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BUBBLES

by Sara Nephew
Courtesy of Clearview Triangle

Skill Rating: Beginner

This scrap quilt is soft and pretty in floral prints. For a completely different look, try it in novelty prints, Christmas prints, or plaids. The quilt finishes at 53 by 61.5 inches.

Tools & Supplies

• 1/4 yard each of eight different fabrics for bubbles
  

• 1/2 yard of fabric for inner border
  

• 1/2 yard of fabric for outer border

• Fabric for quilt back, at least 57 by 66 inches

• Batting

• Binding

• Thread
  

• Rotary cutter

• Cutting mat

• Equilateral-triangle ruler
  

• Large rotary ruler with 45-degree lines
  

• June Tailor's Shape Cut or Quarter Cut (optional�please see "Editor's Note" under "Instructions")
  

• Straight pins

• Cotton thread (for piecing)
  

• Rayon thread (for quilting)

• Fusible thread (for binding)
  

• Iron

• Pressing surface

• Sewing machine
  

• Small scissors
  

• Basting spray
  

• Machine needles (for piecing)
  

• Machine quilting needles (for quilting)
  

• Thimble

Instructions

Editor's Note: To cut accurate strips, you can use a large acrylic ruler such as Omnigrid's six- by 24-inch ruler, or take advantage of the convenience and incredible accuracy offered by the June Tailor Shape Cut and Quarter Cut acrylic templates. The Shape Cut has long slots spaced half an inch apart, just wide enough for a rotary blade, allowing you to cut perfect strips in increments of half an inch in width. The Quarter Cut has slots spaced a quarter of an inch apart, allowing you to cut strips in quarter-inch increments.

All seams are stitched with 1/4-inch seam allowances.

1. Use the large ruler (or the Shape Cut or Quarter Cut) to cut 3.75-inch strips from the eight bubble fabrics. Cut two 4.25-inch strips from the inner-border fabric.
   
   
2. Position the triangle ruler over a 3.75-inch bubble-fabric strip, lining up the bottom edge of the strip with the 7.25-inch mark on the triangle. Cut along each edge of the triangle, forming a flat pyramid. Turn the triangle upside down and align the 7.25-inch mark along the top of the strip, to cut your next flat pyramid. Cut 96 flat pyramids.
   
   
   
   
3. Position the triangle ruler over a 4.5-inch strip of the inner-border fabric, lining up the bottom edge of the strip with the 4.5-inch mark on the triangle. Cut along two sides of the triangle, forming a 4.5-inch triangle. Cut 12 triangles. Now use your rectangular ruler to cut each triangle in half, placing the edge of the ruler at the top of the triangle and aligning the bottom of the triangle with a horizontal line on the ruler, forming a 90-degree angle.
   
   
   
   
4. Sew eight flat pyramids together to form a vertical strip. When sewing two flat pyramids together, offset the ends so a 1/4-inch triangle sticks out on each side. The seam will run between the notches.
   
   
   
   Complete the row by stitching a half-triangle to each end. Make six rows like this. Make six more rows with the pyramids facing in the opposite direction.
   
   
   
   
5. Sew the rows together in pairs of opposites. Then sew the six pairs together to make the quilt top.
   
   
   
   
6. Add a 2.25-inch inner border to the quilt top.
   
   
7. Add a 5.5-inch outer border to the quilt top.
   
   
   
   
8. Smooth out the backing fabric on a table, wrong side up. Tape the backing to the table so the fabric is taut but not distorted. Spray lightly with 505 or another quilt-basting spray. Smooth out the batting on the backing fabric, working from the center out. Now lightly spray the batting. Smooth out the quilt top on the batting, right side up, again working from the center out. Your quilt sandwich will hold together securely for several weeks, and the spray will not damage the fabrics or gum up your needles.
   
   
9. Quilt by machine, stippling all over with a free motion (use a darning foot and lower or tape off the machine's feed dogs) or quilting as desired.
   
   
10. From the binding fabric, cut strips that are 2.5 inches wide and 45 inches long. Sew the strips together to form one continuous piece. Press seam allowances open. Press one short end up at a 45-degree angle, creating an ending pocket for the binding when it's stitched in place.
    
    
    
    Fold and press the binding strip together lengthwise, wrong sides together.
    
    
11. Pin the binding along the edge of the quilt front, with right sides together and aligning the raw edges. Be sure the end of the binding is in the center of one side of the quilt, not near a corner. With fusible thread in the bobbin, using a long stitch and a 1/4-inch seam allowance, begin stitching two inches from the folded end of the binding.
    
    
    
    Stop stitching 3/8 inch from the first corner. Backstitch. Clip the threads and remove the project from the machine.
    
    
12. Fold the binding up and back at a 45-degree angle to the corner.
    
    
    
    Now fold the binding forward and straight along the next edge. Begin stitching at the edge, continuing down that side of the quilt. Repeat these steps at each corner.
    
    
    
    
    
13. When you reach your starting point, clip off the excess binding and tuck the end into the pocket. Stitch over the joint.
    
    
    
    
14. Turn the binding to the wrong side of the quilt, carefully pressing it from the wrong side to melt the bobbin thread and fuse the binding to the quilt back. Miter the corners as you turn them.
    
    
15. If you plan to wash the quilt, hand-stitch the binding invisibly to the quilt back.

Editor's Note: The illustrations for the quilt binding were provided by Myrna Giesbrecht, who also has a Designer's Workroom at SewAndQuilt.com.

Add the tools and supplies for this project to your shopping basket!

SewAndQuilt.com offers virtually everything you need to make this project. Check out these products in our online store.

Fabric

Omnigrid 6- by 24-Inch Rotary Ruler

Clearview 12-Inch Equilateral Triangle Ruler

Fiskar's 45-Millimeter Ergonomic Rotary Cutter

June Tailor's Shape Cut

June Tailor's Quarter Cut

June Tailor Quilter's Cut 'n Press

Dritz Steel Dressmaker Pins

Metrosene #50/3 Mercerized Cotton Thread (547 yards/500 meters)

Sulky Rayon Thread, 40 Weight

Gingher Featherweight Thread Clips

505 Spray and Fix

Schmetz Universal Needles, Size 12

Schmetz Quilting Needles

John James Hand Needles, Sharps

SewAndQuilt.com also offers a wide selection of products to help you mark your quilts. Please proceed to the Marking Tools department of the Shopping Center.

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