Plaid Quilt

Plaid Quilt
(Blue colourway)

The patchwork for this quilt is easier to make than it looks as the chequered pattern is created by
different rows of repeating fabrics. The fabrics are from the Bird Pond collection, plus some
Medium Dots and some Solid Colours. There is also a version of the quilt in a pink colourway.

Materials
• Fabric 1: ⅜yd (35cm) – Anemone night blue (100084)
• Fabric 2: ⅜yd (35cm) – Tiny Plum teal (100081)
• Fabric 3: ⅜yd (35cm) – Mila lavender (100090)
• Fabric 4: ⅜yd (35cm) – Lovebirds ginger (100097)
• Fabric 5: ⅜yd (35cm) – Medium Dots blue (130002)
• Fabric 6: ⅜yd (35cm) – Pompom blue (100087)
• Fabric 7: ½yd (50cm) – Elodie lavender (100086)
• Fabric 8: ½yd (50cm) – Marnie night blue (100085)
• Fabric 9: ½yd (50cm) – Solid warm sand (120002)
• Fabric 10: 1yd (1m) – Solid dove white (120001)
• Fabric 11: ½yd (50cm) – Solid soft teal (120003)
• Backing fabric 3⅜yds (3.1m)
• Binding fabric ½yd (50cm) – Medium Dots ginger (130007)
• Wadding (batting) 60in x 85in (152.5cm x 216cm)
• Piecing and quilting threads
• Quilter’s ruler, rotary cutter and mat

Finished Size
51in x 76¼in (129.5cm x 193.7cm) after binding

Notes
• Fabric quantities given are based on a usable width of 42in (107cm)
• Measurements are in imperial inches with metric conversions in brackets – use only one system
throughout (do not mix them)
• Wash all fabrics before use and press before cutting
• Use ¼in (6mm) seams unless otherwise instructed
• Read all the instructions through before you start

Quilt Layout
1 The quilt is made up of thirty-one rows of alternating squares and rectangles in repeating fabric
patterns, which create a plaid effect when seen on-point. See Fig A for the fabrics used and Fig B
for the quilt layout.
 2

Fig A Fabric swatches

 3

Fig B The quilt layout

Cutting Out
2 The quilt is made up of 2½in (6.4cm) squares in Fabrics 1 to 6 and 2½in x 4½in (6.4cm x 11.4cm)
rectangles in Fabrics 7 to 11. To cut out the pieces, follow Fig C, which gives the numbers of each
shape to cut (seam allowances are included). It is best to cut 2½in (6.4cm) strips across the fabric
width and then sub-cut the strips into individual squares and rectangles.

3 Cut the backing fabric across the width into two pieces. Using a ¼in (6mm) seam, sew together
along the long side and press the seam open. Trim to a piece about 60in x 85in (152.5cm x 216cm).
This is about 4in (10.2cm) larger all round than the quilt top, to allow for quilting and finishing.

4 Cut the binding fabric (Medium Dots ginger) into seven 2½in (6.4cm) x width of fabric strips.
Sew the strips together end to end and press seams open. Press the binding in half along the length,
wrong sides together.
 4

Fig C Cutting out

Piecing the Quilt Rows

5 The squares and rectangles are sewn together in a regular, repeating pattern. Fig D shows the
patterns, which you can follow if you wish to make smaller sections first. Fig F shows all the rows
of the quilt, so you could just work from this diagram if you prefer.

Fig D Rectangles order

Fig E Squares order

6 When the individual rows are sewn, lay out the thirty-one rows, making sure you place them in the
correct order. Note that the rows step down from Row 1. Sew the pieces of each row together. Press
odd rows in one direction and even rows in the opposite direction. Now sew the rows together,
matching seams neatly and press.
 5

Fig F Piecing the quilt rows

7 When the quilt top is fully assembled, press it once more. Now lay the quilt flat on the biggest
cutting mat you have and use a large quilting ruler (one 24in long if you have it) to trim off the
excess fabric around the edges (see Fig G). You will need to move the quilt frequently to trim all
round. Make sure the corners are cut at right angles.
 6

Fig G Trimming the quilt edges

Quilting and Finishing

8 If you are quilting the quilt yourself you now need to make a quilt sandwich – you can do this in
various ways, as follows.
• Use large stitches to tack a grid through the layers of the quilt in both directions, with lines
about 4in (10cm) apart.
• Use pins or safety pins to fix the layers together.
• Use fabric glue, sprayed onto the wadding to fix the layers together.
If you are sending the quilt off to be commercially long-arm quilted you won’t need to make a
sandwich, as this is done when the quilt is mounted on the machine. When the layers of the quilt are
secured you can quilt as desired.

9 Use the prepared double-fold binding strip to bind your quilt. Sew the binding to the quilt by
pinning the raw edge of the folded binding against the raw edge of the quilt. Don’t start at a corner.
Using a ¼in (6mm) seam, sew the binding in place, starting at least 6in (15.2cm) away from the end
of the binding. Sew to within a ¼in (6mm) of a corner and stop. Take the quilt off the machine and
fold the binding upwards, creating a mitred corner. Hold this in place, fold the binding back down
and pin it in place. Begin sewing the ¼in (6mm) seam again from the top of the folded binding to
within ¼in (6mm) of the next corner and then repeat the folding process. Do this on all corners.
Leave a 6in (15.2cm) ‘tail’ of unsewn binding at the end.

10 To join the two ends of the binding, open up the beginning and end of the binding tails, lay them
flat and fold the ends back so the two ends touch. Mark these folds by creasing or with pins – this is
where your seam needs to be. Open out the binding and sew the pieces together at these creases.
Trim off excess fabric and press the seam. Re-fold the binding and finish stitching it in place on the
front of the quilt.

11 With the quilt right side up, use a medium-hot iron to press the binding outwards all round. Now
begin to turn the binding over to the back of the quilt, pinning it in place. Use matching sewing
thread and tiny stitches to slipstitch the binding in place all round, creating neat mitres at each
corner. Press the binding and your lovely quilt is finished.
 1

Plaid Quilt
(Pink colourway)

This version of the Plaid Quilt is made in the same way as the blue Plaid Quilt but with different
fabrics. See Fig A for the fabrics used for this version of the quilt.

Materials
• Fabric 1: ⅜yd (35cm) – Lovebirds ginger (100097)
• Fabric 2: ⅜yd (35cm) – Tiny Plum peach (100096)
• Fabric 3: ⅜yd (35cm) – Medium Dots pink (130003)
• Fabric 4: ⅜yd (35cm) – Mila lavender (100090)
• Fabric 5: ⅜yd (35cm) – Marnie sand (100098)
• Fabric 6: ⅜yd (35cm) – Elodie honey (100102)
• Fabric 7: ½yd (50cm) – Anemone sand (100100)
• Fabric 8: ½yd (50cm) – Klara ginger (100099)
• Fabric 9: ½yd (50cm) – Solid warm sand (120002)
• Fabric 10: 1yd (1m) – Solid dove white (120001)
• Fabric 11: ½yd (50cm) – Solid soft pink (120003)
• Backing fabric 3⅜yds (3.1m)
• Binding fabric ½yd (50cm) – Medium Dots lilac (130009)
• Wadding (batting) 60in x 85in (152.5cm x 216cm)
• Piecing and quilting threads
• Quilter’s ruler, rotary cutter and mat

Finished Size
51in x 76¼in (129.5cm x 193.7cm) after binding

Cutting Out
1 The quilt is made up of 2½in (6.4cm) squares in Fabrics 1 to 6 and 2½in x 4½in (6.4cm x 11.4cm)
rectangles in Fabrics 7 to 11. To cut out the pieces, follow Fig B, which gives the numbers of each
shape to cut (seam allowances are included). It is best to cut 2½in (6.4cm) strips across the fabric
width and then sub-cut the strips into individual squares and rectangles.

2 Prepare the backing fabric in the same way as the blue Plaid Quilt.
Prepare the binding from Medium Dots lilac (130009).

Fig A Fabric swatches

 2

Fig B Cutting out

Piecing the Quilt Rows

3 Sew the quilt rows in the same way as the blue Plaid Quilt, but following Fig C and Fig D here.

Fig C Order of rectangles and squares

 3

Fig D Piecing the quilt rows

Assembling, Quilting and Finishing

4 When all the quilt rows are sewn together, trim the edges of the quilt straight (as described in the
blue Plaid Quilt). Quilt the quilt and then bind to finish.