Make a simple quilt

Joanna Gosling, in her new book, Homemade Simple For Kids, shows us how to make this simple, smart-looking quilt.

Beautiful fabric quilts look so pretty, but they are so expensive to buy. So, as usual, I had to come up with my own simple version using an old duvet, cheap and cheerful fabrics for the main body of the quilt and offcuts of a favourite Liberty print for a smart finish. Machine-washable style!

You will need

• Old single duvet (one with synthetic filling allows you to stick the whole thing in the washing machine and tumble dry or line dry easily)
• 2 x 2.25m lengths of fabric for the main body of the duvet (use either different fabrics or the same for each side)
• 6cm-wide torn strips of fabric for the edging (you’ll need about 7m in all)

Method

1. First, cut out the rectangles of fabric for each side of the quilt. They need to be of the same dimensions as the duvet – 135 x 200cm is standard, but double check your duvet label.

2. Lay out 1 piece of fabric on the floor with the right side facing down. Align the duvet on top. Now align the second piece of fabric on top of the duvet, right side facing up. Pin it all together, then machine-stitch all the way around, about 1.5cm in from the edge.

3. Fold the fabric strips in half lengthways and pin them around the edges of the quilt with the fold over the edge. Stitch them on with the sewing machine, sewing about 2cm in from the raw edges of the fabric strips. Use a medium-length stitch setting. Don’t worry about the raw edges – they look great and won’t fray very much. Also, leaving them unhemmed keeps this project in the realms of ‘minimum effort, maximum return’.

Note: If the fabric you are using isn’t wide enough, sew 2 lengths together to make a double width. Pin it onto the duvet with the seam running down the centre, then cut away any excess. Do this for both sides, then align the fabrics with the duvet as above and pin and sew the whole lot together.

Tip: Tear the 6cm-wide fabric strips for the edging from cotton fabric, which tears easily. Simply make a 2cm-long nick at the edge of the fabric and pull apart. It doesn’t matter how long or short each strip is, so use up old scraps, mixing and matching fabrics, if you like.

Extracted with permission from Homemade Simple for Kids: Stylish, crafty projects to make with and for your kids by Joanna Gosling. Published by Kyle Books and distributed in New Zealand by New Holland, 39.99.

Make Halloween pumpkins, a knitted lavender heart, Doggie birthday biscuits, a bedside stash pocket, a simple skirt, customised plimsolls, and more. Lots of fun projects to make with your kids, and many more to make for your kids.