Quilting

Quilting Tutorial: Make a Mini “Maker” Quilt

February 20, 2017

Celebrate the maker you are.

Your sewing or craft space needs this quilt. After all, what better way to stay inspired every day than with a mini quilt that celebrates creative YOU! Use a variety of Dritz® and Omnigrid® sewing and quilting supplies, our “maker” template, and some fun fabrics to complete this easy appliqué project. Maker … yeah, that’s you!

Dritz® supplies:

Omnigrid® supplies:

Other supplies:

⅓ yard of polka dot fabric
5” x 12” navy fabric
3” x 7” piece of each solid color – red, lime green, turquoise, hot pink, green, and coral
13.5” x 13.5” cotton batting
15” x 15” backing fabric
Printer
MAKER template
4” x 11” piece of Heat ‘N Bond® Lite, sewable
Perle cotton or embroidery floss for hand quilting
Pencil
Skinny dowel rod for hanging
String for hanging

Fabric prep:

Polka dot fabric:

1 pc: 5.5” x 12.5” for front panel
2 pcs: 2” x 12.5” pieces for top and bottom band
2 pcs: 2.25” x WOF strips for binding

Other notes:

WOF = width of fabric
SA = seam allowance
RST = right sides together

Dritz Quilting & Omngrid rotary cutting supplies

Before you get started, check out some of the key supplies you’ll need.

The Dritz® lap frame is perfect for creating individual quilt blocks. Take it anywhere and quilt as you go!

The Dritz® needle collection is a perfect assortment – it’s got betweens, sharps, curved needles and more (24 needles in all!).

An Omnigrid® ruler and rotary cutter are quilting basics!

1) Print the “maker” template (PDF file). Cut out letters.

Printable "Maker" Template to Download - part of quilting tutorial to make a mini "maker" quilt using Dritz and Omnigrid supplies.

2) Follow package directions and fuse Heat ’n Bond® to the wrong side of the navy fabric.

3) Flip letters over and place them face down on the Heat ‘n Bond® paper. Trace the letters and cut them out.

4) Remove the paper backing from the letters and center them on the front panel. Be sure to keep letters at least 1/2” from either side. Fuse letters to fabric following the package instructions.

Edgestitching Letters of Mini Quilt Project

5) Edgestitch the letters with a contrasting thread. Set panel aside.

Omnigrid Quilting Supplies in Use for Quilting Project

6) Use the 2.5” x 12.5” ruler to cut (12) 2.5” x 2.5” squares. You will need two squares each of the 6 solid colors. Cut a 2.5” strip of fabric that is at least 6” long.

7) Turn the fabric strip and use the ruler to cut a 2.5” square. Repeat so you have two squares of each color.

Colorful Fabric Pieces Prepared for Mini Quilt

8) Arrange the squares in pleasing order. Reverse the bottom row. Stitch each square together with a ¼” SA to form a row.

9) Press seams flat. Stitch the pieced rows to each long side of the front panel. Press seams toward pieced row.

10) Stitch the top and bottom bands of polka dot fabric to each pieced row. Press seams flat towards pieced row.

Quilting Tutorial: Make a Mini "Maker" Quilt

11) Lightly spray quilt batting with spray adhesive. Center mini quilt top on batting.

Quilting Tutorial: Make a Mini "Maker" Quilt using Dritz and Omnigrid sewing & quilting supplies.

12) Place mini quilt in the quilt frame. Snap in place.

(Like that handy needle storage tube? It has a magnet inside, just twist to dispense needles; see how it works here.)

Use a Dritz Comfort Thimble when Stitching to Protect your Fingers

13) Use embroidery floss and a chenille or crewel needle to hand stitch accents along the seams of the pieced border.

(Thimbles are great for protecting your fingers during hand stitching. The soft comfort thimble is shown here.)

14) When hand stitching is complete, lightly spray the back of the batting with spray adhesive. With wrong sides together, place mini quilt on backing fabric.

15) Machine quilt several straight lines along the polka dot top and bottom bands and above and below the word “maker.”

Back Fabric Panel of a Mini "Maker" Quilt

16) Cut away excess batting and backing fabric to square up your mini quilt.

17) Use the (2) strips of 2.25” x WOF polka dot fabric to make quilt binding. Follow this tablet tutorial for binding construction and application.

Use Dritz Getta Grip Sewing Clips for Sewing / Quilting Projects

Tip: For this mini quilt, we recommend stitching the binding on the back of the quilt, folding it to the front, and then machine stitching the binding in place. Hold the binding in place with Getta Grip® sewing clips.

Omnigrid Cutting Mat - Quilting in Progress

18) To make the hanging sleeve, cut a 10” strip from the leftover binding.

19) Fold the short ends in ½” and press. Edgestitch in place.

20) Fold lengthwise, RST. Stitch with ¼” SA along the length of the sleeve.

21) Use a bodkin to turn the sleeve right side out. Press flat.

22) Position hanging sleeve directly below top binding on back of mini quilt. Use a glue stick to hold sleeve in place. From the front side, stitch across the top of the mini quilt, catching the top of the sleeve.

23) Slide a dowel rod through the hanging sleeve and tie a string on each end to hang or use small Command™ hooks or nails to hang the rod on the wall.