ABC Menagerie baby quilt – a tutorial

July 9, 2022July 13, 2022Leave a comment

Recently I was commissioned to make a baby quilt for a lovely newborn baby boy. As it happened, I had the perfect fabrics on hand to make him this gorgeous ABC quilt.

Front of ABC Menagerie baby quilt

This is a really simple quilt design so I thought I’d share a short tutorial for anyone who’d like to make something similar.

What I used for this quilt:

1 x ABC Menagerie alphabet panel (if you don’t have a panel, then substitute fussy cut 5.5 inch squares)

1 x ABC Menagerie layer cake

0.5 metres fabric for the binding – I used the ABC Menagerie blue spotted fabric

1.5 metres fabric for the backing – I used the ABC Menagerie red circles

1 x crib size wadding or batting

Making the quilt:

I cut out the ABC blocks from the panel, remembering to leave the 1/4 inch seam allowance around each square. There were only 28 squares in the panel so I cut an additional two similar sized squares from the layer cakes to give 30 in total. These extra squares are the multi-animal squares.

For the layout, I chose 30 layer cake squares and laid them out in a 5 x 6 pattern. Then I put the ABC squares on the layer cake squares and moved them around until I was happy with the arrangement. Of course, I took a photo to help me remember what goes where.

Each of the 30 layer cake squares were into four 2.5 inch strips.

The layer cake strips were sewn to the sides of the relevant ABC square and seams pressed away from the ABC square. The layer cake strips were then trimmed in line with the ABC square.

The remaining layer cake strips were sewn to the top and bottom of the ABC square. Again, seams were pressed away from the ABC square.

Finished blocks were trimmed to 9.5 inches.

TOP TIP: To avoid having to match seams when joining the blocks, I alternated whether I added the initial layer cake strips to the sides or top/bottom of the ABC square. You can see the alternating seams between blocks more clearly in the image below.

Detail of ABC Menagerie baby quilt

Blocks were sewn together into rows and then the rows sewn together to make the quilt top.

To ensure I had the required width for the backing, I created a panel made from some of the remaining layer cake squares cut into 5 inch, 4 inch, 3 inch or 2.5 inch widths and then sewn together to the required length. Seams were pressed open on the panel to make it as flat as possible. The backing fabric was cut vertically 15 inches from one selvedge and the panel inserted. Again, these seams were pressed open.

Back of ABC Menagerie baby quilt

The quilt was pin-basted and I used a walking foot to quilt in free-hand wavy lines. These wavy lines are very forgiving and a good choice for new quilters worried about keeping their lines straight. They also provide great texture to the quilt making it cosy and tactile.

Detail of back of ABC Menagerie baby quilt

This quilt is a lovely, bright and happy addition to the little boy’s nursery.

Detail of ABC Menagerie baby quilt

I hope this tutorial has inspired you to make your own simple baby quilt to welcome a new addition to your family or a friend’s family.

Have fun!

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Scandi Bird quilt – finished at last

October 31, 2020Leave a comment

The Scandi Bird quilt is finally finished! It has only been 5 years in the making but the final result is worth it.

Scandi bird patchwork quilt

Each of the birds was first appliquéd onto squares of plain off-white fabric. They weren’t difficult to do, just very time-consuming. Whilst I’ll never say never, I can’t see me rushing to make another appliqué quilt. They are not my zone of genius. Still, it was good to step outside my comfort zone and give it a go.

Initially I was planning to have 41 birds in the final quilt separated by blocks of four fabrics. Given that it was taking me so long to complete the birds I then changed tack to have fewer birds and more co-ordinating fabrics. This meant I had to raid my fabric stash for some additional fabrics since I only had a limited amount of the initial fabrics and what I had would not stretch that far.

Fabrics used in scandi bird quilt

On the left are the fabrics initially selected for the quilt and on the right are the extra fabrics I pulled to add to the quilt.

Smaller squares in coordinating colours were added as a frame around each appliqué bird to form a block before sewing the blocks together.

Scandi bird quilt block

The coloured squares have been placed in a scrappy arrangement. Many people think that scrappy quilts are easy to do when in fact they take a lot of careful planning. I’ll share some tips on how to create a good scrappy quilt in a later post.

Scandi bird patchwork quilt

At 64 inches square, the quilt brightens up the bedroom and is easily big enough to cover the top of the bed.

Scandi bird patchwork quilt

It is perfect as a throw when reading,

Scandi bird patchwork quilt

Or daydreaming in a sunbeam.

Scandi bird patchwork quilt

Quilts don’t have to live solely inside. They also make fab picnic blankets.

The quilt back features sassy 1950s ladies, carefully pattern-matched as always for a seamless look (I think the recipient secretly likes these ladies better than the quilt front). For the binding I used a bright blue floral that also features on the front of the quilt.

Scandi bird patchwork quilt – detail

Wavy lines were quilted horizontally across the quilt which gives it a lovely, cozy texture. I’m quite proud of the quilting on this quilt as it was done on my domestic sewing machine – the largest quilt I’ve quilted so far.

This quilt went to its forever home in December last year where it is cherished and well-loved.

Like what you see? Remember you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of my lovely makes.

Blue and white upcycled shirt quilt

July 13, 2019Leave a comment

Blue and white is such a classic combination. It is both fresh and calming with the relaxed feeling of a lazy summer’s day on the beach.

I used blue and white as the starting point for a quilt that would be a gift for my brother. He loves rummaging in charity shops so it seemed appropriate to use pre-loved shirts and create an upcycled quilt for him.

Trawling the local charity shops, I looked for men’s shirts in a variety of patterns. Anything would do – stripes, spots, checks, tone on tone designs – provided the fabric was 100% cotton and the colours were predominately blue and white. I even found a few floral, James May shirt style patterns. Best of all was the little boy’s demin blue shirt covered in dinosaur skeletons! I mean, who doesn’t love a dinosaur?

Stack of blue and white shirts

I wanted to keep the design uncomplicated so as to show off the patterns of the shirt fabrics. A straight forward nine patch block seemed just the ticket. The shirts were cut into 4 1/2 inch squares and sewn randomly together.

Blue and white shirt blocks

Men need encouragement in their lives too, so I embroidered positive affirmations onto some of the plain fabrics and incorporated these into the quilt blocks.

Affirmation blocks

White sashing, 2 inches finished width, was added to separate the blocks and to give it a fresh look.

Blue and white quilt

A swirling design, called Hot Cocoa, was chosen for the long arm quilting. It adds a great texture to the quilt.

Quilt detail showing quilting design

And here is the finished quilt, complete with a dark navy binding to frame the quilt.

Quilt made from upcycled blue and white shirts

At 72 inches square it is a great size to use as a bedspread or to throw over the back of the sofa. I love that it is a classic design with little personal touches that make it unique.

Have you made a quilt from upcycled clothes? I’d love you to share a photo and if not, I’d encourage you to give it a go. So much clothing ends up in landfill and it seems a crime to waste it when it can be re-purposed for a longer life.

Like what you see? Remember you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of my lovely makes.

Quilters Hangup – a review

July 30, 2017July 30, 2017Leave a comment

Today I put the finishing touches to the quilt I’ll be exhibiting at this year’s Festival of Quilts in Birmingham. Anyone who has exhibited a quilt before will know that these preparations include the addition of a hanging sleeve.

Attaching pre-prepared quilt hanging sleeve

Attaching Quilters Hangup

In the past, I have made my own hanging sleeve (essentially a tube of fabric attached to the quilt back that allows a hanging rod to be inserted). Nowadays I don’t bother making my own. Instead I use a ready-made quilt hanging sleeve called Quilters Hangup.

I first came across Quilters Hangup last year and I love them. They are made from a sturdy cotton fabric and come in a natural unbleached muslin (this in the one I use) and black. Pre-made to the regulation 4 inches tall, the Quilters Hangup also includes a pleat at the top edge that allows quilts to hang flat! And the rainbow thread on the back is a pretty touch.

Quilters Hangup

Quilters Hangup may not be the cheapest option however they do save a lot of time. Simply cut to length and hem the ends. There is enough in each pack to make a hanging sleeve for even the largest Super King size quilt. Quilters Hangups can be sewn into a quilt before or after sewing on the binding. I prefer to hand sew my Quilters Hangup to the quilt after binding. My quilts are made to be used rather than hung on a wall, so it is essential that I can easily remove the sleeve. Plus making the sleeve removable means that I can re-use the hanging sleeve when exhibiting other quilts the same size.

I’m sure Quilters Hangups are readily available in America as they are a USA product. For those in the UK, I purchased mine from Sew Hot.

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New Quilting exhibition, Rheged Gallery – a picture post

April 17, 2017April 17, 2017Leave a comment

Last week I made a flying visit to Cumbria to see the New Quilting exhibition at the Rheged Gallery.

New Quilting exhibition – Rheged Gallery, Penrith, Cumbria

Over 70 quilts are on display and 30 quilters have contributed quilts for the exhibition. There is so much to see – traditional designs, modern quilts, detailed hand quilting, elaborate machine quilting, 3D works, quilts that look like maps, ones that look like travel posters, free cut quilts, improvised piecing and appliqué. There are even some quilts from the early 1900s on display.

New Quilting exhibition – Rheged Gallery, Penrith, Cumbria

One of my quilts features in the exhibition and here it is on display, yay!

A Life in Film quilt – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

And here is a closer look at the quilt, titled “A Life in Film”, that I made for my nephew. It features Polaroid blocks that highlight aspects of his life – growing up on a farm, his love of basketball, a special trip to the zoo, his love of chocolate cake, to name but a few. I know he’ll love snuggling under it when reading or watching TV.

A Life in Film quilt – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

But enough about my quilt. Here are some of my highlights and favourite quilts from the exhibition.

Cologne Cathedral quilt by Greta Fitchett – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

I loved this quilt of Cologne Cathedral by Greta Fitchett which represents a scene reflected in other buildings. Those lines between the blocks are really skinny and must have been so difficult to get straight. It reminds me of photographs made from contact sheets.

Coming into Land quilt by Alicia Merrett – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

This was another of my favourites, by Alicia Merrett, showing a pilot’s view of a country landscape at night, with an air strip on the right hand side. The quilting really helps to accentuate the contours of the landscape and I love the bright colours of the houses shining in the dark.

Sweet City quilt by Marita Lappalainen – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

This quilt by Marita Lappalainen made me smile. Recycled fabrics and crochet pot holders feature in this work of an imagined city. She said that she wanted to make something “fairy tale like, childish and fanciful”. I’d say she has nailed it.

Detail of Bitter Pills quilt by Sara Impey – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

This quilt, Bitter Pills, by Sara Impey was especially thought-provoking. It is a whole cloth quilt featuring free-motion embroidery. The juxtaposition of the bright colours of the capsules against the “bitter pills facing society” serves to heighten the power of this work.

Detail of Log Cabin quilt made in 1900 – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

This shows the detail from one of the quilts, made in 1900, that is on display. The quilt is quite large – certainly large enough for a double bed – and must have taken hours to hand sew all those tiny seams.

Detail of Blue Cabin quilt by Joy Salvage – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

A modern day version of a log cabin quilt was also on display. This one is by Joy Salvage, a young quilter in her mid 20s, and features log cabin blocks where each of the logs are only 1/4 inch wide!

Detail of After Boro quilt by Janice Gunner – Rheged Gallery – New Quilting exhibition

I’m a great fan of scrappy quilts and I loved this one by Janice Gunner. The colours she has chosen and the lovely hand quilting have transformed old fabrics (often rags) into something beautiful.

I could go on and on about the quilts but really, the best thing is for you to see them for yourself. The exhibition runs until 23 April and is well worth a visit.

Like what you see? Remember you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of my lovely makes.

Memories of childhood Polaroid patchwork quilt

September 16, 2016September 16, 20161 Comment

Here at last is the quilt that I exhibited at the recent Festival of Quilts held in Birmingham. It is called Memories of Childhood because I felt the little fabric pictures perfectly capture the joy and innocence of being a child.

Memories of childhood Polaroid quilt

With over 80 different fabrics used for the Polaroids, there is so much to discover in this quilt. One hundred Polaroid blocks are featured in the quilt and no picture is repeated. There are birds, wild animals, cats, dogs, insects, boys and girls playing, mythical beasts and much, much more. This “Blast Off” block even glows in the dark!

Polaroid quilt detail

You can see more detail In an earlier post of some of the Polaroids before they were pieced into the quilt.

All the blocks are tilted to give the impression that the Polaroids have been randomly strewn across the quilt.

Polaroid quilt detail

I love these Polaroid blocks. They make a great i-spy quilt for rainy day games. And imagine the stories you could make up with your children using these little blocks as inspiration.

The back of the quilt is just as lovely, featuring this fabulous print of scooter boys and girls by Aneela Hoey. It has been carefully pattern matched for a seamless finish and the red and white binding (also by Aneela Hoey) frames the quilt beautifully.

Memories of childhood Polaroid quilt back

At 61 x 62 inches (155 X 157 cm) it is the perfect size for picnics, cuddling on the sofa, a cape, a den, a bed or thrown over a chair.

The quilt is made from high quality 100% cotton quilting fabrics, wadding and thread and has been professionally long-arm quilted (the pattern is called cool beans) to make it sturdy and durable. Warm and snuggly, this is one of my favourite quilts. Definitely one to be played with now and a treasured heirloom for the future. I’ll be listing it for sale via my Folksy shop very soon.

Like what you see? Remember you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of my lovely makes.

Baby boy Polaroid quilt

July 29, 20161 Comment

A new baby calls for a very special gift and what could be more special than a gorgeous baby quilt.

My latest obsession is definitely Polaroid blocks. I love them and don’t they make a fabulous baby quilt? Here I have fussy-cut my favourite fabrics to produce a quilt perfect for the new man in your life. Each of the blocks has then been cut to make them slightly wonky, as though the Polaroids have been tipped from a box onto the quilt.

There is so much to discover in this quilt. You’ll find a boy riding a scooter, a fierce ninja, a tiny snail, a cute dachshund. There is a crow peeking from the bushes, some ghoulish skeletons and my favourite, a scary tyrannosaurus (RAWWRR!).

Baby boy Polaroid quilt

This little quilt, being approximately 27 by 32 inches, is the perfect size for a baby. It is soft and supple and therefore great for cuddling baby. It can also be a play mat, changing mat or pram blanket when the baby is little.

Baby boy Polaroid quilt detail

Even better, it can be folded and rolled small enough to fit into a bag so the quilt can go wherever they go. Once your baby boy gets a bit older, the Polaroids will make for fun games of i-spy or for story-telling. Use it as a wall hanging, as a colourful addition at the end of their big bed or thrown over a chair.

Baby boy quilt reverse

The backing in Kona cotton teal looks great against the binding – a sweet seedling print by Denyse Schmidt.

Being made from 100% cotton makes this quilt so easy to care for. Just give it a short, cold machine wash and dry it flat in the shade, or pop it in a dryer on a low setting. It will come out as good as new.

This quilt will make a wonderfully versatile and practical gift for any baby and will soon be available via my Folksy shop.

Like what you see? Remember you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more lovely makes.

Regent Street lawn quilt

July 14, 20162 Comments

Often simple is best.

Start with a couple of charm packs (I used Moda’s Regent Street lawn) and two metres of a solid fabric (I used Bella Solid in off-white).

Regent Street lawn quilt materials

Cut the solid into 124 individual 5 inch squares. Sew the charm squares and solid squares together randomly into 16 rows with 13 squares in each row. Then sew the rows together.

Regent Street lawn quilt

As you can’t always find a fence tall enough I had to photograph the finished quilt hanging sideways. The quilt is 72 inches by 58 inches which is easily big enough for a single bed or as a large throw for the sofa.

Here is a close up showing the backing and detail of the quilt.

Regent Street lawn charm pack quilt detail

Regent Street lawn quilt detail

The lawn fabric is beautifully soft and silky giving the quilt a luxurious feel. And the long arm quilting in Curlz adds a lovely texture.

This quilt design is based on the Lazy Daisy pattern by Jeni Baker. It is a easy, simple pattern that is perfect for beginners.

Like what you see? Remember you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more lovely makes.

A country cottage style quilt

April 29, 2016Leave a comment

Fabric designs featuring large roses and pretty, soft colours make the perfect choice for a country cottage style quilt. This is a quilt I made some time ago using Tanya Whelan’s Petal collection (sadly no longer available).

Quilt made in Tanya Whelan Petal fabric

The colours appear sun bleached and summery whilst the overblown roses are reminiscent of warm afternoons relaxing in a country garden.

For the piecing, I chose an upscale version of a pattern appropriately named “square in a box”. There are lots of variations of this pattern however I kept it simple with a large centre square framed in either a spotted or checked fabric. The layout I chose alternates between blocks framed in spotted or gingham fabrics. Initially I alternated the two rose designs too however I quickly changed that to a random placement of the centre roses. Symmetrical layouts really are not for me.

Roses quilting on shabby chic/country cottage style quilt

Roses quilting detail on Tanya Whelan petal quilt

The quilt was long arm quilted using a dense pattern of open roses. It is a little difficult to see in this photo however I think you can make out one of the roses in the gingham square.

Pieced backing on shabby chic/country cottage style quilt

Pieced backing on Tanya Whelan petal quilt

In keeping with the country style of the fabrics, I made a pieced backing for this quilt featuring the large roses and two smaller rose designs not used on the front. The pink gingham fabric makes a charming binding to finish.

This quilt has been washed to achieve that lovely vintage crinkly appearance and is made from 100% cotton fabrics, thread and wadding. It will be on display at my Bucks Open Studio event in June. I’d love to see you if you are able to visit.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing details of more of my quilts that will be on display in June. Remember you can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. I look forward to seeing you there.

Milk churn patchwork quilt

March 24, 2016March 24, 20163 Comments

What do you give someone when you want something that says “you’re special”, something that says “thank you”, something that says “I love you”? For me, the answer is usually always a handmade quilt (sometimes it is cake but that is another story).

Earlier this year, it was my privilege to make a custom order quilt for a couple who have a jersey cow stud. When I showed my client a fun quilt pattern featuring rows of milk churns (remember those?) we knew we’d found the perfect design. I mean, dairy farmers and milk churns, what could be more appropriate?

Milk churn patchwork quilt

The fabric collection is Milk Cow Kitchen by Mary Jane Butters for Moda. Nostalgic, a bit kitsch, the collection features tiny jersey cows, vintage cars, kitchen utensils, milk bottle tops and my personal favourite, lots of moos!!. There is even a recipe for strawberry jam.

Milk churn patchwork quilt detail

To make the quilt I used this free pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop. I did change the pattern slightly by adding an extra column of milk churns to make it wider and I changed how I added the sashing. The milk churn lids were made as larger strips that are then cut down making it much quicker and easier to put together than it first looks.

Milk churn patchwork quilt detail

The finished quilt was professionally long-arm quilted with an overall pattern called Cloud Nine.

Milk Cow Kitchen patchwork quilt backing

Milk churn patchwork quilt backing

And for the backing, I chose this green Lulu fabric from the Up Parasol range by Heather Bailey. It is one that I wish I had been able to buy more of as it really is the most lovely light olive green.

The 100% cotton wadding in the quilt makes it irresistibly soft and warm and gives the quilt a beautiful drape. At 70 inches by 64 inches, it is a very versatile size and perfect for a bed or a sofa.

Today I received the good news that Royal Mail and Australia Post did their bit and delivered the quilt safe and sound to its new home. And I’m very pleased to say that it was a very welcome present that will be much loved for many years to come. A special gift for a lovely couple.