How to Block Quilts

When I finished quilting my Outlined Plus mini last week, the quilt did not lay flat due to the straight line quilting on the bias.  You can see the waves below, this was definitely not attractive so I blocked the quilt to flatten it.  Some people had asked about blocking a quilt so I took some pictures to show my process.

I do not block all of my quilts, I typically block quilts for magazines, show quilts, and minis.  I find that blocking makes the quilt lie flat and hang really nicely.  I usually do not block bed quilts or anything larger than a lap size (I find that these usually lay pretty flat and even if they are a little wavy, you can’t really tell on a bed).

Disclaimer – This is how I block my quilts, if you have a very delicate quilt or are worried about color bleeding, I suggest you alter or augment these directions.

I block my quilts after quilting and before trimming any of the excess backing and batting off.

Step 1 – Give the quilt a bath.  

I fill my bathtub with warm (not hot or cold) water and immerse the quilt for 5-10 minutes.  I gently move the quilt around in the water once and while.  I do not add anything to the water (no soap or detergent, Color Catchers, or Synthrapol).

Step 2 – Give the quilt a spin.  

I carry the quilt over to my washer machine and run it in the spin cycle for 3-5 minutes.  This gets a lot of the water out of the quilt.

Step 3 – Give the quilt some shape.  

I take my spun quilt and place it on my wall to wall carpeting.  (If you are worried about the quilt bleeding onto the carpet you can place a towel or sheet between the quilt and the carpet).  I slowly begin to flatten the quilt out, smoothing and tugging the quilt around to get the quilt to lie flat and the seams to be straight.  Some people use a laser level to help with the straightness. 

I use T-pins to pin the quilt to the carpet (my husband picked these up for me at Harbor Freight Tools, but they are available in virtually any hardware store, Amazon, and most craft stores).   I place the T pins in the batting all around the quilt top.  

In about half a day (you can turn on an overhead fan or place a box fan next to the quilt to speed up the drying), the quilt is dry and ready to be trimmed and bound. The quilt is now nice and flat, what an improvement!

And here is my Outlined Plus mini quilt, bound and finished.  I hope you try blocking your quilt the next time you have a quilt that does not lay exactly flat after quilting :)

Find my favorite tools for blocking and finishing quilts in my Amazon list.

Outlined Plus Mini Quilt Finish

I was so excited when Cindy, who blogs over at Hyacinth Quilt Designs, told me she was planning on hosting an Outlined Plus Quilt Along from my Outlined Plus pattern.  I needed a new decoration for sewing room wall and I really wanted to join in on the fun, so I decided to make an Outlined Plus mini using 4 of the 12" (finished) blocks as a wall hanging.

My original and first block I made with the pattern had a white center with prints for the plus outline and background (you can see the original version here).  To change it up a little, for this version I went with prints for the plus and background and white for the plus outline.  I really think that the outline just pops against the fun and bright Cotton & Steel prints.

To quilt the mini, I drew diagonal lines across the quilt which formed 4 triangle sections of the quilt.  I then echoed and echoed the lines to fill in the triangle section.  

Because of the quilting on the bias, my mini was slightly wavy when I finished quilting so I blocked it to get it straight and smooth.  Some people asked how I block my quilts so I took some pictures of my process and will post about it next week.

Please take a moment to check out all of the great versions of the Outlined Plus quilt people have made for the quilt along on Instagram using #outlinedplusquilt or by clicking here. 

There are some great prizes up for grabs in the quilt along including a mini Outlined Plus quilt made by Cindy, fabric, a cathedral window pincushion (made by me), and some patterns.  There is still time for you to enter, the deadline is February 17th and you only have to have 9 blocks completed to be eligible. You can enter by:

• Posting a photo on Instagram. Use the #outlinedplusquilt hashtag and tag @clammon.
• Send a photo to cindy@hyacinthquiltdesigns.com
• Leave a comment on Cindy's blog post with the link to your blog or flickr account with the photo.

If you like the Outlined Plus quilt, the pattern is available as an instant digital download on Etsy and Craftsy and as a printed pattern on Etsy.

(Cover quilt by Jackie Padesky)

I am linking up to Link a Finish Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday, Finish It Up Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday, and Show Off Saturday @ Sew Can She.

Outlined Plus Quilt Along Over at Hyacinth Quilt Designs

Are you looking for a good project and quilt along to start 2016?  My good quilty friend Cindy who blogs over at Hyacinth Quilt Designs is hosting an Outlined Plus Quilt Along starting on January 4th!

She will be posting some tips on her blog like choosing fabrics, working with stripes and directional fabrics, matching seams and staying organized. You can make your quilt at your own pace, but those who finish the top will be eligible to win prizes!

(Cover quilt by Jackie Padesky)

Cindy is using Fleet and Flourish by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics and here are four of her blocks. Cindy has such an amazing eye for color.

I am joining in on the quilt along using some bright prints from Cotton & Steel.

To participate in the quilt along all you need to do is grab an Outlined Plus pattern, it is on sale for only $6 until January 1st.  You can find it on Etsy or on Craftsy (I am getting the pattern printed right now, so if you would prefer a printed version of the pattern it will hopefully be available the first week of January).

If you hop over to Hyacinth Quilt Designs right now, Cindy is having a giveaway for a copy of Outlined Plus.

Outlined Plus Pattern Launch

I am excited to announce that my pattern, Outlined Plus, is now available! You can find the pattern on Etsy, and on Craftsy.  The pattern will be on sale for $6 for two weeks (until January 1st). 

The Outlined Plus block was originally published in the Volume 11 of the 100 Blocks magazine by Quiltmaker.  The block was very popular and I started to have some people asking for directions to make the block into a full quilt.  

I had started to develop Outlined Plus into a full quilt pattern when I saw Jackie Padesky's version pop up on Instagram.  This quilt is perfection in its beautiful Bonnie and Camille floral fabrics, great color choices, wonderful quilting, and fun striped binding.  I immediately knew that I wanted Jackie's version on the front cover of the quilt pattern and was so excited when she agreed!  You should all hope over to Instagram right now and start following Jackie, her quilts are stunning!!

Outlined Plus is a fun take on a classic plus sign block and is a very versatile pattern containing 5 sizes: baby, lap, twin, queen, and king along with fabric requirements and cutting instructions to make:

• each section (plus, outline, and background) using different fabrics in each block for a scrappy look
• each of the block sections from a single fabric.  

You can mix and match the instructions to customize your quilt!  For example, to make Jackie’s cover version, you would use the single fabric instructions for the plus section and the multi-fabric instructions for the outline and background sections.

I want to truly thank my two pattern testers Paige @ Quilted Blooms and Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl.  Because of the complexity of getting so many different options and sizes into the pattern, I think Paige spent as much time helping me edit the pattern as I did writing it!

Quilt Along

Also, Cindy @ Hyacinth Quilt Designs just started a version of Outlined Plus using Fleet and Flourish by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics (which is stunning) and is thinking about making it into a Quilt along!  Hope over to her blog or Instagram for more info.

Just as a reminder: The pattern is now available on Etsy and Craftsy for $6 for two weeks (until January 1st).

I am linking up to Link a Finish Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday, Finish It Up Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday, and Show Off Saturday @ Sew Can She.