Quick & Easy Lap Quilt

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of going along to the Brisbane Modern Quilt Guild's Sew Day.

Other on the Western Suburbs it was a delightful afternoon filled with plenty of sewing, laughing and of course admiring other people's handiwork. I took along two charm packs of Kate Spain's Horizons to put together a quick and easy lap quilt that I could whip up in no time on my sewing machine.

I love the Kate Spain Horizons collection as it is so colourful filled with lots of blues,purples and greens in different shades and patterns.

The beauty of pre cuts is that you can delve straight into sewing them up after deciding your lay out. I did 12 rows of 7 squares with a cream flower patterned backing with similar white binding.

Quilt all finished! Just mind the feet photo bombing the frame!

I am extremely lucky the other half of Quilt Modern (aka Liz/Mum) has a quilting frame that can punch out a pretty nifty stipple. It really gives the quilt the finishing touch that looks just right! With these amazing colours the white stitching on top was amazing.

A close up of the white stipple

Another close up of the stipple - amazing!

Unfortunately Kate Spain Horizons range is pretty much sold out however you can head over to the Quilt Modern website to see what other great charm packs are available. Until 8th May we are offering 10% your total order!

Happy quilting!

Quilt Modern Facebook Giveaway!

Head over to Quilt Modern's Facebook Page to check out the wonderful giveaway on offer!

All that is required is a share and like of the post for your chance to win the below quilt kit.

Good luck!!

Hi De Ho by Me and My Sister Designs

Exciting times at Quilt Modern HQ!

There has been a fabric delivery and it's Hi De Ho by Me & My Sister Designs which is delightfully vibrant and colourful.

Ranging from whites to pinks to aquas with lots of eye popping colour, this new range is sure to be a big seller.

 Layer Cake - $49.50

Charm Pack - $15.40

Look forward to seeing what some of our customers made with this great fabric!

Happy quilting!

Layer Cake Lemonade - Quilting in a Flash!

Whether you are a beginner quilter or need to whip something quickly Fat Quarter Shop's Layer Cake Lemonade pattern is the perfect solution.

It only requires a layer cake and for this project I used 'Fancy' by Lily Ashbury. However any pre cut layer cake will suffice so just select something that suit your colour requirement or quilt receiver's taste.

Firstly I selected 40 fabric squares out of the layer cake pack and then divided into two piles (20 dark & 20 light).

Dividing the fabric squares into dark & light

Then I made four different piles of five dark fabric squares and sew them up with a 1/4 inch seam. Press each row towards the dark seam.

Pinning the dark fabric square together

Piecing together the light fabric square

After that I turned my attention to the lighter fabric squares assembling three rows of six squares. Press each row towards the darker seam.

Once the rows were all sewn up and pressed, the three lighter rows were trimmed at each end by 4 & 3/4 inch on each end. With each shortened row I subcut in half lengthways which then amounted to six lighter rows.

Laying down the rows before the final stitch up

I placed the rows together starting with the narrow row and alternating between wide and narrow, ending with a narrow row. Sew up all the rows, press and found yourself with a simple and quick quilt top.

Finished product!

This quilt will require a 2 & 1/2 inch binding.

With minimal cutting required, it took only two hours to whip up the quilt top, especially great on a weeknight!

If you want to try out this project check out our website to pick out a layer cake!

Please note credit to Fat Quarter Shop for the pattern and YouTube tutorial

The Essentials: Getting started on the path to quilting

When you begin the journey of quilting it can both be a wonderful and overwhelming experience.

Getting to know the different types of fabrics, notions and accessories will not happen overnight rather treat it like a lifelong learning experience that will continue to intrigue you for many years.

Here is a quick guide to the essentials of quilting for anyone wanting to give it a whirl.

Sewing Machine
Any basic sewing machine will suffice when starting out, it is important to get a quarter - inch foot to make it easier to sew accurate quarter-inch seams. A walking foot is also essential when machine quilting your project, as it feed the quilt top, batting and backing fabric through with ease.

I started sewing with a basic Brother Machine although recently I have upgraded to a Janome Skyline S5

Fabric

Charm Packs
Usually the most economic pre cuts these 5x5" fabric squares are great for beginner quilts and getting a full variety of colours and patterns. Most charm packs have 42 squares in a pack. 

Fat Quarters 
These cuts of fabric are usually 50cm x 50cm squares that often come in bundles with a wide range of fabric colour and designs. 

Layer Cakes
Can be commonly described as giant charm squares these cakes provide 42 10x10" fabric squares. Also great for knocking up quick quilt tops and also easy for beginners.

Jelly Rolls/Junior Jelly Rolls
This pre cut has a variety of prints from a collection which is rolled together and the fabric is cut length-wise (2.5" x 42") strips. 

Junior Jelly Rolls usually are half the amount of fabric and give a smaller range of colours and patterns. 

Notions

Thread 
I recommend using a good quality thread like Guttermans, it is best to stock up on white as it the most versatile for any project.

Needles 
It is important to have an array of needles on hand both sewing machine and embroidery needles (handy for handstiching the binding)

Pins
Quality pins are a must have in any quilter's toolbox to hold the fabric together securely

Curved safety pins
Easier than using straight safety pins into the 'quilt sandwich'. 
Other essential items

Having a good quality rotary cutter (remember to always have a spare blade handy), large cutting mat and an assortment of rulers ensures that fabric cutting is a breeze. Remember to check twice and cut once!

To see a great range of fabric check out the Quilt Modern website!

Happy Quilting!!