bloom.
Or keep it simple with a soft meander.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Good fabric plus simple quilting works.
Materials List
- Cream Floral Anna B's Indigos Cotton Wideback — 1 1/2 yards for a hanging about 36 by 48 inches, for front and back with room to trim
- Batting — one piece about 40 by 52 inches, 4 inches larger than your finished size on each side
- Binding — about 1/2 yard of coordinating cotton, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips
- Thread — a good quilting thread in soft cream or beige to blend with the floral
- Hanging sleeve fabric — a strip about 9 inches wide by the width of your quilt, in a plain coordinating cotton
- Dowel or flat rod — cut about 1 inch shorter than the finished width
- Your usual tools — rotary cutter, mat, ruler, pins or basting spray, and a walking foot
Measure your wall space first.
I like 4 extra inches on batting and backing.
That cushion makes squaring up easy.
Just like that.
Brief Steps
- Press your fabric well. Take your time. A wall piece shows every wrinkle.
- Cut your front panel. For a 36 by 48 inch hanging, cut about 38 by 50 inches to allow for trimming.
- Layer it up. Backing face down, batting in the middle, top face up. Smooth from the center out.
- Baste well. Pin every 4 to 6 inches, or use basting spray if you prefer.
- Plan your quilting. Try echo quilting about 1/4 inch out from the floral motifs.
- Quilt slowly, from the center out. Aim for about 8 to 10 stitches per inch and check tension.
- Check the back often. Smooth as you go. Slow down on dense areas or the needle snaps if layers drag.
- Trim and square the edges. Bind with your 2 1/2-inch strips, joining them on the diagonal.
- Add the hanging sleeve to the back, across the top. Slip in your dowel, and hang it level.
Practical Tips From My Table
Make a small test sandwich first.
Just 12 by 12 inches is plenty.
Test your stitch and tension there.
Not on the pretty wall piece.
If you follow the wrong vine, don't panic.
I have done that exact thing.
We pick it out, breathe, and go again.
It doesn't have to be perfect.
You're your own worst critic, folks.
Your guests will see a soft cream floral.
They won't hunt for one wobbly echo line.
Take your time. It's not a race.
Hang it away from harsh sun.
Cream fabrics love gentle light best.
And use a level for that dowel.
If echo feels like a lot, try ruler work.
A simple crosshatch looks really really good here.
My preference is the echo.
Yours might be the grid.
Completely up to you.
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 Cream Floral Anna B's Indigos Cotton Wideback Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
