Pattern Description: Original design for a quilt to cover a daybed
Pattern Sizing: Bed size is 53 x 41 inches
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? My friend has a daybed where her granddaughters sleep when they visit. She requested me to design and sew a custom quilt with a zebra print center, a border in pink, and minky backing.
Were the instructions easy to follow? She was very flexible, so I let my imagination soar. First, I created a drawing of the final product, then added the seam allowances. This gave me the sizes to cut the fabric. I cut the zebra first, then cut 6" border strips in the pink. I sewed those together and mitered the corners. Then I added the minky backing, cut the same size as the quilt top. It seemed like the quilt lacked that special "pop", so I took out all the stitching and added a 4" minky border, sewing the border to the front first, then the back. Finding this more appealing, I placed the batting on the wrong side of the quilt top and turned the quilt right side out. I zigzagged the turning opening closed, and began pinning the layers together with quilting safety pins 2-3 inches apart. Once secure, I stitched in the ditch between the zebra and pink and again between the pink and minky borders. Then, the quilting began. Since I had never quilted before using free motion machine quilting, I decided to randomly follow the zebra print. I divided the quilt top into quarters, quilting one quarter at a time from the center outward. This made a beautiful and interesting texture on the back of the quilt. Then, I hand drew a bow that would be hand quilted at each of the corners and at the midpoint between the corners. To make the template the best size, I photocopied the original drawing until I printed out the perfect size for my corners. I traced the bow onto stiff plastic, making a template, traced around the template, then hand quilted the bows. To fill in the remaining negative space, I drew a ribbon, traced the drawing onto the template material, and traced onto the quilt, filling the negative space between bows.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I was extremely proud of my product, and my friend loved it. I learned a lot about free motion quilting that I would not have learned without this project.
Fabric Used: Cotton zebra and pink quilting fabric and black minky. All materials were purchased at Joann's. Since the minky is polyester, I used polyester batting, too.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: N/A
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes. It was a fun project and quite easy to do.
Conclusion: I think the final quilt is beautiful. There is so much textural interest, and the bows provide such a pretty, feminine touch. I like it, and would do a similar project for a baby or shower present.
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Pattern with more than 5 reviews!
It is beautiful..and so fun for the kids!! I'll bet they love it!
2/17/13 1:34 PM
It really is fabulous and especially for the purpose designed. Perfect for the daybed for visiting grandkids--I bet it becomes the focal point of the room.
2/17/13 2:37 PM
What a pretty quilt and wonderful gift! Great idea quilting along the zebra lines. I like the bold colors and I bet the grandkids will too!
2/19/13 4:23 PM