Hey everyone. Today we're making a cozy lap quilt, and I'll show you how one wideback fabric can be both the star and the shortcut.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is the 108" Earth Tones Light Green Leaf Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard from P&B Textiles.
It is cotton. It is 108 inches wide. And it has a unique leaf-like, textural print.
This colorway is light green. Fresh, soft, and easy on the eyes. The product description tells us the Earth Tones group offers 15 rich, earthy colors. This light green is the one we're sewing with today.
P&B suggests it for the back of your next quilt. They also mention curtains or a duvet cover. A fabric built to cover a back can hold its own on the front, too.
And that width is the real gift, y'all. At 108 inches wide, one cut covers a lap quilt with room to spare. No piecing a back together. No seam down the middle. Just like that, your sandwich gets simpler.
The project: a lap quilt
A lap quilt is that perfect in-between size. Bigger than a baby quilt. Smaller than a bed quilt. Just right for a couch, a chair, or a lap on a cool evening.
I like to finish mine around 50 by 60 inches. That's big enough to tuck over your legs. Small enough to quilt at home without a fight.
Why does this fabric suit it so well? First, the width. Your top and back can both come from the same wide cut. Second, the leaf print gives you texture across the whole quilt. You don't need a busy block pattern to make it interesting. Third, cotton is comfortable and easy to sew. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Keep the top simple if you like. Or add a border for a little frame. Completely up to you. My preference is this print front and back. It feels pulled together.
Materials list
- About 2 yards of this 108-inch wideback for the back, plus extra if you want it for the top or binding
- Fabric for a pieced top, if you are making one: about 2 to 2 1/2 yards total, to finish 50 by 60 inches
- Batting cut about 54 by 64 inches, so you have 2 inches extra on every side
- Thread for piecing and quilting — soft cream, pale green, or warm gray all sit nicely with this light green
- Binding: about 1/2 yard, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips, or binding from your wideback leftovers
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, pins or clips, safety pins for basting, and a walking foot if you have one
Here is the math, because numbers help. For a 50 by 60 inch quilt, your backing should be about 54 by 64 inches. On a 108-inch width, one width covers that easily. That's the wideback magic.
Brief steps
- Press everything first. Smooth fabric cuts straighter. Take your time, it's not a race.
- Make your top to 50 by 60 inches. Keep it simple. Big pieces let those leaves breathe.
- Cut your backing to about 54 by 64 inches and square it up.
- Layer backing face down, batting, then top face up. Baste every 4 to 6 inches if you're pinning.
- Quilt it. Stitch in the ditch around main seams first, if you pieced it. Then add a gentle meander, an echo, or simple straight lines with ruler work. I aim for about 8 to 10 stitches per inch as a friendly guide — not a rule, just a guide.
- Trim square, sew your binding around the edge, and tie off your ends cleanly.
Slow down near the edges when you quilt. That's where layers love to shift. If a line wanders a little, the leaf texture hides it well. Ask me how I know.
Practical tips from my table
First, test your thread on a small scrap sandwich. Light green on light green can nearly disappear. Cream will show your quilting more. Both are really, really pretty. Pick your look first.
Second, save that leftover wideback. It makes great binding strips or a matching pillow. Nothing wasted.
Third, don't finish it all in one long push. Stop, stretch, come back fresh. Your stitches will look better for it.
And here's the permission part, folks. It does not have to be perfect. You're your own worst critic. The person curled up under this quilt will feel the cozy. They will not be checking every stitch.
If I can do this, y'all can do this. One pretty wideback, one manageable size, and a quilt you'll actually use. Super duper satisfying.
Thanks for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 108" Earth Tones Light Green Leaf Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
