Learn To Sew A Patchwork Quilt In Spectrum Cotton
If you know how to machine sew a very basic thing, like a napkin, you are fully equipped to make a quilt, and not just a quilt that will end up tucked in some dark closet, but an actually beautiful, useful quilt that will make you so proud, you’ll be wondering what quilt to make next!
Take the plunge with our wonderfully supportive Learn To Sew A Patchwork Quilt Pattern. We walk you through every step, from safely using a rotary cutter to sewing on the binding. We think novices should be in on the tricks of the trade, like chain piecing and mitered corners, so you’ll learn those techniques, too!
The pattern also offers four layout options for piecing your squares. Each one shown here is a different arrangement, using a different palette, which means… calculating, calculating… sixteen possible outcomes, plus the outcome where you pick whatever colors and arrangement your heart desires!
This project is actually a classic from our archive, so the big news here is that we updated it with the help of Spectrum Cotton, our super soft garment-dyed cotton that comes in a slew of gorgeous colors.
Our Learn To Sew A Patchwork Quilt Bundle includes all the Spectrum Cotton you need, plus thread and batting, and comes in four pretty palettes. Pick one up and join the wildly creative, boundlessly inspiring world of quilting!
Originally designed for Purl Soho by Molly Schnick.
Materials
- Patchwork Squares + Binding: Six ½-yard pieces of cotton fabric in six colors. (This is enough fabric to choose any of the colors as the binding.)
- Backing Fabric: 1 yard of cotton fabric.
- Cotton sewing thread in a coordinating color.
- 36 x 46-inch piece of 100% cotton batting in a thin weight. We used Quilter’s Dream Cotton Batting, Request loft, Craft size.
- A hand-sewing needle
- Straight patchwork pins
- Curved safety pins
- A rotary cutter
- A 12½-inch square rotary cutting ruler
- A 6½ x 24½-inch rotary cutting ruler
- A large rotary cutting mat
- For our Learn To Sew A Patchwork Quilt Pattern, please email customerservice@purlsoho.com and we’ll send a free PDF right over to you!
Update, May 2024: You can explore our current collection of beautiful fabrics and supplies on our page of Sewing Tools + Notions!
Size
Finished Dimensions: 32 x 40 inches
Obvious question from a complete quilting newbie. So can I also make a queen size quilt for my bed with this pattern and material? Any suggestions on how to best accomplish that?
Thank you for all the beautiful ‘maker’ items you tempt us with!!
Hi TofuAnnie,
Thanks for reaching out! You can certainly follow the pattern and make alterations for different sizes, however, to complete a queen size you will be more materials than what we have provided in the bundles!
I hope this helps, happy crafting!
Gianna
Also a newbie here: is Spectrum Cotton the same as quilting cotton? As in, can it be mixed with other quilting cotton?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for reaching out. I can confirm that Spectrum Cotton is indeed a quilting cotton! Hope this helps.
All the best,
Lili
I purchased the pattern and the fabric kit with the thread. What size sewing machine needle do I use with the organic cotton thread that was included in the fabric kit?
Hi Jean!
Thank you for leaving your comment. We recommend using your favorite quilting needle size, and the common sizes 80/12 and 90/14 are also great choices!
I hope this helps, and happy quilting!
All the best,
Margaret
Hello!
For the instructions on this pattern where you “stitch the ditch” (page 16) it specifies you should “sew right next to the seam on the side with the seam allowances pressed under”.
However, the pattern had us alternate which direction we pressed the seams for each row (pages 12-13), so a vertical “stitch the ditch” quilt line would only be on the side of the seam allowance half the time.
Is that a problem? I’m not sure what else to do as I assume it would not make sense to alternate the side of the seam you are stitching for each row!
For the horizontal quilting this should not be an issue, as each horizontal line is a row in a different direction.
Thank you!
Hi Kristin,
Thanks for writing in! We were able to check one of the sample quilts more closely and it looks like there are vertical (or horizontal) rows that are truly “in the ditch” because the seam allowances are pressed the other way. In the cases where the seam allowances alternated, they’re pretty much stitched on the seam line. We have a photo of this I’ll be emailing to you shortly so you can reference that.
I hope that helps, but please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Zha Zha
Is this bundle of materials still being sold or just the pattern now? I see that I can buy the pattern but every time I try to go to the actual bundle’s page to buy the kit, it gives me a 404 message.
Thank you!!!
Best,
Indira
Hi Indira,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that we are not selling this kit anymore, but you can pick up the materials individually! You can find everything you need at the links below:
Spectrum Cotton
Organic Cotton Thread
Cotton Batting
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
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