Southern Quilts Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I'm looking for ideas for making a smaller quilt (suitable for children) in 2-4 hours total - from cutting fabric to the binding. Can it be done??? When I hear of a child in the hospital and I don't have a quilt already made, I'd like to have a go-to pattern that I can put together quickly and get it to them while they are in the hospital. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 How about a nine-patch/plain block alternating, use theme fabric or scrappy, quilt with stars and loops or just loops or meander. Flannel on the back. (You could strip cut the 9-patches---have several on hand when you're in down time or between projects) Or this one: Make three huge nine-patch blocks, cut them in quarters, rotate blocks to suit your taste. OR just do a strip quilt. Several colorful fabrics suitable for children, 8-9 inches wide, five or six strips WOF, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankiequilter Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I made a quilt for a 3 mos. old baby recently, but I don't know how long it took me. I used a panel and added complimentary fabric around the outside then quilted it and it went together rather quickly. If you don't want to use a panel you might choose a simple pattern and have pieces cut and bagged and ready to stitch together, which might be a good use of your scraps. 2 hours is an agressive goal - at least for me - I can't move that fast! Bless you for taking on this cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Like Boni's idea of the strips but instead of sewing them together into a quilt top, layer a backing and batting, place the first strip exactly down the center, then each strip thereafter put right sides together and sew and flip to the next strip. It then becomes quilted at the same time. When you get to the outside on both edges all you have to do is put on a binding, which for kids can be machine stitched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathG Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 For speed I would say either use large 8in or you could go up to 12" block or rectangles in bright or fun fabrics. to make up a quilt. That should go together pretty quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 this is me thinking outside the box- but what about a LA as-you-go type quilt? load the backing and batting, premark the center of the batting, place a square there and sew (useing the LA) rectangles around it flip-and-sew style. then once a rectangle has been sewn on all sides, quilt inside it. i see 505 spray baste being handy. that way when you take it of the frame it's ready to be bound....and even then you could attach the binding to it still in the frame (ala Kim brunner) and that should cut down at least 2 hours in the process. a small quilt shouldn't take that long....you'l have a quilt that is basically one big log cabin block... but this is just me with out my morning mt. dew....i haven't done it, but the process couldn't be that difficult... (oh and *wave* to necie- a fellow GAian. i actually know where ballground is)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I think it would be fun if we had a Quickie Challenge. Let's make one of our suggestions and set the timer. I'm going to try one tonight after I return from the Lazy Days of August Shop Hop! Whoooo Hooooo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda G. Craig Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 My first thoughts were a nine patch. Sweet, simple, quick. You could make them at your leisure and when you have a need for a quilt you're ready to go and put it all together rather quickly. For variation, you could always do the "Disappearing Nine Patch". Here's a link explaining how to do it. Fun to do and really quick as well. http://valentinequiltworks.blogspot.com/2009/02/disappearing-9-patch-quilt.html I also like Shannon's idea of the quilt as you go, that would be really fun to throw together quickly and look beautiful! Whatever you decide, some little one will be soooo happy to cuddle in one of your quilts. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Yes, Linda, that is the one I was suggesting. It's really easy and it looks like it was complicated. Thanks for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Originally posted by IBQLTN2 Like Boni's idea of the strips but instead of sewing them together into a quilt top, layer a backing and batting, place the first strip exactly down the center, then each strip thereafter put right sides together and sew and flip to the next strip. It then becomes quilted at the same time. When you get to the outside on both edges all you have to do is put on a binding, which for kids can be machine stitched. Alex Anderson had a guest on Simply Quilts one time that did precisely this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Here is a quick quilt I did. It is much bigger than they one you said you want to do but I did it in record time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxooms Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I did one--plain 8 patch--but staggered (or offset) the rows of patches so I never had to match seams, made it go a little faster. Just then have to cut the edges off of every other row. Marlene in Tahoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2qlt Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I use the Super 9-patch from Quiltmaker, May/June 2006 issue (page 44). You use 3 yards of coordinating fabric and end up with 3 quilts. The quilt bee I belong to used this one day and the 5 of us produced 14 quilt tops in a two hour period, then we each took them home to finish. We donated some to the VA Hospital and others to the children's wing at the hospital. It has wonderful quilting space, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I've made a few baby quilts using the Turning Twenty pattern but just using three blocks across and three down (nine blocks total). It's the perfect size for a baby quilt (or wheel chair quilt). Use fun, colorful bright, busy fabrics. You can cut these nine blocks in a matter of minutes, sew them up quickly. If you don't want to mess with the binding, you could "pillow case" the layers together and turn right side out and pin it to your longarm frame and do a quick meander or freehand whimsical design. You're done; easily could be done start to finish in a couple of hours. Another idea is to find two very large (king size) really cute bright busy fabrics and layer them together on the longarm machine with batting. Quilt them with a fun pantograph or meander. When done, cut the large king size quilted piece into 6 small baby quilt size quilts and then you can add the bindings for all six as normally done. Then you have six baby quilts done in a jiffy. I bind all of my charity quilts using the sewing machine on both sides for the binding. I can probably machine sew a binding (both sides) on a baby quilt in maybe 30 minutes or less. I have timed myself and I can machine sew a binding on a queen size quilt in an hour (both sides) so 30 minutes for a baby quilt is definitely possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammi357 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 ^ love that quilt pic, but what's that hairy thing on it? ! LOL! I tied flannel (preshrunk) with a fun print to fleece, and just turned the backing up over the raw edges and stitched it. They could be quilted, too. the fleece eliminates the need for batting, and they're totally washable. My niece still uses hers, and I gave it to her when she was a baby...she's 12 and a total diva now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Originally posted by sammi357 ^ love that quilt pic, but what's that hairy thing on it? ! LOL! It looks like "Thing" from The Munsters... Originally posted by sammi357 My niece still uses hers, and I gave it to her when she was a baby...she's 12 and a total diva now! Oh it's so good to know that even Divas still need their quilts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2qlt Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 The name of the Quiltmaker pattern is Super-sized Nine Patch. Here is a link to the pattern: http://www.google.com/search?q=super-sized+nine+patch&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattyJo Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Thanks Barbara for the link to the video & pattern. What a slick way to make a quilt in a hurry. This is really a good thread. Thanks Necie for starting it. There are some really great ideas here and it is going into my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 It IS "Thing" from the Munsters! You know how much I am into animals. Actually it is a tassel from an iron lamp. Ha, it does look strange now that I look back at it. :P:P That 9-patch idea is great! Someone could make a child (not baby) quilt in no time also. What a concept. I will save this to favorites! Shana, what a great idea to cut down a quilt into smaller ones. I have done quick quilts with one fancy fabric on top but your idea really rocks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedquilts Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 My little group will get together next week to make quilt for " Doctors Without Borders." We plan to piece 6'' patches of bright & novelty fabric into a 9 patch and offset. Irene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I have made the 3 quilts from 3 fabric oversized 9 patch. If I do it again, I would just layer and bind instead of do the turn method. I get a flatter, better fitting quilt then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evelyn Dobbins Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 I love the 9-patch, too. Or when we need a fast baby quilt, usually one of my granddaughters, get in the baby flannel and cut strips for a quick rail fence. I have them sew 3 strips one way and 3 the opposite way. It's fast and really a cute quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Quilts Posted August 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Thanks so much for all the great ideas...I'm planning to try a few. When I get them done, I'll post the pictures and how long it took me to do it from start to finish. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Hi, I don't know if this helps, but I keep a stack of 5" charm squares in a shoe box (well actually, a couple of shoe boxes). If you stored pastel 5" squares altogether, it seems to me that you could easily do something like Sylvia's quilt very quickly and in any size (as 5" makes it that easy). A quilt in 2 hours? No problem.... PS - I quilt a lot of 'smile quilts' for sick children for a friend of mine who is a nurse. I think she has a HUGE stack of 5" squares.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee Posted August 8, 2009 Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 Hi I did 3 baby quilts by cutting 2 1/2 inch strips and sew 5 of them together rotating using different colors, switch come out to a 10 inch block when cut 10 inches, then I cut a busy peice of material 10 inch blocks and rotate the strip to the big 10inch block, this is a really nice looking childs quilt, I did it in the Zoo babies material, little print and the big print and used light green to rotate my colors, Wilma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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