I guess the words I chose stem from me, always wishing stuff would happen, or moaning about why things didn't happen... so from now on I’m going to… MAKE IT HAPPEN …
Supplies needed: • Fat quarter bundles of the *scrummy florals from craftcotton • 2 Fat quarters of lightweight interfacing • White cotton fabric measuring 30” x 46” • Batting measuring 32” x 24” (this is the softest batting I’ve ever used – love it) • Templates for letters, hearts and flowers • Basic sewing supplies Note: * I used a few from each of the Floral Daisy Collection in ‘Salmon, Navy, Blue and Aqua.
Let’s begin: The difficult part, is choosing the fabrics, I wanted to put them all in to the quilt from this beautiful collection. Using a heart template that measures 4” at it widest point, mark out 7 of these onto your interfacing, roughly cut these out and iron them onto the wrong side of your pink floral fabric
Using the same process, create 6 flowers, in the blue floral fabric using a simple flower template measuring 3” at its widest point, I used a 3/4” circle in salmon to create the centres.
To create the lettering, I chose the font I preferred in ‘word’ and enlarged it, so each letter measured 2.5” x 2.5”, using the same process as before, draw out each letter but this time in reverse onto your interfacing, and iron onto the wrong side of your chosen floral fabric – see photo below…
Now all our appliques are complete, we can start the process of arranging them onto our white fabric. I used a little basting glue to hold them in place, while I blanket stitched by machine around each applique I began at the bottom and worked my way up the quilt, using a long clear quilting ruler as I went…
Once you are happy with the positioning of your applique, begin by blanket stitching the large heart in the middle, and working your way out to the edges
Sandwich your batting between the top and bottom of your quilt, baste with a spray glue to hold in place, while you quilt. Drop your feed dogs and attach your quilting foot, designing your free motion pattern as you go. (if you don’t have a quilting foot, you can leave your feed dogs up and quilt in straight lines using your usual foot). Trim your quilt on all edges, and you’re ready to bind.
Making your hanging strip… Make a strip using the pink floral fabric that measures 28” x 4”, I had to join two strips together to create this length. Fold in half long ways and with right sides together, sew a ¼” seam. Turn right way out, and sew ¼” from the top of your quilt
You can now sew on your binding, (I made my own using some of the floral fabrics) Attach with right side together to the front of the quilt, fold over the edges, and hand-sew using a binding stitch.
When you reach the top where your hanging strip is, your binding should cover any sewing lines
To hang your motivational quilt, use a 1” doweling rod.
Thanks, for reading this tutorial, for more tutorials head over to my blog at www.creativeblonde.co.uk.
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By Michelle Roberts for the Craft Cotton Company 2017