Quilt-as-you-go Wall Quilt

Quilt-as-you-go is a unique form of quilting because it is done directly onto the batting. The fun thing about quilt-as-you-go is that there is very little precision involved. I'm going to show you how to make a fun wall quilt, quilt-as-you-go style!

What you will need:

-Batting. You will need twelve 10 1/2 inch squares.

-Fabric for quilt top. You will need forty-eight 10 1/2 x5 inch rectangles.

-Fabric for quilt bottom. you will need a piece at least 31x40 inches big.

-Sewing machine.

-Pins.

The first thing to do is cut your batting. I cut mine 10 1/2 inches to start and then squared them up later. I cut 48 10 1/2 x5 inch pieces of fabric in varying colors. I would recommend using at least 5 different prints.

Note: You will have scraps leftover.

Note: The the strips you lay onto your batting in a quilt-as-you-go quilt are placed at random angles however you want them to look. All you have to worry about is making sure you don't leave any exposed batting greater than 1/2 inch deep.

Before you make your blocks set them up how you want them to look. (pic 1)

Now take off all but the left two. (pic 2)

Flip the right piece of fabric over so that it is face to face with the other one. (pic 3)

Slide the top piece of fabric 1/4 inch to the right. (pic 4)

Sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance (pic 5)

Open up (pic 6)

Add another piece of fabric face to face on top of the right piece and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance (pic 7)

Open up (pic 8)

Follow pics 7 and 8 to attach your last piece of fabric (pic 9)

Repeat to make the other 11 blocks.

Squaring up your blocks is a very important step of quilt as you go. I squared mine up to 9 1/2 inches. If you have a rotary cutter it will make this step considerably easier but if you don't you can still do it, just be careful measuring!

Sewing the blocks together is somewhat difficult because you are sewing through two pieces of fabric and two pieces of batting. My recommendation for making this step easier is good pinning.

Lay out your 12 blocks as you would like them to look when finished. (pic 1)

You're going to sew the blocks together in rows, from the top left to the top right. Take the top left block and put it on the top middle block so that the pieces are face to face. (pic 2)

Sew the blocks together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. (pic 3)

Open up. (pic 4)

Take the top right block and put it on the top middle block so that they are face to face. (pic 5)

Sew the blocks together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance and open up. (pic 6)

Move the strip you have just made aside and repeat for the next three strips.

Lay out strips as you would like them to look when finished. (pic 1)

Flip the top strip down onto the one beneath it so that they are face to face. (pic 2).

Sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance and open up. (pic 3).

Repeat for the rest of the strips.

I'm going to show you how to do a self binding quilt. This is not how I would typically bind a quilt but this is how I will show you. This method is good for beginning quilters and small projects such as potholders, doll quilts, baby quilts, and wall quilts. The difference between a self-binding quilt and a regular quilt is that the binding on a self-binding quilt is actually just an extension of the backing rather than another piece of fabric. (Therefore, in these instructions the terms 'backing' and 'binding' refer to the same thing.)

You are going to need a piece of fabric at least a couple of inches larger than your quilt, and pins.

Place your quilt top on the fabric you have chosen for your backing, at least 2-3 inches away from the edges and pin down. Try to get at least one pin in every square. (pic 1)

Trim all edges 1 inches away from the quilt top. If you are going to quilt your quilt or have it quilted then now is the time to do it. (pic 2)

Put your quilt on your ironing board and iron the binding so that the edge of your backing meets the quilt top (do not overlap). You'll basically be folding the exposed backing in half. Do this all along one side. (pic 3)

When you get to a corner simply turn your quilt and start ironing the next side in the same manner. Do this to all of your edges. (pic 4)

Take the doubled up binding and flip it up onto the quilt (overlapping), and pin it in place. Do this all along one side. When you get to a corner turn the quilt and continue on just as you did the last side. (pics 5, 6, and 7)

Sew the edge of the binding down with a scant seam and you're done!

Good job!

This quilt is easily adaptable to any size, you would just need more or less blocks.

Thank you!

- Sarah