Comforter Quilts, part 2

If you don't want to be completely confused you might want to head over here first. This is the second part of the instructions for making bedding like this:

I will apologize beforehand for no pictures of these steps and the delay in posting this as I had promised to post this last week and it is now Thursday of the following week.  I have one word picture for you: the stomach flu and five young ones.

Now that my excuse is out of the way...let's finish up our beautiful quilt instructions.

You should have your border put on the faces of your quilt (two matching sides if you are making them reversible).

Now you need to purchase batting.  Typically batting does not come quite wide enough for the quilt.  So there will be a 'seam' of batting. 

I lay my quilt face upside down on a clean floor and roll the batting out on it.  As soon as you have covered the quilt with one layer of batting I hand sew the batting with a large needle and a long, simple stitch to close up the batting seam.  To prevent the batting from separating or bunching you need to connect it well but not so tight that it doubles up.

Now pin the batting all around the edges to the quilt face.  Next is the most difficult part of the entire sewing project. 

Take the pinned quilt and batting and sew it on the sewing machine with the quilt right side up.  You are sewing the batting in to make sure it stays put. 

Sew carefully on every seam you have made on your quilt face, beginning on the outer most seams.  The batting tends to jam into the sewing machine and is messy so this step takes an immense amount of patience.  But it is worth it! This helps prevent clumping in the washing machine and gives the quilt a nice finished, quilted look.

Once your face (or both sides, if reversible) are fully sewed in with the batting place them on the floor with right sides together.  All you should see is batting on the top and bottom. 

Trim any excess batting around the edges.  Pin the two sides together very well.  Now sew straight around three sides of the quilt (leaving a short side open) with about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch allowance.

Reach in through the open side and pull the whole quilt right side out, making sure to pull corners completely through.

Tuck the seams of the open end in so that there are no raw edges and pin it every few inches this way.  Sew it closed with about a 1/4 inch allowance.

The last step is to use a long embroidery needle with either embroidery thread or yarn to tie a knot through the middle of each square.  This adds extra protection against 'bunching' in the washer. 

I put a very long strand on my needle so I can do a few squares in a row without having to rethread each time.  Simply knot the yarn or thread at the end, find the middle of one square, and guide the needle through the middle of the corresponding square on the other side (if reversible), cut enough excess to tie, set the threaded needle aside, and knot. Now repeat on every square.

That's all there is to it. 

I do these projects often over a few months, using a lot of Saturdays.  It is worth the cost and time to me to be able to make great looking bedding the kids love that also stand up well in the washer! And if your kids get involved it is much more fun, and even educational!

Happy sewing!