12 Best Handy Sewing Machine

Best Handy Sewing Machine in 2023

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How to Make a Quilt

How to use your sewing machine and make a quilt that is perfect for when sitting reclined in your recliner.

I call my quilts "Recliner Quilts" because I make them narrower and a bit longer than standard quilts, this allows for complete foot coverage when my chair is fully reclined.

However, it is easy to change the lengths/widths, so, if a recliner quilt is not your "thing", just change it up a bit...the principles are still the same.

No matter what you decide, do not be afraid of the project. There is no right and wrong, there is only the fun of making something that has your creativity inside it. Have fun with it and it will all come out wonderfully.

First off, I will begin with the materials you will need:

Sewing Machine

"Easy Rule II" Quilting Board (measures the size of the squares)

Material Marker

Sewing Scissors

Iron (needed to smooth material)

Seam Ripper (just in case)

Medium to Large Size Sewing Needle

Thread - that matches/compliments the materials you purchase

Embroidery Floss (again, something that will compliment the materials)

Batting/stuffing

Sewing Pins

Backing (A new, twin size bed sheet is perfect for this size quilt, no piecing necessary)

2 - 4 yards Cotton Material (Cotton is best for beginners and the amounts depend on size of quilt you want) - make sure that you have at least two different patterns/colors that complement one another, i.e., one solid and one with pattern.

*I always order four yards of each material. I do this because I often like the finished product so much that I want to make another. This also allows for any mistakes I may make, the extra material is readily on hand for corrections.

Start out by spreading the first material out, "raw" side up. Material usually comes with an "edge" or border that has no dye and it needs trimmed off before marking. Try to stay in the lines, just like coloring, but do not worry if your cut is "wiggly," the seams will hide most of the irregularities.

Once you have trimmed your borders, you are ready to mark out the squares. The quilt board is marked off for various sizes of squares, I prefer the 6.5" squares, but the size you use is up to you.

At this time, I go ahead and mark out the entire piece of material. This saves me time in the end because should I decide I want more, I will not have to go through the marking process all over again. I do this for all my material before proceeding to the next step.

*Something to keep in mind before marking - some materials are see through when it comes to black marker. Be very careful where you mark on it because it may very well show through the material and ruin the overall look of your quilt.

Next - Cut out the squares. This is a time consuming process so make sure that your scissors are sharp, it makes it go much smoother. Again, take aim at staying on the lines, a little off will be absorbed into the seam but not all.

Okay - your squares are cut and ready for assembly. This next part is done in stages, first putting them together from 1's into 2's then 2's into 4's then 4's into 8's, etc. So..., here we go -

Take one of each material (one solid, one patterned) and place Finished/Patterned sides IN - facing one another. Line them up and sew them together on one end. It is best to reinforce the seams on each end using the reverse button on the sewing machine.

Continue until all of them are sewn into "2's", then iron them. The ironing process is to ensure that the seams all lay the same way. When you put your quilt together, universally laying seams make for a smoother quilt top.

Next - Taking two sets of two's, match them the same way as before, and sew them together on one end, thus making a set of four's. Repeat until all of them are matched and sewn, then iron them.

Next - Take the sets of 4's and match them up, sewing together to make sets of 8's, iron. This process sounds tedious, but it really is fun to see the quilt top coming to life with each step you complete.

This is the point where you can decide the width and length you can make your quilt. You can have a quilt that is eight squares wide and just add to the length by continuously adding 8's together or you can make your 8's into 16's (creating a wider quilt, and then add to the length.

My personal "Recliner Quilts" are 8 squares wide and 14 squares long (14 strips of "8's" sewn together.)

The next step is putting your quilt top together with the quilt bottom.

First, iron the quilt top again to ensure smoothness.

Next, if you do not have ample table space to accommodate the whole quilt, use your floor. Please make sure the floor space you are using is clean and free of debris. You do not want anything-foreign lodging inside your quilt that could make it uncomfortable later.

Lay your quilt top, pattern side down or "raw" side up and smooth out.

Cut the batting/stuffing to fit within 2" of the quilt borders and lay down on the stretched out quilt top.

Cut your quilt bottom (as I said before, I use a new, twin size bed sheet) so that it extends past the quilt border approximately 2".

Using the sewing pins, pin the quilt top and bottom together

Turn quilt over so that you can see the "bottom" border extended past the top quilt border. Pin each individual square, ensuring that the batting will not move during sewing.

Fold the border in to meet the quilt top border then fold in again to ensure that it overlays the quilt top securely and pin, keeping in mind that the sewing machine foot will be coming through the area and the pin will need to be clear of its path.

The corners can be done two ways. One, an easy, square overlap - coming down the side, do a simple fold and tuck or coming down from both sides you can form a triangle fold and tuck. The first is the easiest route but it depends on the look you want and the trouble you wish to take. Experiment with the corners until you find a method that works best for you.

Once you have pinned the whole quilt, you are ready to sew around the borders. Take your time and get the feel of the material bunching as you go. You have to move it and shift it but this will make sense once you get going.
Once the sewing is done, you are ready for the embroidery floss.

Using a large needle, thread your floss like threading for a normal sewing project but do not tie the ends together, leave them untied. Using an amount that equals one hand to the other (stretched out wide.)

Begin at the first square and insert into the center. Make sure you go clean through all layers and come right back up through the layers again, as if you were sewing on a button.

Without cutting the thread, proceed to the next square and repeat. Do this until you reach the square that your thread will not cover from border to border.

Snip each squares embroidery floss at the seam of the next square (the thread should span across the entire square.) This gives you the proper amount of floss to tie into a nice little knot, thus holding the batting securely in place. When you are finished, each square should have a knot of embroider floss in the center. (see my pictures for visual of finished floss knots)

When you are done with making the floss knots in each square, carefully remove the sewing pins. Your quilt is now complete.