ABC quilt

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I have had some visitors from overseas staying over so I had to go through my quilt cupboard to take out quilts to make up the beds! When looking through the cupboard I found one of my favourites!

They say you should always please the inner child in you! Well I had great fun making this ABC quilt. It’s pretty simple, all I did was make the quilt first and this became my backboard for me to place each of the ABC blocks. The finished quilt size is 66” x 78” (1.67m x 1.98m). Here is a quick rundown on how I did it.

With this quilt you make the quilt first and this becomes the backboard for your ABC blocks which are sewn on afterwards.

Backboard
The centre has to be made up of 3 to 4 pieces of fabric to make up 66½” x 78½”. These fabrics can be 4 different patterned fabrics that are the same colour or it can be one fabric. A mitred border is added.
Cut 2 – 80½” x 5” and 2 – 92½” x 5” strips. When cutting border lengths, you need to add the length of the quilt plus two border widths plus 2” to 4” for extra insurance. On the border strip and quilt, mark the centre. Match the border strip to the quilt top centre and pin in place having excess fabric equally at both ends. Start sewing a ¼” from the corners and backstitch. Repeat this procedure for all sides of the quilt. After the borders are stitched on, fold the quilt with right sides together, aligning the raw edges of the borders. With a ruler, mark a 45-degree line from the point where the stitching stopped on the border to the raw edge of the border. Pin and sew on this line, backstitching at both ends. Before trimming the seam allowance, check on the right side to ensure the corner is sewn correctly. Press.
Cut batting and backing fabric at least 4” bigger than the top. Press top and backing fabric before pinning the quilt together. Layer with back fabric right side down, batting next, then top right side up, secure each layer with masking tape. Pin with safety pins not more than a fist width apart for each pin. Machine or hand quilt as desired, I didn’t quilt in the mitred border section of the quilt. Square quilt, iron a 1” seam in on the backing- and the front fabric, now top stitch the two together.
This is the backboard for your ABC blocks.

Applique Blocks
Background blocks can be one solid fabric or made up by various fabrics to make up 10½” squares. I used any design that I thought would be appropriate for each of the alphabet blocks – planning my fabric and background layout and appliqué designs as I went. Using your favourite method of appliqué – I MACHINE APPLIQUED all my blocks.

Square off block to 10”, cut Vilene into 10” square. Place Vilene on RIGHT side of your ABC squares and pin in place. Now using a ¼” seam allowance sew around the square using a straight stitch, clip corners. Press. Cut a slit in the middle of the Vilene and turn block inside out, using wooden pointer (gently) to bring out shape of heart. Press.
Place all the ABC blocks onto the quilted backboard, when you are happy with the placement, pin each square onto the backboard. Using a walking foot, sew the blocks down using a straight stitch.
Sew a hanger to the back of the quilt, my label was one of the blocks.
Now you can embellish each quilt with buttons and hand quilting.

Happy crafting!
Love
NikkiM

41 thoughts on “ABC quilt”

  1. This is fun and whimsical. I admire you. I just can’t get into applique. For me, just doing basic machine piecing is enough for me. Thanks for sharing though. I did like seeing how the other half lives. lol

    Reply

  2. Ok,let’s see…my mum-in-law bought me the sewing machine as Christmas gift….well,after seeing how quick I’ve learnt to crochet and to knit she said it could be great to learn sewing too…I think I’ll be,from now on,quite often visiting your blog and capture your secrets………….I even don’t know where the turning on button on a sewing machine is……………. :/

    Reply

    • Hi Trish
      Yes it does! But I have used a kind of statin stitch, it’s not as wide as a zig zag and not as close as a satin stitch, a straight stitch also works, it gives you a very whimsical look! Thank for all you kind and lovely comments!
      Love
      Nikki

      Reply

  9. Oh I Enjoyed seeing this so much! I too am a quilter. I stopped making them 13 yrs ago when oldest daughter passed away. I just started a quilt for my middle son after a few years away and I am now getting excited to see it finished! I too am doing machine applique. Thank you for sharing this dear quilt with us!

    Reply

  10. This is a masterpiece, there is so many hidden & to find in that quilt,
    a Jack russel, just saw the x-ray picture, ha ha .
    Ah, forgot this, no musician, cabinet maker, Author, Illustrator, sometimes Army photographer (Reservist)

    Reply

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