The Sewing Place

Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous

Iminei

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #45 on: July 11, 2017, 16:34:52 PM »
Day 8 (continued)

I'm afraid I went ahead without you girls and chose .....

The final fabric! It was a no-brainer!

Now the next bit might be a bit 'wordy' but bear with me, and there are far more pictures in the album ...

So onward to ....

BINDING


CUTTING

As we already know,

The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything  is 42 .... .... and this is true for binding too!!!

This is the number we use to determine how many WOF strips you must cut and join to make the binding for your quilt.

My quilt measures about 36 1/2" x 42 1/4", rounded up and totalled this comes to 160", which is the circumference of the quilt.




Divide 160 by 42 and you get a figure of 3.89.

This is then rounded up to 4, giving us the number of 2 1/2" wide strips we need to cut from full WOF .

(If you are using FQ's ... As I have done myself ... you need to double this number and add an extra one or two strips to take the joins into account.)

JOINING

Having cut my four 2 1/2" strips I place two of the strips, right sides together at right angles to each other and draw a 45 degree angled line from edge to edge across the diagonals as shown .....



I pin, then flip the topmost strip to the right side and, continuing along the strip of fabric, place the next 2 1/2" strip right sides together at right angles and draw a 45 degree angled line from edge to edge across the diagonal. Continue to do this for all your strips.

Sew along the diagonal lines to join the strips. You can chain piece these together.
When done, Check the strips line up continuously before you trim them down to 1/4" from the sewn line.

Now take the whole long strip of 2 1/2" wide binding to the ironing board; press the joining seams to one side before you start to fold the strip in half (along its length) and press flat. Your binding will now measure 1 1/4" wide.

STARTING TO SEW

With the front of the quilt facing you ascertain where you want to start sewing.

I usually choose the middle of one side. Marking this with a pin I place a tape measure along the edge with the 6" mark  at the middle point.

I then mark the beginning of the tape measure with a pin and the 12" mark with another pin.
I will START and STOP sewing at these two points......



I then place my newly pressed binding, raw edges of both binding and quilt together, along the side of the quilt, making sure I have at least 10" of binding before my starting point. This tail is pinned up out of the way before I start to sew.

And Off I go, using a 1/4" seam with a WF or 1/4" foot (your choice)

MITRING THE CORNERS

As I approach the corner, I slow and 1/4" from the edge, turn the quilt by 45 degrees and sew 3 or 4 stitches to the corner of the quilt, back-stitching three or four stitches after that, I then cut my threads.

I take the quilt out from the machine and pull the un-sewn binding vertically up from the quilt......



I then fold the binding back down over itself, following the edge of the quilt and inserting the needle 1/4" from the top edge to stitch a few stitches before back-stitching to secure and then continue stitching......



This should give you a nice sharp mitred corner.

Continue to stitch all the way round the quilt, mitring the corners until you come to your STOP  pin. Back-stitch a few
stitches and cut your threads.

There are many ways of finishing your binding, this is only one of them and uses the Binding Tool ....

Placing the binding tool's right angled edge snugly up against the stitching where you stopped sewing, pull the binding over the tool and along the edge of the quilt and mark the line on your fabric ....use chalk or another erasable option here.



Do the same on the other side of the gap between stitching placing the binding tool's right angled edge against the end of the stitching ... to do this it will need to be placed upside down . Mark as before.



Open up the binding and lying the tool as best you can upon it (with the binding tools nose facing towards the middle of the un-sewn gap) line up your marked line with the marked line on the tool and using your RC, cut.



Repeat with the other side,  placing the nose of the binding tool on the mark instead of the mark on the tool.... I always mark the line of this cut and make sure the two edges have a ¼” or more overlap before I cut this one !!! (Please ask me why??!!)

You should now have the two ends of the binding cut at a 45% angle with 1/4" overlap ...



Line the edges up, Right sides together and sew using a 1/4" seam.



Follow the fold in the rest of the binding and press in half, lay against the edge of the quilt and finish sewing the binding to the edge of the quilt!

Phew!

I now take the quilt to the ironing board (if its small enough, as in this case) or the iron to the table Im working at (in the case of a larger quilt) and press the binding, including the corners,  back on themselves.



Lastly, pin the binding to the back of the quilt, all the way around and relax!
Leave the quilt somewhere to get for the binding to get used to its new position and pour yourselves a well earned drink!

As I aim to make children's quilts bombproof I now machine sew the binding down using a Blanket stitch .....Mirror imaged (thank you to whomever suggested that when I was struggling to work out how to BS my first machine bound quilt ).... on my machine. Stitch length 4, stitch width 2.5

But I have also hand-sewn many bindings down, finding the experience a pleasant way to wind down and finish the process of creating a quilt ....its your choice!

And now, if you have followed along, you have your very own Cot Quilt from start to finish!



I haven't yet labelled the quilt as it was purely an exercise so that would have added an hour or so on and a hanging sleeve would add a couple more  but after 7 days we have a cot quilt from start to finish! Not long intensive days either... maybe one day I will actually time the amount of hours I spend making a quilt ... it would be interesting to know.

Hope you enjoyed the tut, and there are many more pics and destructions here in my picassa.....

https://goo.gl/photos/TuYqVjsiQck2HQH88
« Last Edit: May 06, 2018, 07:17:56 AM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

hernibs

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #46 on: May 05, 2018, 19:58:59 PM »
Oh my - I have dipped into the dark side...viewing only - I would be too nervous and too, too terrified to even start but just here to say I admire your patience and your wonderful skill in choosing the fabrics.  It is a beautiful quilt.  No, I won't be starting this....I don't think I could even sew strips from a jelly roll straight enough for a quilt.
Well done.

Apricot

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #47 on: March 25, 2019, 08:33:57 AM »
Do you then wash the quilt before giving it away as a present? How would you recommend machine washing and drying it?

Thanks for the tutorial. Very cute.
sew long and prosper

Iminei

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #48 on: March 25, 2019, 08:39:42 AM »
Personally I dont but I know many do.

I would wash it on its own on a delicates cycle, warm, no more than 40, (I would suggest 30, after all its not dirty is it?) and hang to dry over a radiator or on the line.

Make sure there is enough quilting in it tho' especially if you are a new quilter or you will be in Deep Dark Do Do territory as I was when I threw The (s)Crappy Bargello into the wash after the Mei was sick on it!!!

Just to explain the above paragraph ... The s(C)rappy Bargello was always very very sparsely quilted as it was one of my very first quilts ... it came out of the wash looking extremely sorry for itself  and it was obvious something had to be done!

If you are thinking of following the quilt design in the tut, a simple cross through each square will be enough quilting to hold it, if you want to echo the edge of the square too even better.

Do let us know how you are getting on if you are going to take the plunge, we love pics and are always here for any questions!
« Last Edit: March 25, 2019, 08:58:29 AM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

fajita

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #49 on: March 25, 2019, 08:51:27 AM »
I always wash at 40 and tumble dry and iron before gifting quilts.

Lowena

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #50 on: March 25, 2019, 10:13:14 AM »
I never wash but would do it on 30c delicates with a colour catcher if I did
Triumph of hope over experience :D

BrendaP

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #51 on: March 25, 2019, 11:14:05 AM »
I do usually wash quilts once they are finished.  I don't bother pre-washing the fabrics, but I do sometimes wash the wadding as that is much more likely to shrink.

The wadding in my Project Linus quilt wasn't pre-washed (at least I don't think it was).  I've just finished that quilt and bunged it into the washing machine.  Just as well that it's got a lot of quilting as it did shrink quite a lot.  The texture has changed with the washing; the surface is now really very 'bubbly' which I rather like.  I agree with @Iminei that if the quilting is sparse it can look rather sorry for itself after washing.
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

wrenkins

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #52 on: March 25, 2019, 11:25:25 AM »
This is all brilliant information. I didn't realise that wadding would shrink a lot. Must make a note.
I did learn the hard way veh veh recently that quilted things go bumpy if you wet them. I thought I'd give my cushion cover a quick spray to get rid of the basting pin holes!  >< The holes disappeared but up it bumped. I do quite like it. I hope my cushionee does too.
Next up is probably going to be my Project Linus quilt so this is all very helpful for loonies learners.  0_0
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Lowena

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #53 on: March 25, 2019, 12:43:18 PM »
Lots of us don't pin at all @wrenkins but use 505 spray instead
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Apricot

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #54 on: March 25, 2019, 17:20:20 PM »
Well thanks all for the variety of opinion. Still uncertain.
It seems useless to give a baby quilt to a new mum if it won't wash doesn't it? Cruel to give it to them and for them to think they've ruined it....

Next question is have I done enough quilting? Its 5" squares stitched in the ditch with serpentine lines running the whole length of the quilt - they are approx 1.5" apart- 3 per width of square. The Hobbs poly/cotton batting says quilting up to 3.5" apart. A bit more advice please.
sew long and prosper

Iminei

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #55 on: March 25, 2019, 17:49:56 PM »
No No No ... all the quilts I have given have since been washed by their recipients many times and none of mine have ever been sent back or have been mentioned to me that the washing has ruined them.

Just make sure you have enough quilting on them, to hold the layers together ... was I using 6" finished squares??
A simple diagonal cross in each of those will hold everything together nicely!

Obvs you dont boilwash or put them on ultrawashes ... 30 or 40 delicate will do just fine.

Your serpentine quilting lines sounds more than enough (good choice too) ... you didnt press open the seams tho' did you ?
« Last Edit: March 25, 2019, 17:51:45 PM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Apricot

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #56 on: March 25, 2019, 19:32:31 PM »
No, not a single seam pressed open. Stitched at 1.5 for piecing and in the ditch. The serpentine had a Pfaff mind of its own and I elongated it to have a more gentle curve. Just got to the binding stage so I'll attempt to take a picture when its finished. Thanks again. :)
sew long and prosper

Iminei

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #57 on: March 25, 2019, 21:40:23 PM »
Sounds wonderful ... decorative embroidery stitches on your machine can be very useful quilting stitches, pics please
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Catllar

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #58 on: February 09, 2021, 16:45:31 PM »
As I'm now perusing the Darkside, can someone please tell me what is a FF and CF - I've had a few guesses, none of them printable!
If life gives you lemons, add to gin and tonic !

Iminei

Re: Cot Quilt from Start to Finish for the New and the Nervous
« Reply #59 on: February 09, 2021, 16:55:54 PM »
FF = Feature Fabric ... the pictorial squares
CF = Coordinating Fabric ... the coloured squares

Are you following the Tutorial? or just this thread?

Remember to bring each pic up to full screen, you can then click on the i icon to bring up instructions to the side.

Apologies for any confusion ... any other questions please ask
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again