Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to make a soft garden wall hanging.
Here we go.
The fabric is the Aviva Floral Charm Thyme Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard, from Windham Fabrics.
First, it is cotton. Quilting cotton. The width of fabric is 44"/45".
Second, it is from the Aviva collection. Made by Windham Fabrics by Whistler Studios.
Third, look at the print name. Floral Charm. Thyme.
Aviva blooms with life and elegance. This romantic floral collection has airy watercolor textures. Lush bouquets. Delicate sprigs. And graceful foliage.
The collection palette is soft pinks and lilacs. Sunshine yellows. And rich sangria.
Thyme is your green note here. That fresh, leafy feeling sits right in the print. Like a blooming garden at golden hour.
Why a wall hanging suits this fabric
A wall hanging is a flat panel. One big, honest rectangle.
That is exactly what this print wants. Your bouquets stay whole. The sprigs can travel. The foliage shows the way it was drawn.
Cut it into tiny pieces and you lose that. Hang it whole and folks see the garden.
Our hanging finishes at about 34 inches wide by 42 inches long. Big enough to matter on a wall. Small enough to finish in a weekend.
You have options, too. Go narrow for a hallway, or wider over a dresser. Completely up to you.
Materials list
- 1 1/2 yards of this Aviva Floral Charm Thyme cotton for the front — one panel cut about 36 inches wide by 44 inches long before finishing
- 1 1/2 yards of plain cotton for the backing
- Cotton batting, one piece about 36 inches by 44 inches
- 1/2 yard of fabric for binding, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips
- Thread to blend with the greens and soft pinks, and a fresh 80/12 needle, set to about 2.5 mm stitch length, roughly 10 stitches per inch
- A wooden dowel or slim rod about 36 inches long, plus two small hooks for hanging
- Rotary cutter or scissors, a long ruler, pins or clips, and a hot iron
Brief steps
Step 1: Press and cut. Press your fabric well. Trim the selvedges. Cut your front panel about 36 inches wide by 44 inches long. Check where your favorite bouquets land before you cut. Shift the cut a little if you need to.
Step 2: Make your sandwich. Lay your backing face down. Smooth your batting on top. Lay your Aviva panel face up on that. Pin or clip every 4 to 5 inches. Smooth from the center out. Just like that.
Step 3: Quilt it simple. Try stitch in the ditch around the edges. Or echo a few sprigs with freehand lines. Or do a soft meander in the background. I keep it light on a wall piece. The print is already doing the pretty work.
Step 4: Add a hanging sleeve. Cut a strip about 34 inches long by 4 inches wide from your backing fabric. Hem both short ends. Fold it in half the long way and press. Sew it across the top back, raw edges up. Your dowel will slide right through.
Step 5: Bind and hang. Join your binding strips. Sew the binding around all four sides. Fold it to the back and stitch it down. Slide the dowel through the sleeve. Hang it up and step back. Super duper cute, y'all.
Practical tips from my sewing room
Prewash this cotton first. Cotton can shrink a touch.
Here is my honest mistake, so you can skip it. I once pulled my thread a little tight on a wall panel. The whole thing curled at the corners. I had to ease up, slow down, and let the fabric travel easy. If yours curls, check your tension and your hands first.
Slow down around those bouquets, too. If you echo quilt, give the flowers a little space. A quarter inch of breathing room is plenty. Crowding them flattens that watercolor look.
Want a different size? Easy math. For a finished 24 by 30 inch hanging, start with a panel cut 26 by 32 inches. You will need about 1 yard of this 44"/45" cotton. Measure your wall first, then cut. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
And please hear me on this one. It does not have to be perfect.
You are your own worst critic. Nobody in your hallway will count your stitches. They will see soft color. They will see a garden on the wall, made by you.
Take your time. It is not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Alrighty. Thank you so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Aviva Floral Charm Thyme Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
