This quilt all started with the backing fabric. I saw this fabric and fell in love with it and knew right away I wanted to do a red, grey and white quilt top – a top with stark white fabric. The quilt backing fabric is Zuzu Circles by Alice Kennedy for Timeless Treasures. Isn’t it just so awesome?
I had a lot of fun picking out reds and grey fabrics from my stash. I tried to only use fabrics that had a lot of high contrast to them. I used Kona White as the background fabric and wanted the prints to really stand out against that. I also cut up some of the backing fabric and used a little of that on the front, too.
The quilt top was made up of one block that looked like this and that I randomly rotated all over the quilt top to get a random scattering of the prints:
The blocks were made up of eight 3″ x 2.5″ rectangles sewn together and then two 2″ x 8.5″ strips of white sewn onto the sides, to make an 8.5″ block. I used some 8.5″ plain squares of Kona white to make some negative space on the quilt. There were 54 blocks total for the whole quilt, 6 across and 9 blocks down.
I used Warm and White cotton batting for this quilt – a must for white quilts where you don’t want the batting to dull the whiteness. I used TWO layers of batting on this quilt – I wish you could feel how heavy and warm that makes the quilt. I’ve been doing that a lot lately and really like it. It still machine quilts up just fine. If you use two layers of batting, do make sure that you use a heavier needle – a #14 quilting needle, to get through all those layers.
For the binding, I had to go with my favorite gingham binding and it was perfect because I had used some of the gingham in the quilt top. It’s Robert Kaufman Carolina ⅛” Gingham in Silver.
This quilt finished at 48″ x 72″, a great size to curl up for a nap with – it’s long enough for just about anyone. I never make my quilts more than 60″ wide, though, because that is the width of my ping pong table and that is where I baste them! I can make them as long as I want, though.
This quilt top sewed up so quickly – it was done before I knew it. My least favorite part of quilting is sewing the quilt back together. I’ve been using a method recently that makes this process a lot easier ➡︎ I’m going to be posting about it next time, I hope!
Thanks for stopping by!
Elaine
Beech Tree Lane Handmade 
Just as cute as can be! Hurry and post that “sewing the quilt back together method”. Can’t wait to see what that is.
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I love everything about this and might use your instructions to make a charity quilt using these blocks… thanks!
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I just love your quilt designs! I never would have thought to use gingham as a binding – it’s so cute!
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I’m going to try to do double batting like you have been doing. Since you say it quilts up just fine, I’m going to give it a go. Love this quilt!
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Gorgeous as usual!
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Always look forward to your quilts Elaine and you never disappoint. Beautiful, bright and cheery. 👍🏼
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Looking forward to your” easy sewing the quilt back together method”
Beautiful quilt. Going to try yr double batting method for extra warmth. Thanks!
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Crisp, clean, bright, pretty. Very nice.
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I love the white with pops of colour – simply stunning!
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I love it! It is so clean and fresh. Does it wash well with 2 lots of batting?
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Linda: Oh yes – no problem!
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Wow it looks amazing! So fresh and clean. I’m new to this and you have inspired me to give it a go and make a quilt because at the moment I’m making small things. The made up quilts I’ve seen all look so complicated and daunting. Thank you for making look exciting
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Lovely quilt, just lovely! I’ve never tried 2 layers of batting – think I will give that a go. Thanks for sharing.
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Love this quilt Elaine – interesting that you don’t seem to have quilted it with precise spacing – it looks like some quilt lines are 2.5″ and some are 3″ so you’ve quilted some rectangles a bit off the seam? you are usually so precise – is this a new rebel thing going on? I like it but would love to know how you decided to quilt it…
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Hey Diane: The reason for the quilting lines not being a perfect grid is that if you look how the blocks laid out, the rectangles fall so that the blocks end up not being in line down the whole quilt. That is why! The next quilt I am working on has squares and so you will see the quilting lines will be evenly spaced! Good eye!
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Can’t wait to see the next one! I’m currently struggling with ideas for using up 36 X 2″ strips of fabric which I bought on impulse at a craft fair, they are not a jelly roll but lovely moda off cuts, mainly pinks with some blue – just haven’t found the right design yet!
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