Query regarding fabric requirements to turn a wall hanging into a lap quilt...

Hello!

Years ago, I started what I expected to be a large wall hanging. This UFO colour study is 45 inches wide by 56 inches long. I would like to turn it into a decent sized lap quilt for my eldest child's dorm room. I know that I would like it to have two borders. I like the look of a thin border paired with a wide border. I would like to have the option of mitre-ing both borders.

My questions to the group are as follows: what size borders should I put on this colour study not only to make it a decent sized lap quilt, but to have a proper sense of proportion for these borders? About how much yardage should I purchase for each of the two borders? About how much yardage should I purchase for the backing? I know that I will add 1 yard to the amount of backing fabric in order to make bias binding. I'm not used to just winging it and hoping for the best. I prefer to follow patterns that list finish quilt size along with yardage requirements.

TIA for helping me finish yet another long-term UFO!

- dlm.

Hello again! I found six 6-inch cut strips of fabric and a just enough yardage left to cut another strip so that the colour study centre could have a single 5.5 inch finished border. All I would need to purchase would be about 5.5 yards of fabric for the backing and binding. The finished size would be about 56 inches by 68 inches. Does this size sound reasonable for a teenager to curl up with whilst away at university?

- dlm.

In article ,
says...

Hello again! I found six 6-inch cut strips of fabric and a just enough yardage left to cut another strip so that the colour study centre could have a single 5.5 inch finished border. All I would need to purchase would be about 5.5 yards of fabric for the backing and binding. The finished size would be about 56 inches by 68 inches. Does this size sound reasonable for a teenager to curl up with whilst away at university?

- dlm.

Well, if you think about it, that size would go all the way round
him/her! So it would be fine.
Can I just mention that there is no need to make bias binding for a
rectangular quilt (with straight sides I mean). You only need to use
bias, if there are scalloped edges or any curved side. Straight binding
would make things much easier for you.
Well done on getting a UFO into use. I have a 'few' to do somehow!

Pat on the Green

I just looked up lap quilts in my quillow book and the size there is 44"
x 62" so I agree with Pat that your size would be fine. In the first
post you said you wanted two borders. Have you thought of putting a very
thin strip between the main completed centre and the border. When I do
that I cut strips in a contrasting colour about 1"wide and fold them in
two and stitch (doubled like you would binding)to the main body of the
quilt with a 1/4" seam, and then attach the borders (So it almost looks
like piping). Then you can have an extra dividing contrast without
adding more to the finished quilt size which can get bigger and bigger
by adding borders if you aren't careful - been there, done that!

Can't offer advice about the backing as I tend to economize, and buy
just a big more than the length of the quilt, cut it down the middle
long ways and insert a pieced strip to make it the correct width; or use
John Flynn's formula (on his website)or a combination of the two. I have
used a sheet as I machine quilt. With fabric here at about £12 a yard
($18.5) you quickly learn some fabric-stretching tricks!! I found a good
quality fleece is popular too and then you don't need any batting and
fleece comes extra wide so no joins.

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk
http://picasaweb.google.com/SallySeaside

On 01/09/2013 07:59, Patricia Storey wrote:
In article ,
says...

Hello again! I found six 6-inch cut strips of fabric and a just enough yardage left to cut another strip so that the colour study centre could have a single 5.5 inch finished border. All I would need to purchase would be about 5.5 yards of fabric for the backing and binding. The finished size would be about 56 inches by 68 inches. Does this size sound reasonable for a teenager to curl up with whilst away at university?

- dlm.

Well, if you think about it, that size would go all the way round
him/her! So it would be fine.
Can I just mention that there is no need to make bias binding for a
rectangular quilt (with straight sides I mean). You only need to use
bias, if there are scalloped edges or any curved side. Straight binding
would make things much easier for you.
Well done on getting a UFO into use. I have a 'few' to do somehow!

Pat on the Green

Miz Sairey from our group got me in the habit of doing a narrow red border on almost everything I do! It never fails to make the piece "pop"!

Ginger in CA
too hot, too muggy here on the coast to think of wrapping up in anything!

On Sunday, September 1, 2013 2:40:56 AM UTC-7, Sally Swindells wrote:
I just looked up lap quilts in my quillow book and the size there is 44"

x 62" so I agree with Pat that your size would be fine. In the first

post you said you wanted two borders. Have you thought of putting a very

thin strip between the main completed centre and the border. When I do

that I cut strips in a contrasting colour about 1"wide and fold them in

two and stitch (doubled like you would binding)to the main body of the

quilt with a 1/4" seam, and then attach the borders (So it almost looks

like piping). Then you can have an extra dividing contrast without

adding more to the finished quilt size which can get bigger and bigger

by adding borders if you aren't careful - been there, done that!



Can't offer advice about the backing as I tend to economize, and buy

just a big more than the length of the quilt, cut it down the middle

long ways and insert a pieced strip to make it the correct width; or use

John Flynn's formula (on his website)or a combination of the two. I have

used a sheet as I machine quilt. With fabric here at about £12 a yard

($18.5) you quickly learn some fabric-stretching tricks!! I found a good

quality fleece is popular too and then you don't need any batting and

fleece comes extra wide so no joins.



Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

http://picasaweb.google.com/SallySeaside



On 01/09/2013 07:59, Patricia Storey wrote:

In article ,

says...



Hello again! I found six 6-inch cut strips of fabric and a just enough yardage left to cut another strip so that the colour study centre could have a single 5.5 inch finished border. All I would need to purchase would be about 5.5 yards of fabric for the backing and binding. The finished size would be about 56 inches by 68 inches. Does this size sound reasonable for a teenager to curl up with whilst away at university?



- dlm.



Well, if you think about it, that size would go all the way round

him/her! So it would be fine.

Can I just mention that there is no need to make bias binding for a

rectangular quilt (with straight sides I mean). You only need to use

bias, if there are scalloped edges or any curved side. Straight binding

would make things much easier for you.

Well done on getting a UFO into use. I have a 'few' to do somehow!



Pat on the Green

Well, if you think about it, that size would go all the way round

him/her! So it would be fine.

Can I just mention that there is no need to make bias binding for a

rectangular quilt (with straight sides I mean). You only need to use

bias, if there are scalloped edges or any curved side. Straight binding

would make things much easier for you.

Well done on getting a UFO into use. I have a 'few' to do somehow!



Pat on the Green

Thanks for the reminder that bias binding isn't necessary. When I looked at the yardage that I currently have that matches the six strips cut for the border, apparently I had cut off the selvedge edges and then cut the fabric in half so that I have two pieces of fabric that are about 20 inches wide by 72 inches long. I have absolutely no idea why I would have done that! In any event, I should still be able to figure out how to cut the fabric for the 7th border strip and to make binding strips.

- dlm.

Sally - I *love* your idea for a really thin "piping" between the centre and the border. Whilst I don't have any fabric remaining from the centre, I do have an extensive collection of FQ and half-yard cuts of Moda Marbles. In some cases, I actually have yardage. So, I can definitely make that happen. I've also decided that I will piece the back as you suggested. Since I'd like to make use of those Moda Marbles, I'm going to cut and piece charms and arrange them in colour wheel order in the pieced back. By following your suggestion, I will have an interesting quilt that is reversible. Thanks SO much for a great suggestion.

- dlm.

On Sunday, September 1, 2013 5:40:56 AM UTC-4, Sally Swindells wrote:
I just looked up lap quilts in my quillow book and the size there is 44"

x 62" so I agree with Pat that your size would be fine. In the first

post you said you wanted two borders. Have you thought of putting a very

thin strip between the main completed centre and the border. When I do

that I cut strips in a contrasting colour about 1"wide and fold them in

two and stitch (doubled like you would binding)to the main body of the

quilt with a 1/4" seam, and then attach the borders (So it almost looks

like piping). Then you can have an extra dividing contrast without

adding more to the finished quilt size which can get bigger and bigger

by adding borders if you aren't careful - been there, done that!



Can't offer advice about the backing as I tend to economize, and buy

just a big more than the length of the quilt, cut it down the middle

long ways and insert a pieced strip to make it the correct width; or use

John Flynn's formula (on his website)or a combination of the two. I have

used a sheet as I machine quilt. With fabric here at about £12 a yard

($18.5) you quickly learn some fabric-stretching tricks!! I found a good

quality fleece is popular too and then you don't need any batting and

fleece comes extra wide so no joins.



Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

Ahhh, yes...I remember Miz Sairey and her sizzle strip! Thanks for the fond memory. I'm already a huge fan of a thin border and a thick chunky border. So, I really love the idea of something more akin to piping because all I really want is to make the centre of my quilts pop.


- dlm.

On Sunday, September 1, 2013 10:13:21 AM UTC-4, Ginger in CA wrote:
Miz Sairey from our group got me in the habit of doing a narrow red border on almost everything I do! It never fails to make the piece "pop"!



Ginger in CA

too hot, too muggy here on the coast to think of wrapping up in anything!

For a really thin piping type border, this is by far the most easy and accurate way to get one:

Trim and square up the quilt top. For a 1/8 inch width piping cut strips at 3/4 inch. Sew the strips, right sides together, to the quilt top's edges- stitch to top edge first, then the bottom edge, then each side- using a 3/8 in. seam allowance. Then fold the strip back even with the trimmed edge of the quilt top and press. For a 1/4 inch width piping, cut the piping strips at 1 inch, sew right sides together to the quilt top in the same rder using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Fold back and press.

Add the next wide border in the usual way using a normal 1/4 inch seam allowance- which allows the piping to peek out. Try it on some small scraps to get the idea fixed in your mind and to double check your seam allowance widths, etc. The piping is not mitered but will be so narrow that it still looks fine with mitered borders if that's what you prefer.

With this method the piping strip is attached to the quilt and doesn't misbehave and bend back and forth on the finished quilt nor will it catch under your needle as you quilt. It's very accurate since the piping fabric isn't inserted between the quilt top and wide border where it might 'wander' as you sew on the border.

I've made a 1/16 inch piping border on a mini quilt using this method- with perfect results. ;-)

You're welcome!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.



On Saturday, August 31, 2013 6:13:31 PM UTC-5, - dlm. wrote:
Hello!



Years ago, I started what I expected to be a large wall hanging. This UFO colour study is 45 inches wide by 56 inches long. I would like to turn it into a decent sized lap quilt for my eldest child's dorm room. I know that I would like it to have two borders. I like the look of a thin border paired with a wide border. I would like to have the option of mitre-ing both borders.



My questions to the group are as follows: what size borders should I put on this colour study not only to make it a decent sized lap quilt, but to have a proper sense of proportion for these borders? About how much yardage should I purchase for each of the two borders? About how much yardage should I purchase for the backing? I know that I will add 1 yard to the amount of backing fabric in order to make bias binding. I'm not used to just winging it and hoping for the best. I prefer to follow patterns that list finish quilt size along with yardage requirements.



TIA for helping me finish yet another long-term UFO!



- dlm.

Leslie - I can't wait to try out your method for adding a thin piping border. Thanks for the great explanation!

- dlm.



On Sunday, September 1, 2013 1:45:05 PM UTC-4, Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.. wrote:
For a really thin piping type border, this is by far the most easy and accurate way to get one:



Trim and square up the quilt top. For a 1/8 inch width piping cut strips at 3/4 inch. Sew the strips, right sides together, to the quilt top's edges- stitch to top edge first, then the bottom edge, then each side- using a 3/8 in. seam allowance. Then fold the strip back even with the trimmed edge of the quilt top and press. For a 1/4 inch width piping, cut the piping strips at 1 inch, sew right sides together to the quilt top in the same rder using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Fold back and press.



Add the next wide border in the usual way using a normal 1/4 inch seam allowance- which allows the piping to peek out. Try it on some small scraps to get the idea fixed in your mind and to double check your seam allowance widths, etc. The piping is not mitered but will be so narrow that it still looks fine with mitered borders if that's what you prefer.



With this method the piping strip is attached to the quilt and doesn't misbehave and bend back and forth on the finished quilt nor will it catch under your needle as you quilt. It's very accurate since the piping fabric isn't inserted between the quilt top and wide border where it might 'wander' as you sew on the border.



I've made a 1/16 inch piping border on a mini quilt using this method- with perfect results. ;-)



You're welcome!



Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.