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6 simple TIPS to go from QUILT TOP to QUILT DONE!

6 simple TIPS to go from QUILT TOP to QUILT DONE!

by Paul Leger

During the course of this week, I showed you how to make a memory quilt such as the one I made for my friend Carla’s mother as a Mother’s Day gift. The techniques I used, such as using a ruler and pencil to mark your strips for perfect alignment, were simple and easy with the OLFA rulers, rotary cutters, and mats. These tools made the creative process a pleasant one.

As a reminder, here are the tools I had fun using.

·         OLFA RTY-2/C – Splash Rotary Cutter 45mm

·         OLFA Tungsten Tool Steel Rotary Blade 45mm

·         OLFA 1212″ Square Frosted Acrylic Ruler

·         OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler

·         OLFA 6″ x 24″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler

·         OLFA Square Rotating Cutting Mat

·         UNIQUE quilting Clever Clips Small

·         Sew Easy Freezer Paper for Quilting and Applique

A variety of OLFA tools with UNIQUE clever clips and Sew Easy Freezer paper; OLFA Splash Rotary Cutter 45mm, OLFA Tungsten Tool Steel Rotary Blade 45mm, OLFA 12½” Square Frosted Acrylic Ruler, OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler, OLFA 6″ x 24″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler, Sew Easy Freezer Paper for Quilting and Applique - 12.1m x 38.1cm (13.2yd x 15″), UNIQUE quilting 12 Clever Clips Small, free tutorial

A variety of OLFA tools with UNIQUE clever clips and Sew Easy freezer paper

Today’s post includes quick tips and recommendations on how I completed the project. 

Quilting

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the most prolific machine quilter, and with a limited budget I can’t send out all my quilts to be quilted by a professional with a long arm machine. When I decide to quilt my own quilts, I keep it simple. There’s nothing wrong with simply quilting straight lines. The line can be marked as I did on this quilt. I quilted ¼” on each side of the lattice strips and around each photo. If I make a quilt I know will be used and washed often, I quilt it a bit more.

A section of the quilt showing easy quilting lines.

Simple quilting complements any quilt.

A section of the quilt showing easy quilting lines.

Another simple option for quilting a memory quilt.

Trimming the quilt’s edge

After I baste my quilt, I always roughly trim the batting and backing to approximately ½” from the quilt top’s edge. Then once the quilting is completed, with the help of an OLFA ruler and rotary cutter, I trim the access batting and backing.

A quilts edge is ready to be trimmed using an OLFA ruler and rotary cutter; OLFA Splash Rotary Cutter 45mm, OLFA Tungsten Tool Steel Rotary Blade 45mm, OLFA 12½” Square Frosted Acrylic Ruler

After quilting is completed, trim away excess batting and backing.

Binding strips

Before I sew the binding strips together, I draw a 45-degree line on each end of the strip. This is because, when I grab a strip to sew, I just need to find either end as they’re both marked.

Both ends of the bonding strips are marked with a 45-degree lines using an OLFA ruler.

Mark both ends of the bonding strips.

Corners

I struggled for years with the corners when putting on binding. My friend Jim recommended I snip a little of the corner after I sew on the binding. This trick works nicely…no more struggles.

A corner of the quilt has a small snip removed.

Snip corners to easily turn the binding over.

Wrapping the binding over the edge of the quilt

This is probably the easiest part of putting on a binding, but can be tiring for the fingers trying to hold it down. To make this job easier on my fingers, I use small UNIQUE quilting Clever Clips. I place them every few inches, and put them closer together in the corners.

The quilt’s binding is held down using UNIQUE Clever Clips.

UNIQUE Clever Clips hold down the binding.

Sewing down binding

I personally have no objections to anyone securing the binding edge to the quilt by machine. If you use the right color thread and take care sewing, it can give a nice result.

The quilts binding is sewn down by machine.

Binding sewn by machine

With the quilt quilted and the binding on, Mamma Delfina’s quilt is done.

The completed memory quilt with family photos framed in a variety of light blue fabrics and dark blue strips.

Mama Delfina’s memory quilt

As I showed you this week with this memory quilt, quilting doesn’t need to be complicated to be beautiful and appreciated.

This week I wrote about some of the tools I have and use to make quilts. Every one of them can make the process so much easier. Take a look at the available OLFA tools, there’s something for all quilting projects.

I hope everyone enjoyed this week’s memory quilt project. I look forward to seeing all the quilts everyone makes.

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 4: Marking the right spots for perfect rows | Strip alignment made easy

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