The Art Of Crocheting Wedding Ring Quilts

The wedding ring quilt is a thoughtful and special gift for newlyweds that symbolizes love and unity. The interlocking rings represent the bond of marriage. The pattern was popularized in the 1920s during the Great Depression as it could be easily made from small scraps. Today, it is an advanced pattern that can be passed down from generation to generation as a homemade family heirloom.

Choosing your colours

Choosing the right colours for your wedding ring quilt is an important step in the crocheting process. The colours you select will determine the overall aesthetic of the quilt and can be used to symbolise the couple's love and unity. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect colours:

Consider the couple's favourite colours: If you know the couple well, you may want to incorporate their favourite colours into the quilt. This adds a personal touch and makes the quilt even more meaningful.

Think about complementary colours: When selecting colours, consider ones that complement each other. You can use a colour wheel to identify complementary colours or play around with different combinations to see what looks appealing.

Choose colours that reflect the wedding theme: If the quilt is intended as a wedding gift, try to incorporate colours that match the wedding theme. This could be the colours chosen by the couple for their decorations, flowers, or bridesmaids' dresses.

Use neutral colours for a timeless look: If you want the quilt to have a timeless and elegant feel, consider using neutral colours such as white, cream, beige, or grey. These colours are versatile and can be paired with almost any accent colour.

Add a pop of colour: While neutral colours are classic, you can also add a pop of colour to make the quilt more vibrant and fun. This could be a bright shade of pink, blue, green, or yellow, depending on the couple's preferences.

Don't be afraid to experiment: Crocheting a wedding ring quilt is a creative process, so don't be afraid to experiment with different colour combinations. You can try mixing and matching various shades to see what looks appealing together. Remember, you can always unravel and start again if you're not happy with the result!

Remember, the colours you choose for your wedding ring quilt will make it unique and special. Take your time in selecting the right combination to create a cherished heirloom that the couple will treasure for years to come.

Getting the right materials

To make a wedding ring quilt, you will need a variety of materials, including yarn, a crochet hook, yarn needles, and fabric.

For the yarn, you will need a medium weight or worsted weight yarn in four different colours. The specific colours and amounts will depend on your personal preference and the size of your quilt. However, as an example, the Red Heart Super Saver Yarn in White, Frosty Green, and Seagrass are popular choices for a wedding ring quilt. You will generally need multiple skeins of each colour, with the exact number depending on the size and design of your quilt.

A crochet hook is another essential tool for this project. The recommended hook size for this type of project is an I/9 or 5.5 mm hook. This size will work well with the medium weight yarn and help you achieve the desired stitch gauge.

Yarn needles are also necessary for weaving in the yarn ends and creating a neat finish. You will typically need a pack of two yarn needles for this project.

Additionally, if you plan to create a quilt sandwich, you will need backing fabric, batting, and binding fabric. The backing fabric should be slightly larger than your quilt top to allow for shrinkage during quilting. The batting provides warmth and loft to your quilt, and the binding fabric is used to finish the edges. The specific amounts of each will depend on the size of your quilt, but for a smaller quilt, you may need around a half yard of background fabric and fat eighths of various coloured fabrics for the binding and other details.

Cutting your fabric

The first step in making your wedding ring quilt is to cut your fabric. You will need to cut out all the individual pieces that will make up the quilt's pattern. This includes the arcs, the background ovals or diamonds, and the centre pieces. Here's a step-by-step guide to cutting your fabric:

Start by downloading and printing the templates for the quilt pattern. You can find these online or in quilting magazines. Make sure to print them at the correct scale, as this will ensure that your finished quilt blocks are the right size.

Choose the fabric you want to use for your quilt. You can select a variety of colours and prints to create a unique design. Consider the colour scheme and the overall look you want to achieve.

Using your templates, carefully cut out the required number of pieces for each part of the quilt. For example, you will need eight arc pieces, four background pieces, and so on. It's important to be precise when cutting to ensure that your pieces fit together nicely.

As you cut out each piece, transfer any markings from the templates, such as match points or seam allowances. These markings will be important when you start sewing your pieces together.

Once you have cut out all the pieces, it's a good idea to label them to keep track of which piece goes where. You can use small pieces of masking tape or fabric pens to label each piece with its corresponding letter or number from the template.

Before moving on to the next step, lay out your cut fabric pieces to ensure you have everything you need and that they all fit together properly. Adjust your seam allowances as needed to achieve a perfect fit.

Now that your fabric is cut and prepared, you can start sewing your pieces together to create the interlocking rings that symbolise love and unity in the traditional wedding ring quilt pattern.

Remember to take your time when cutting your fabric, as this step is crucial to the overall success of your quilt. With careful cutting and precise sewing, you'll be well on your way to creating a beautiful and cherished wedding ring quilt.

Sewing the quilt

Begin by slip-stitching the colour bands to the eyes. Start at the corner chain-spaces, working in the back loop of the eye and the front loop of the band, matching the stitches, and slip-stitch together. At the end of the eye, slip-stitch in the centre chain of the chain-three, attach the second colour band on the opposite side, and slip-stitch across as before.

Next, attach the completed eyes/colour bands to the octagons in the same manner. With the wrong sides together, the colour band facing, and beginning at the chain-two corner of the octagon, match the stitches and slip-stitch as before, ensuring all stitching continues in the same direction.

Finally, attach the centre motifs. Beginning at any chain-two corner point, slip-stitch around, matching the stitches. For the outer edging, attach the yarn in any chain-two corner on the octagon, chain one, and slip-stitch in the same stitch as joining and in each stitch and chain around, working one slip-stitch in the joinings. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Once all the pieces are assembled, make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric (right side down), the batting on top, and then the quilt top (centrally and right side up). Baste the layers together using pins, spray, or your preferred method. Quilt as desired. Trim the quilt to size, cutting away the excess backing and batting. Sew the binding strips together, fold and press the binding in half lengthways, and attach the joined binding strip to the front of the quilt, creating a neat mitre at each corner. Fold over the binding and hand-stitch in place to finish.

Finishing touches

Once you have crocheted all the pieces of your wedding ring quilt, it's time to assemble them. The pieces should be slip-stitched together on the front side to create a textured look. Start by attaching the colour bands to the eyes, then attach the completed eyes/colour bands to the octagons. Make sure to match the stitches and slip stitch across, keeping all stitching in the same direction. Finally, attach the centre motifs. Begin at any ch-2 corner point and slip stitch around, matching the stitches.

For the outer edging, attach the yarn in any ch-2 corner on the octagon. Chain 1, single crochet in the same stitch as joining, and in each stitch and chain around, working 1 single crochet in the joinings. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Add a sweet shell crochet edging as a border around your crochet blanket once you're done. You can also add a quilt backing and binding to finish off your quilt. Choose a fabric that complements your crochet work, such as a solid colour or a simple print. Cut the fabric to size, allowing for seam allowances, and sew it to the back of your crocheted quilt top. Finally, add binding to the edges for a neat finish.

Remember to treat your finished quilt with care. Follow the care instructions for the yarn or fabric you have used to ensure your handmade heirloom can be cherished for generations to come.

Frequently asked questions