Hey everyone! Today you are going to learn how to turn a deep blue holiday stripe into a cozy lap quilt you will reach for all season long.
Meet the fabric
This one is the Blue Night Of The Nutcracker Metallic Stripe cotton from PBS Fabrics.
It is 100% cotton.
The width of fabric is 44/45 inches.
It was made by Paintbrush Studio Fabrics.
The color is blue, with stars and stripes in the design.
The product notes call it a lightweight quilting cotton.
It tends to hold its shape even after being washed.
That matters a whole lot in a quilt.
You want your blocks to stay true.
It is sold by the yard, so you can plan your cuts with care.
Why it suits a lap quilt
A lap quilt is just what it sounds like.
It lives on your lap, on the couch, or over a chair.
I like one about 48 by 60 inches.
Big enough to cover you and a good book.
Small enough to finish without a marathon.
A stripe is a gift for a project like this.
Let the stripe run long in big pieces.
Then cut smaller pieces across it for movement.
You get two looks from one fabric.
Just like that, your quilt has rhythm.
The blue feels wintry and calm, too.
And because this cotton holds its shape, your seams stay steady wash after wash.
Materials list
- Blue Night Of The Nutcracker Metallic Stripe Cotton — 2 1/2 yards for the top of a quilt about 48 by 60 inches, with room for long stripe panels and cross-cut pieces
- A coordinating solid or blender cotton — 1 yard, for alternating blocks and a calm resting place for the eye
- Batting — one piece about 54 by 66 inches, cut about 3 inches larger than your top on all sides
- Backing fabric — about 3 yards of a 44/45-inch cotton, pieced to about 54 by 66 inches
- Binding — 1/2 yard, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips, about 230 inches total for this size
- Thread — I reach for a 50-weight cotton for piecing, and a thread you like for quilting
- A fresh needle — an 80/12 or 90/14 quilting needle is a good starting point
- Pins or clips, a ruler, a marking tool, and a rotary cutter or scissors
Brief steps
Step 1: Press and plan. Press your fabric well. Lay it out and look at the stripe. Decide which way you want it to run. Mark one long edge with a pin so you do not lose track.
Step 2: Cut your panels. Cut four long panels from the feature fabric, each about 9 1/2 by 60 1/2 inches, keeping the stripe running the long way. Cut your coordinating fabric into strips the same length. A straight first cut saves you later.
Step 3: Piece the top. Sew panels and coordinating strips together with a steady 1/4-inch seam. Press seams to one side as you go. You should land near 48 1/2 by 60 1/2 inches.
Step 4: Make your sandwich. Backing face down. Batting in the middle. Top face up. Smooth from the center out. Pin every 4 to 5 inches. A flat sandwich makes for flat quilting, folks.
Step 5: Quilt it simply. Stitch in the ditch along the long seams first. That locks everything in place. Then echo the lines about 1/4 inch away, or add a gentle meander in the wider panels. Travel from seam to seam so you are not starting and stopping every minute. We are not reinventing the wheel here.
Step 6: Bind it. Trim the sandwich square. Sew on your binding, turn it to the back, and stitch it down. Slow down on the corner turn or you will bunch it up.
Practical tips from my table
Respect the stripe, but do not fear it.
If a panel lands a hair off, nobody will measure it on the couch.
Test your press on a small scrap first, with a pressing cloth if you are unsure.
That one small test can save a whole panel.
Quilt with a slightly longer stitch if your layers feel thick.
Try about 2.5 to 3.0 on a test sandwich.
Completely up to you.
Here is the permission part.
It does not have to be perfect.
You are your own worst critic, I promise.
Your family will see a warm blue quilt for movie night.
They will not be grading your stripe matching.
Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thank you so much for sewing along with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Blue Night Of The Nutcracker Metallic Stipe Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
