Hey everyone! Today we're making a cozy lap quilt with one good solid cotton, and I'm going to show you how simple it can be.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is the Admiral Premium Solid 44"/45" Cotton Fabric Per Yard from Northcott.
It's a quilting cotton. Plain and simple.
The width is 44"/45". It's sold by the yard. And it's a premium solid from Northcott's ColorWorks Premium line.
Now, I know what y'all are thinking. A solid? For a whole project?
Yes. Really really yes.
Solids do the heavy lifting in a quilt. They give your eye a place to rest. They make your quilting stitches show up. And a good solid like this one cuts clean, presses flat, and doesn't fight you at the machine.
Admiral is the color name on this one. It's the kind of steady, go-with-everything solid you reach for again and again. Completely up to you how you pair it, of course. Use it all on its own, or let it be the calm background for prints you already love.
The project: a simple lap quilt
We're making a lap quilt that finishes about 48" by 60".
That's a good couch size, folks. Big enough to cover your legs. Small enough to finish without losing steam.
Why does this fabric suit it? Because a lap quilt made from one beautiful solid becomes all about the quilting. Your stitch in the ditch, your echo lines, a little meander — it all shows. That's not pressure. That's the fun part.
Materials
- 3 yards of Admiral Premium Solid for the top and binding
- 2 yards of a backing fabric, 44"/45" wide, seamed as needed
- Batting cut about 54" by 66", so you have extra all around
- Thread to match or softly contrast
- Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat
- Pins or clips, and a walking foot if you have one
Those yardages are for a simple pieced top using big, friendly pieces. If you want a larger quilt, just add another yard and go bigger. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Brief steps
One. Prewash or press your fabric. I press with a hot, dry iron first. Check for any loose threads and trim them.
Two. Cut your top pieces. For an easy layout, cut strips 12 1/2" wide across the width of fabric, then subcut them into 12 1/2" squares. That gives you a 12" finished block with a standard 1/4" seam allowance.
Three. Sew the squares into rows. Four squares across makes 48" wide. Press your seams as you go. Press them flat. Take your time.
Four. Sew five rows together for that 60" length. If a corner doesn't line up perfectly? It's okay. Really. You're your own worst critic, and nobody on the couch is measuring your seams.
Five. Layer backing, batting, and top. Smooth it out. Pin well.
Six. Quilt it. Start simple. Stitch in the ditch along the main seams, then add echo lines about 1/4" away if you want more texture. I aim for smooth, even stitches and I slow down at thick seam crossings — slow down or you can bend a needle right there. Ask me how I know. I have bent that needle, y'all.
Seven. Trim, bind, and tie off your ends. A double-fold binding cut at 2 1/2" wide wears really well on a quilt that gets used every day.
Practical tips
Solids show lint. Keep a little lint roller near your cutting table. Just like that, problem solved.
Solids also show puckers more than busy prints. So baste a little closer than usual — pins about every 4" works for me.
And here's the permission beat, because I mean it. This quilt does not have to be perfect. It has to be finished, soft, and loved. If I can do this, y'all can do it. Take your time. It's not a race.
Want a second look before you cut? Lay the fabric out, step back, and live with it for a day. Good solids wait patiently. Super duper easy.
Alrighty. Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Admiral Premium Solid 44"/45" Cotton Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
