Hey everyone! Today we're making a vintage map wall hanging quilt, and you're going to learn how one extra-wide fabric can give you a top and a backing with no piecing at all.
Here we go. The fabric we're spotlighting is the Natural Vintage Library Of Rarities Wideback Cotton Fabric, from Robert Kaufman Fabrics. This is a cotton wideback. It measures 108 inches wide, and it is sold by the yard.
The color story is warm and natural. Think beige, cream, and natural tones. The tags point to maps, globes, and a world map feel in the print. That fits the Library of Rarities name just right.
It looks like something from a cozy old library. Soft colors. Vintage character. Nothing loud or fussy. That is why I like it on a wall, where you can enjoy those details up close.
Why a Wall Hanging Quilt Suits This Fabric
Our finished hanging will be about 44 by 56 inches. That is a good size over a desk, a reading chair, or a hallway table. Big enough to notice. Small enough to finish in a weekend or two.
Here's why this wideback shines here, y'all. At 108 inches wide, you can cut the top and the backing side by side across one length of fabric. No center seam down the back. No piecing strips together just to get enough width.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. One good fabric. One simple rectangle. Some gentle quilting to let the maps do the talking. Just like that, you have art for your wall.
Materials
- Natural Vintage Library Of Rarities Wideback Cotton Fabric — 1 3/4 yards total (enough to cut the top and backing side by side, plus leftover fabric for binding and a hanging sleeve)
- Low-loft batting — one piece about 46 by 58 inches, cut a little larger than your finished size
- Thread — 50-weight cotton thread in cream or soft beige to blend with the natural colors
- Size 80/12 needle for construction, and a 90/14 needle for quilting through all three layers
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, cutting mat, iron, and basting pins or spray
- A wooden dowel or slim rod about 46 inches long for hanging
Brief Steps
Step one: Press your fabric well. Square up the cut edges first. Check where the maps and globes fall, and choose the section you want front and center.
Step two: Cut the top and backing. Cut each piece 46 by 58 inches, side by side across the 108-inch width. Save the leftover strip. It is perfect for binding and the sleeve.
Step three: Build your sandwich. Backing face down. Batting in the middle. Top face up. Baste well, with pins every 4 to 5 inches, so nothing shifts while you quilt.
Step four: Quilt it gently. A soft meander is my pick here. It adds texture without fighting the print. Straight lines spaced about 3 to 4 inches apart work too. Sew at about 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Tie off cleanly at the ends.
Step five: Trim the sandwich square to 44 by 56 inches. Cut binding strips 2 1/2 inches wide from your leftover fabric. Join them, sew the binding to the front, miter the corners, then fold it to the back and stitch it down.
Step six: Add the hanging sleeve. Cut a strip about 8 inches wide and a little shorter than the width of the quilt. Fold it, stitch the long edge, and hand-sew it to the back near the top. Slide in your dowel, and hang it up.
Practical Tips
Hold the fabric up on the wall before you cut. A map you love might land right at the edge, and a small shift now saves a sigh later.
I learned this one the honest way. I once quilted a wall piece without checking the top edge. It hung just a tiny bit crooked. The fix was simple. A level sleeve and a little patience.
Pick the quilting style that suits you. Meander, straight lines, or gentle echo quilting are all fine. Completely up to you. My preference is the meander, because it keeps the hanging soft and flat.
And hear me on this: it doesn't have to be perfect. A handmade hanging should look handmade. You're your own worst critic. Take your time, it's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thanks for sewing along with me today, everybody. I hope this one finds a happy spot on your wall. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Natural Vintage Library Of Rarities Wideback Cotton Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
