Patchwork Quilts & Gifts: 20 Patchwork and Appliqué Quilts from Cowslip
By Jo Colwill
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About this ebook
In Patchwork Quilts & Gifts, expert Jo Colwill demonstrates a wide range of patchwork and quilting techniques suitable for both the beginner and the more experienced sewer, including her unique template-free and bondaweb applique, needle-turn applique, hand- and machine-quilting, embroidery, and embellishing.
The ten full-size quilt designs are accompanied by ten smaller projects that use a motif or design taken from the original quilt, enabling you to make up quick patchwork projects to accessorize your home or create fabulous gifts for family and friends. Projects include cushions, hangings, and a needle cushion, and a cuddly rabbit.
Jo Colwill
Jo Colwill runs her shop and workshop space – Cowslip Worshops – from her organic farm in Launceston, Cornwall. She has been quilting and teaching for over 20 years and has built up a huge reputation within the quilting community.
Read more from Jo Colwill
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Book preview
Patchwork Quilts & Gifts - Jo Colwill
Introduction
To be asked to write one book is an honour, and a second is fantastic, so here is a fresh collection of my designs. I hope they will inspire you to create a range of quilts and gifts for your home, your family and your friends – and get a great deal of pleasure along the way.
The designs in this book are inspired by the countryside where I live and also my travels to Scandinavia, so you will find a varied collection of ideas – from rural motifs of rabbits, birds, dogs and horses, to floral and seasonal themes. There are projects that feature simple patchwork and relaxed appliqué, and others that are more time consuming and use much-loved blocks and traditional piecing.
Projects: The projects are a mix of techniques, including simple patchwork, more advanced piecing, various appliqué techniques, hand and machine quilting, and some hand embroidery. Some projects are suitable for confident beginners while others are more suited to quilters with wider experience. Do read all of the project instructions before you start a project, to familiarize yourself with what is required. The projects use a ¹⁄4in (6mm) seam allowance, unless otherwise stated.
Tips: Additional advice and guidance is given in the form of tips throughout the book. Each project also has a ‘gift ideas’ feature, with suggestions on who you might make the project for, and how you might adapt the it to create additional gifts from the design.
Measurements: Imperial and metric measurements have been given throughout the book, with metric in brackets (parenthesis). The projects were made using Imperial measurements, so the best results will be obtained using this system. The more adventurous projects, such as Scandinavian Journey and Vintage Bouquet, do need accurate piecing for the best results. I aim to achieve a high quality result in my quilting but I am mostly driven by the need to be creative and let the fabrics tend to tell the story. Measurements are important, especially for more advanced piecing, but I try not to let them get in the way of creating a piece of work that is enjoyable to make and pleasing to look at.
Fabrics: Fabric types and quantities are given in the You will need list at the start of each project. I have described the fabrics I used but the designs will suit a wide range of fabrics, so feel free to seek out your own choices. Fabric quantities are based on a 42in (107cm) width of fabric, unless otherwise stated. Colour is very personal and can be so uplifting – I often bury myself in my fabric stash and then find that half the day has gone by. You may want to change my colour choices and that’s fine. The projects are meant to be used, to be adapted and, hopefully, will inspire you to make more.
Diagrams: Drawings have been supplied to illustrate the stepped text where necessary. These are not to scale but are intended just to support the text.
Templates: Most of the projects use templates for the appliqué and quilting motifs and these have been provided full size. Most of the patterns are in the Template section at the back of the book, while some of the larger templates are on the pull-out pattern sheets. You can photocopy the templates for your own use if you wish to enlarge or reduce them.
Techniques: General techniques common to many of the projects are given in a section at the back of the book, with diagrams and photographs where needed. It is a good idea to read through this section before you start any project.
Appliqué methods: Most of the projects use appliqué in one form or another because I love it. Two methods have been used for the projects – fusible web appliqué and hand needle-turn appliqué – and both methods are described in detail in the General Techniques section. You can change a project to use the method of your choice, just remember that needle-turn appliqué requires a small seam allowance around each motif, usually ¹⁄8in–¹⁄4in (3mm–6mm). Fusible web appliqué does not need a seam allowance but the edges are usually oversewn in some way, either with free machine stitching or hand blanket stitch.
Patchwork, appliqué and quilting are such rewarding crafts, and are perfect for meeting up with friends and sharing ideas and skills. Without the support and help from my family and workmates I would never be able to achieve anything and am so grateful for their encouragement and support. I also have my four-legged friends, who are my inspiration. I hope you have fun making and adapting these projects for the loved ones in your life.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
Since I first started patchwork, the techniques and materials available have grown and developed immensely, especially over the last fifteen years. The fabrics and threads that are now on the market are amazing and exciting and we are so lucky to have excellent fabric shops and wonderful selections of fabric. I feel it is important, and fulfilling, to put your own stamp or love into a quilt, so do think about using an old dress or a child’s outgrown clothing, as long as the material is still strong and colourfast. I only ever use cotton fabric, with the very rare exception of a label on a piece of clothing that is particularly special.
Wadding (batting) is the layer between the quilt top and the backing. It can be 2oz bonded polyester cotton (not too thick), or wool, which needs to be bonded or needle punched. The bonding or needle punching means that when you are quilting, the fibres do not pull through on the needle and ‘beard’ on the quilt front, which is unsightly. For dark quilts, dark-coloured wadding is available. Whichever wadding you choose, make sure it is not too thick, as this makes it harder to get achieve small hand quilting stitches or to handle through the machine. Traditionally, the layers of a quilt were tacked (basted) together about every 6in (15cm) or so, and some people still like to do this. I now use a temporary adhesive called 505 – see General Techniques: Spray Basting for my technique.
Basic tool kit
Each project has a list of fabrics and supplies you will need to make the project but the following is a list of useful general items.
Quilter’s ruler
Rotary cutter and mat
Tape measure
Iron
Sewing machine
Scissors
Needles and pins
Thimble
Template plastic or thin card
Fabric markers
Fusible web
Spray basting glue (such as 505 brand)
Horse and Dog Nine-Patch
This simple nine-patch block quilt is a good one to start your quilt-making career. It has a manly feel because I made it for my husband to cheer him up after an operation. I have chosen to feature prints of dogs and horses because we love them, but you could use other prints and more feminine colours. I wanted to use some lightweight linen horse prints that someone had given me, which balance well with denim. I pre-washed the fabrics to avoid shrinkage later. The quilt has mellow red quilting stitches and the odd cross stitch to give a warm feel.
You will need
Seven fat quarters of different fabrics for the A blocks
Red fabric print ³⁄4yd (0.75m) for A blocks, inner red border (F and H) and binding
One fat quarter of a picture print with small motif (I used dogs) for the centre of the nine-patch blocks and the four outer border corners (ten pictures in total)
Six picture prints (I used horses) for the B blocks, each 8¹⁄2in × 5¹⁄2in (21.6cm × 14cm)
Beige plaid fabric ¹⁄2yd (0.5m) for outer border of the A blocks
Grey check fabric ³⁄4yd (0.75m) for B blocks and outer border (G and I)
Blue dress-weight denim ¹⁄2yd (0.5m) for outer borders of the B blocks
Cotton wadding (batting) 50in × 60in (127cm × 152.5cm)
Backing fabric 50in × 60in (127cm × 152.5cm)
Cotton perle thread No. 8 in dark red for quilting (or colour of your choice)
Finished size
42in × 54in (106.7cm × 137.2cm) approx.
Use ¹⁄4in (6mm) seams throughout, unless otherwise stated
gift idea
This quilt can be made in any colour scheme you like, with different feature prints, so would make a perfect gift to cheer anyone. It could also be made smaller, with just nine blocks or even just four, if you want a really quick present.
CUTTING OUT
1 The quilt has two different blocks, A and B. Refer to Fig 1 and Fig 2 for the layout of each block. For Block A, cut six 3¹⁄2in (8.9cm) squares from each of the seven fat quarters. From the dog picture fabric cut ten 3¹⁄2in (8.9cm) squares (six for the middle of the A blocks and four for the corners of the outer quilt border).
2 From the beige fabric cut twelve strips 2in × 9¹⁄2in (5cm × 24.1cm) for block border A and twelve strips 12¹⁄2in × 2in (31.8cm × 5cm) for block border B (Fig 1).
Fig 1 Layout of Block A
3 From the red fabric cut the following:
Six 3¹⁄2in (8.9cm) squares for the A blocks. Once these are cut you will now have a total of fifty-four 3¹⁄2in (8.9cm) squares for the A blocks.
Cut two strips 36¹⁄2in × 1¹⁄2in (92.7cm × 3.8cm) for the inner quilt border, top and bottom H.
Cut two strips 1¹⁄2in × 48¹⁄2in (3.8cm × 123.2cm) for the inner quilt border, sides F – you will have to join three width of fabric strips to create these lengths.
Cut five 2¹⁄2in (6.4cm) × width of fabric strips for the binding. This is sufficient for a double-fold binding; if you want a single-fold binding, as I did, then cut the strips 1¹⁄2in (3.8cm) wide.
4 For Block B, cut six pictures of your choice (I used horses) each 8¹⁄2in × 5¹⁄2in (21.6cm × 14cm).
5 From the grey check cut twelve strips 8¹⁄2in × 2¹⁄2in (21.6cm × 6.4cm) for block border C (see Fig 2). Cut two strips 36¹⁄2in × 2¹⁄2in (92.7cm × 6.4cm) for the outer quilt border, top and bottom one and two 2¹⁄2in × 48¹⁄2in (6.4cm × 123.2cm) for the outer quilt border G – you will have to join three widths of fabric strips to create these lengths.
Fig 2 Layout of Block B
tip
If your horse pictures are a different size from mine then adjust the size of the borders to suit your picture sizes. The centre part of the block (horse picture and top/bottom border C) needs to be 8¹⁄2in (21.6cm) wide × 9¹⁄2in (24.1cm) high once sewn together.
6 From the denim cut twelve strips 2¹⁄2in × 9¹⁄2in (6.4cm × 24.1cm) for border D of the B blocks and twelve 12¹⁄2in × 2in (31.8cm × 5cm) for border E.
PIECING BLOCK A
7 Take the forty-eight fat quarter squares and the six dog squares and arrange them into six nine-patch blocks, with the dog square in the centre – see Fig 3. Working on one block at a time, sew the squares together into three rows, and then sew the rows together. See General Techniques: Cutting and Piecing: Squares and Rectangles, for further details on making and pressing if required. Make six of Block A in total, arranging the squares so you have a nice variety in each block.
Fig 3 Adding the border to the nine-patch
8 Add the border to each block as follows. Take the shorter beige strips (A), sew them to the sides of the block and press the seams outwards. Take the longer