How to Make a Quick Simple Lap Quilt, Throw, Baby Blanket or Rug
There is no need to use a quilting frame or sewing machine when making a quilt using my method.
What you will need: Thread to match the material color - hand quilting thread of course is the best, its the strongest and easiest on the hands (really cheap thread tends to cut my hands) but a good all purpose thread is considerably less expensive and works great
Material depending upon the size of the quilt between 4 and 7 yards is plenty. Pick a soft and comfortable fabric, you can coordinate to fit the room or the individual (bright - loud patterns or not to good for sleeping with) look for a pattern with straight lines
Batting - again depending upon the size of quilt - also the loft will determine the warmth
Needles - needle threaders and scissors
Of course you may choose a complicated pattern - that's fine however its going to add to the amount of time it takes to make the quilt - you'll have more pieces to sew as well as cut out
The pattern I've made that I use for myself is just as quick and easy as I can keep it, the throws I have in our living room (and to put on the floor for the little kids to set on while playing) I've made in about a week.
The material pattern needs to have straight lines for me because I cut along the line to the desired size, put on the batting and sew.
For example - one quilt I have, I used a piece of black material lined with a row of red rose buds then a row of small yellow roses, I cut out two rows at a time ( lined with batting) folded over and sewed together, it gave me a double batted tube, when they where all sewn together I had a very warm comforter type quilt that is two sided - one side is red rose buds the other small yellow roses.
I sew the "Tubes" like this
1. Cut out a line of the material
2. Cut the batting to fit and place on material
3. Fold over a tiny hem and sew the batting down to the material (there is no need to go all the way through to the front side of your material) I hem the batting to the material on all for sides then fold together and sew up the "tube". Placing the needle inside the material - so the thread does not show on the outside
4. Sew one "tube" to another - pulling the material together to hide the seams - and placing the needle and thread on the inside so the thread does not show - I saw each "tube" to the next "tube" usually 3 times, sometimes more
5. I put tubes around the four sides - with the top one being slightly larger - this holds the quilt together with extra strength - sometimes I use a different piece of material
I've made quilts this way for several years now and so far they have held together through many washings - they don't seem to lack from not being tied or quilted straight through
I make the rugs basically the same way - I choose a good floor material - I make the "tubes", weave them all together then sew them all together. (This does take quite a considerable amount of time).
On some of my rugs I used embroidery thread on the back side along the seems for added strength, using a long stitch across the seem, sorta looks like this "////"- the ones I didn't use embroidery thread on seem to be just as strong. I actually use one for a bath mat - (I put a towel on top of it when I use it) and it keeps the cold floor much nicer in the cold winters