Transforming Wedding Runners Into A Quilted Masterpiece

Wedding quilts are a great way to commemorate a special day and can be cherished for years to come. The tradition of creating quilts for weddings is an old one, and these quilts often become family heirlooms. Wedding quilts can be made using a variety of fabrics, such as cotton, polycotton, satin, and velvet, and can be personalised with embellishments like ribbons, buttons, embroidery, fabric paint, and sequins. The process of making a wedding quilt typically takes 10-15 days, and involves planning the quilt, sourcing materials, cutting fabric, sewing, assembling, layering, quilting, and binding. One popular wedding quilt pattern is the Double Wedding Ring quilt, which features overlapping rings to symbolise the love and devotion of the married couple.

Choosing a pattern

When choosing a pattern for your quilt, it's important to consider the wedding theme, the size of the quilt, the colours, and the complexity of the design. Here are some popular wedding quilt patterns to consider:

Double Wedding Ring:

This is a traditional quilt pattern featuring overlapping or interlocking rings that symbolise the love and devotion of the married couple. It is usually a large bed-sized quilt composed of 20 wedding rings in a classic quilt setting. The Double Wedding Ring pattern can be created using paper piecing or traditional quilting techniques.

Bridal Garden:

The Bridal Garden quilt pattern features bright and cheerful floral fabrics with small quilting applique details and green flower stems and leaves. It is composed of 42 trellis quilt blocks, making it a large and stunning quilt when completed. This pattern can be created using simple pieced blocks with a touch of applique.

Modern Wedding Ring:

This modern quilt pattern has a bright and cheerful colour palette. It is composed of 41 frame blocks and 40 snowball blocks, which makes it simple to assemble. The Modern Wedding Ring pattern uses fat quarters, allowing for easy customisation with different quilting fabrics. It is perfect for those who want a more contemporary design.

Love Knot:

The Love Knot pattern is a beautiful way to commemorate a wedding or anniversary. It can be used for a table runner or a full-size quilt. This pattern often features rich shades of pink contrasted with white, creating a romantic and elegant design.

Simple Block Patterns:

If you're looking for a more straightforward pattern, consider a simple block pattern like the nine-patch. This pattern is created by sewing together squares of fabric in a grid layout. It is easy to assemble and can be customised with different fabrics and colours.

Intricate Patterns:

For a more challenging project, opt for an intricate pattern like the log cabin. This pattern involves creating strips of fabric of varying widths and sewing them together to build complex blocks. It is a wonderful way to showcase a variety of fabrics and colours.

Selecting materials

Fabric Choice:

The type of fabric you choose will depend on the desired look and feel of your quilt. Here are some popular options:

• Cotton: Cotton fabric is a classic choice for quilting due to its softness, durability, and ease of use. It comes in various colours, patterns, and textures, making it perfect for creating unique designs.
• Silk: Silk fabric adds a touch of luxury to your quilt. It is lightweight, durable, and has a subtle sheen that will enhance the overall appearance.
• Linen: Linen is a strong and lightweight option. It is highly absorbent and will retain its shape over time. Linen also comes in a variety of colours, allowing for a diverse range of designs.
• Polyester: Polyester is easy to work with and resistant to wrinkles and creases. It offers a wide range of colours and patterns, making it ideal for creating unique and low-maintenance designs.
• Velvet: Velvet fabric adds a touch of elegance and luxury to your quilt. It is soft to the touch and can be found in various colours, making it perfect for creating a rich and opulent design.

Thread:

Select threads in multiple colours that coordinate with the fabrics in your quilt. This will allow you to stitch seamlessly without drawing attention to the thread itself.

Tools:

• Rotary Cutter: This tool allows you to cut fabric quickly and accurately in straight lines, making it easier to handle a variety of materials.
• Ruler: A ruler is essential for making accurate cuts and creating even borders. It will help you measure and cut fabric with precision.
• Iron: An iron is necessary to press seams and blocks, ensuring your quilt top is neat and well-formed.
• Quilting Pins: These pins are essential for basting, holding together the layers of your quilt before stitching.
• Sewing Machine: A sewing machine is crucial for piecing together the quilt top and quilting the layers. It saves time and provides a more durable finish.

Remember, as you gain more experience in quilting, you may want to invest in additional tools such as template plastic, marking pens, and specialty quilting needles to refine your craft further.

Cutting and sewing fabric

To make a wedding quilt, you will need quilting fabric, fabric scissors, quilting pins, a quilting ruler, a quilting hoop, and quilting thread. It is important to select the right fabric for the quilt. Choose a lightweight fabric, such as cotton, for the backing and a heavier fabric like cotton, polycotton, satin, or velvet for the top. It is best to use fabrics that are machine washable and dryable.

Before you start cutting, measure and cut the fabric to the desired size of your quilt. For example, a queen-sized quilt is usually about 90" x 90". Then, design your quilt layout by arranging the fabric pieces into a pattern or drawing out a pattern on paper. You can choose a simple block pattern like a nine-patch or a more intricate pattern like the log cabin. Consider the size of the quilt and the number of squares needed.

Once you have a pattern, draw the quilt square on the fabric using a quilting ruler and quilting pins. Cut out the fabric for the quilt square, making sure the pieces for the front and back are the same size and shape. Place the two fabric pieces with the right sides facing each other and pin them together around the edges.

Now, it's time to start sewing! Sew around the edges of the quilt square using a straight stitch, leaving a half-inch seam allowance. Trim the excess fabric and turn the quilt square right side out. Repeat this process, sewing the quilt pieces together by laying two pieces of fabric together, right sides together, and stitching along the edges. You can use a sewing machine or hand-sew the pieces together using a basic running stitch.

After you've sewn all the pieces together, it's time to layer the quilt. Place the quilt top, batting, and backing fabric together. Pin these three layers together and then quilt them by sewing a quilting stitch through all the layers.

To bind the quilt, attach a piece of binding fabric to its edges and stitch it in place. Trim off any excess fabric, then hand-sew the binding for a neat finish.

If you're creating a double wedding ring quilt, the process is slightly different. After cutting and sewing the fabric pieces, arrange them into rows. Sew the blocks into vertical columns, then sew the columns together with one long seam from top to bottom, ensuring you match up the centres of each block.

Layering and quilting

Layering:

Firstly, lay out your quilt backing on a flat surface, ensuring it is smooth and taut. It is a good idea to use masking tape to secure the backing to your work area. Next, place the batting or wadding on top, smoothing out any wrinkles or creases. The batting should be centred and aligned with the backing. Finally, carefully lay the quilt top over the batting, ensuring it is centred and all layers are lying flat and smooth. You may want to use safety pins or basting spray to baste the layers together temporarily to prevent shifting during quilting.

Quilting:

Quilting involves stitching through all three layers to secure them together and create a beautiful design. There are several methods you can use to quilt your project:

• Hand Quilting: This traditional method involves using a needle and thread to create even, small stitches by hand. It is a time-consuming process but creates a beautiful, heirloom-quality quilt.
• Machine Quilting: Using a sewing machine allows for quicker quilting and can handle more complex designs. Choose a machine with a long arm and the ability to handle thick layers of fabric. Practice your chosen quilting design on a scrap piece of fabric first to ensure you are happy with the stitch length and tension.
• Tie Quilting: This method involves using yarn or embroidery floss to tie knots through the three layers at regular intervals. It is a good option for beginners and creates a unique, textured look.

Once you have decided on a quilting method, it is essential to plan your quilting design. Simple designs include straight lines, stippling, or meandering. More complex designs can include patterns such as flowers, loops, or custom motifs. Transfer your chosen design to the quilt top using a washable fabric marker or chalk.

Now, you are ready to start quilting! Follow your marked design, ensuring your stitches are even and your fabric layers remain smooth and taut. If using a sewing machine, go slowly and steadily to avoid any puckers or bunching. If hand quilting, use a thimble to protect your fingers and aim for consistent stitch length.

Once you have finished quilting, remove any basting stitches or spray, and trim the excess batting and backing fabric to neaten the edges. Your quilt is now ready for binding, which involves attaching binding fabric to the edges to enclose the raw edges and give a neat finish.

Binding the quilt

Preparing the Binding

Before you bind, you need to quilt your quilt. This means attaching the front and back, with batting in between. You can do this by hand or by machine. Once your quilting is finished, you are ready to prepare the binding.

First, trim your excess batting. You can use a long quilter's ruler and a rotary blade to get the best results.

Next, cut your binding fabric into strips. The number of strips you will need depends on the size of your quilt. For a 42" x 42" baby quilt, you will need 168" of continuous binding. If you need more binding fabric for a bigger quilt, find the perimeter measurement of your quilt and divide that number by 42 (the width of the fabric you are cutting from). This will give you the number of strips you need. For example, if your quilt has a perimeter of 420", you will need 10 strips of fabric.

Cut your strips to be 2 ½" wide along the width of the fabric. Make sure to line up the fold of the fabric along a straight line or edge of your cutting mat to ensure that your strips are straight.

Now, sew the strips together to make one long strip. Place the strips right sides together and sew with a ¼" seam allowance. Press your seams open and then fold the entire strip in half lengthwise and press again.

Attaching the Binding

Take your strip and starting in the middle of one side of the front of the quilt, pin your strip to the edge - with the raw edges of the binding strip next to the raw edge of the quilt. Pinning the binding beforehand will make your sewing easier and help keep your quilt edge straight.

When you get to a corner, put a pin in at a 45-degree angle. Fold the strip up at the same angle and then fold it back down, matching the folded edge with the edge of the quilt. Continue pinning and repeat at each corner.

Now, take your quilt to the machine and sew the binding to the quilt using a ¼" seam allowance. Start in the middle of one of the sides and sew until you reach the corner. Sew right up to ¼" away from the edge of the quilt, lift the foot and needle, and turn the quilt. Flip the little triangle flap in the opposite direction and begin sewing the next side, continuing with the ¼" seam allowance.

When you have finished sewing all four sides, fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and pin it down.

Finishing the Binding

The final step is to hand sew the binding in place. Thread a needle with a single length of thread, knotted at one end. Use a blind hem stitch to sew the binding to the back of the quilt, hiding the knot underneath the binding. Bring the needle up through the binding close to the edge and sew a small stitch over the binding edge, inserting the needle into the backing fabric and bringing it out again. Repeat this process, keeping your stitches consistent and small for a stronger hold.

Press the back of the quilt when you are finished, and your quilt is now complete!

Frequently asked questions