It's been about ten years ago since I first learned to "quilt" what I call a "cheater's" quilt. My quilt-expert buddy, Donna says it's a preprinted quilt, but because it's not a pieced one, I like my name for it better~it goes together so easy compared to one that's pieced! Isn't that cheating? LOL!! NOT that I wouldn't like to learn HOW to piece one, because I definitely would! I just haven't done a pieced one, YET~one day, though, I am going to learn!!
Cheater Quilts are quite easy. All you need is to gather together some measurements and simple supplies! You can make one up pretty quick! Oh, these aren't my idea either. I can thank Miss Pat for teaching me those years ago and for the inspiration she gave me in showing me the ones she had done! Hers were so pretty, and I did one each for my kiddos when they were much younger for their twin beds. This time I am working on a baby gift for a friend.
The inspiration was the Disney movie, Cars. I went to Joann's Fabrics to get the materials. It consisted of two layers of fabric and one of batting. I used low loft and 100% cotton so it would wear and wash well. The measurements are just right for a baby quilt. Since the width is perfect, I didn't need to do anything but have it cut the appropriate length for both the solid and the print. (Make sure both sides are the same size!)
Supplies:
Two fabrics equal length of the project you are completing. You can measure a blanket (quilt or comforter) that you already like and then take those measurements to the fabric store and purchase your fabric. Now what I did was take a color from a print and purchase that for the back. In this case it was the Disney Cars fabric with the bright primary red car of Lightening McQueen so I bought bright red to match. When I made my daughter hers, I used black for the back and a butterfly print on black for the top.
Batting for the inside. I've heard you can use old blankets for this, but I think if you can, getting the batting is nice. You can choose how thick you want to quilt to be by choosing what "loft." I chose low loft meaning it isn't awfully thick. My thinking was that I'd have to quilt it by hand, and it would be easier with low loft instead of high.
Thread. Match the dominate color. I like to use the color of the solid background so that it's a monochromatic look. But really, it's up to your tastes. Use a good thread or embroidery floss. You want this to be strong.
Quilting safety pins. These are best to work with because they are bent to make pinning easier that with the unbent versions. I've used both. Right now, this quilt is pinned with straight safety pins b/c I don't have the bent ones!
Directions:
Lay either the printed or solid facing down and then place the batting on top of the first layer.
Lay the top layer facing the ceiling and match those edges so they are even all the way around the quilt.
Smooth out any wrinkles from the center out. Moving to the edges, smooth out all wrinkles.
After the piece is smooth, then go back to the center and pin dead center and work your way to the edges pinning as you go through all the layers.
Once you are reaching the edge, then roll the layers either towards the print or solid fabric. Roll this edge to put the raw sides turned under and pin all along the edges until the whole blanket is completed.
Once the edges are pinned, I always stitch these seams first. This provides stability and strength to the early stages of the project.
Begin to stitch around a motiff in the patterned fabric. My choice of bright red is matched with bright red thread. I go through all the layers and then use the running stitch to outline a particular image all over the blanket. You could outlive all the images or just one particular one. I like doing the least of them, and find that the guilt holds together quite well. Another option is to "tie" the quilt using embroidery floss and using a larger bore needle go into areas spaced no further than eight inches and tie it off leaving about two inches after a square knot is tied. You can also use buttons to tie the quilt off. You could even quilt every motiff in the patterned fabric. It's your choice!
After everything is stitched, you will see that your quilt is put together very well and solid. It should last a good long time!
Do you quilt? Do you do pieced or "cheater" ones?
Read on to see what the other FarmGirls at heart are up to this week
Plans 4You!!
I'm still stitching but when I'm done I'll post up a pic for ya'll to see!
What are you working on?
