Tips and Tutorials

Anne Maundrell Designs

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Tips and Tutorials

How to make a quillow

Finished size of quilt: 42 inches x 53 inches

Fabrics

1.5 metres of print fabric for the centre of the blocks, the outer border and the corners of the pillow

2.5 metres of plain fabric for the binding, quilt backing and back of pillow

1 metre of plain or tone on tone fabric for the sashing strips that go between the blocks

2.25 metres of scraps at least 2 inches wide to make the strips for the log cabin blocks (if you don’t have scraps you need at least three or four colours for the strips, but it is best to use as many different fabrics as possible. It makes the quilt more interesting and it also makes it easier to put the blocks together at the end)

1.25 metres of 90 inch wide cotton/polyester batting (Do not use the thick polyester batting)

You will also need sewing thread, pins and a strip of thin card, a post card is ideal, plus usual rotary cutting equipment.

Construction

Foundation Pieced Log Cabin Blocks

From the print fabric cut 2 strips 3½inches wide from the width of the fabric, then cut 2 strips 3½inches wide from the length of the fabric (cut off the outside edge of the fabric first). Set these strips aside, they will be used for the outside border of the quilt.

From the remaining print fabric cut 13 x 3inch squares for the centers of your foundation pieced blocks. If your fabric has an interesting pattern or repeat, try to cut your squares so that the pattern will be in the center of your block. These squares don’t have to be cut exactly.

Take your squares and pin each one right side up to the paper foundation for your log cabin block (A1) on the non printed side.

foundation pieced block center

Make sure that you have at least ¼ inch extending beyond the printed line on all sides; you can hold the paper up to the light to see.

Next take a piece of card and place it on the line between A1 and A2, fold the paper back along the edge of the card and then take a ruler and trim the extending fabric to ¼inch.

Cut your fabric for the sides of the log cabin blocks into 2 inch strips, then take one piece and trim it so that it is at least ½inch longer than the first log cabin strip. Place it right side down on top of the trimmed edge of your central block. Pin in place but make sure the pins aren’t close to your stitching line.

Sew along the printed line using a short stitch length, 1.8 to 2 on your sewing machine. This makes it easier to tear away the paper after sewing. Extend the line of stitching a few stitches beyond each end of the line.

On the right side press back the log cabin strip away from the central square.

Take your piece of card and place it along the line between A1, A2 and A3. Trim the extending fabric to ¼ inch like you did for the first piece, and then add another strip of the same fabric face down, making sure it is longer than A3.

Sew along the line between A1, A2 and A3 then press and trim as you did for the first strip.

sew along the marked line

Continue adding log cabin strips in the same way until you have completed all four sides of the first row.

Choose another colour fabric and repeat the procedure to make another row of strips, and continue this way until the block is complete.
Once all the rows are added turn the block over and following the marked line trim the edges so that the completed block measures exactly 8½ inches square. Repeat for all the blocks.

The completed block with edges trimmed.

Sashing next click on this link.