Hey everyone! Today we're making a cozy throw quilt, and you're going to learn how one wide cut of cotton becomes both the top and the back with no piecing down the middle.
Here we go. The fabric we're spotlighting is the Grey Fog Blueprint Basics Wideback Cotton Fabric, from Robert Kaufman Fabrics. This is a cotton wideback. It measures 108 inches wide.
The color is Grey Fog. Think soft grey. The tags point to white and leaves with it. So you get that quiet grey ground with a lighter leaf feel. Really soothing up close.
Because it's cotton, it has that familiar, soft hand we all love. And because it's a wideback, every yard goes a long way. It's sold by the yard, so you order what your throw needs.
Why a Throw Quilt Suits This Fabric
A throw quilt lives on the couch. It gets grabbed for movies, naps, and chilly mornings. Our finished throw will be about 50 by 60 inches. Big enough to share. Small enough to finish.
Here's why the wideback shines here. One cut is 108 inches wide. Split that width in half and you get two panels. Each one is about 54 inches wide. Cut them 64 inches long and you have a top and a back. No seam down the middle of your back. Just like that.
The grey helps too, folks. Grey Fog plays nice with almost any room. Bright pillows pop against it. And the quilting becomes the star. A simple meander or a soft echo will show beautifully on that calm ground.
Materials
- Grey Fog Blueprint Basics Wideback Cotton Fabric — 2 yards (one 108-inch-wide cut gives both the top and back panels, with trimming room)
- Batting — one piece about 54 by 64 inches, cut a little larger than your panels
- Thread — 50-weight cotton thread in a soft grey to blend
- Size 80/12 or 90/14 needle — I reach for the 90/14 for steady quilting through all three layers
- Binding — about 1/2 yard of a coordinating cotton, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips, or use leftover wideback strips if you have them
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, cutting mat, iron, basting pins or spray, and a walking foot if you have one
Brief Steps
Step one: Press your 2-yard cut well. Square up one edge. Measure twice before you cut, y'all. We're cutting for a 50 by 60 inch finished throw, with extra to trim.
Step two: Cut two panels, each about 54 by 64 inches. Fold the wide cut in half along the width and cut on the fold, like we did for curtains. Now check both pieces. Same size. Nice and square.
Step three: Build your sandwich. Back panel face down. Batting in the middle. Top panel face up. Smooth from the center out. Baste well, pins every 4 to 5 inches, so nothing shifts.
Step four: Quilt it your way. A gentle meander is my pick here. It keeps the throw soft and drapey. An echo around the leaf shapes is lovely too. Or straight lines with a walking foot, about 2 inches apart. Stitch at about 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Slow down if the layers feel thick, or the needle can snap. Completely up to you.
Step five: Trim the sandwich square to 50 by 60 inches. Join your binding strips. Sew the binding to the front, miter the corners, then fold it to the back and stitch in the ditch or hand-stitch it down. Press the edges flat.
Practical Tips
Quilt from the center out. That pushes wrinkles to the edges where you can trim them away. If a little wave shows up, don't panic. Ease it under the foot and keep going.
I learned this one the honest way. I once basted too loose and got a tuck on the back. The fix was simple. Unpin that corner, smooth it flat, re-baste tighter, and quilt on. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
And hear me on this: it doesn't have to be perfect. A wobbly meander line will not ruin a cozy throw. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race. We're not reinventing the wheel here. We're making something warm for your home.
One last yardage thought. Two yards covers this size with room to spare. Want a bigger throw, say 60 by 72 inches? Order 2 1/2 yards and cut wider. Extra beats coming up short every time.
Thanks for sewing along with me today, everybody. I hope this grey throw becomes the one everybody reaches for at your house. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Grey Fog Blueprint Basics Wideback Cotton Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
