Bedspread construction suggestions needed

Why not make the edges all raggedy and make a raggy quilt? I think (having been through a squillion bags of decorator fabric myself!) it would be heavy enough, plus they look good whichever side you have on display.

What a quick reply, Sharon, thanks! My only problem with that idea (though I hadn't though or it yet ;-) is that some of these fabrics are really ravelly. There's every fiber content under the sun involved, some with nap, some more loosely woven.. you get the idea... Though, I may try you idea on a smaller scale, maybe a critter-sized throw, to see what happens. I appreciate the idea! Debi (still has lots of samples to cut)

Debra in VA See my quilts at

How about Piping. That would give it a really nice finished look.

I thought of another way to do the quilt.

First make a backing a little bigger than the size you want your quilt to be.

Next sew the squares into rows the same width as the quilt will be long.

Lay the backing wrong side up. Lay the first row of squares across the center, right side up. Lay the second row on top, right side down. Sew across one long edge of the rows. Flip the top row right side up and press. You will now have two rows of squares sewn together, and they are attached to the backing.

Lay a third row, right side down, aligning it with the loose edge of either of the previous rows, sew in place and then flip open and press. Keep adding rows the same way until you reach the edge of the backing piece. Then reverse the quilt and add rows in the other direction. Next sew around the outer edge of the quilt sandwich if doing so will help you during the binding process. Add store bought binding and you are done.

This sew and flip way you could work from the center of the quilt to the outer edge without having to bunch up so much fabric under the arm of the sewing machine. Debra in VA See my quilts at

What about using a very wide decorative stitch to put the squares together? As for the edge, what about putting prairie points there from the cotton you're considering using?

I'm a professional seamstress and the vast majority of the work I do is home dec stuff like bedspreads. If you look at any commercially made spread, you will see that 9 times out of 10, the spread has a large center portion and then narrower sides. This results in a spread that has long seams on the front of the spread down both sides. I would recommend that you make your spread *exactly* this way. You could put the side to the top using flat felled seams or you could just do a regular seam and then enclose the seam allowance on the other side in binding. This would keep the spread reversible and also keep any ravely edges enclosed. To determine the size of the pieces, you can use a simple method. Determine the needed width of the spread -- say 96" to make the math easier. Divide that in half and you have two pieces 48" wide x required length. One of those long pieces is the top of the spread. The other long piece should be cut in half lengthwise to give you two pieces 24" x required length. Now sew one of those 24" wide pieces to each long side of the top piece and you have an almost finished spread. Enclose the raw seams and edges with some sort of binding and you're finished. Sounds easy and it is -- pretty straight forward sewing. Remember to add seam allowances -- and NOT a quilter's 1/4" if the fabrics ravel much -- LOLOL! One last thing, you might want to round off the lower corners so that they lay nicer agains the floor. A square corner will drag on the floor and get stepped on and be a wonderful place for those "babies" to hide and curl up in :-)! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary

Or fringe or a ruffle. Curve the corners to make them easier to do.

Shana

Vikki > How about Piping. That would give it a really nice finished look.

Excellent ideas from everybody! I *knew* I could count on you guys!! Debi (now to decide... but work and school rear their ugly heads again....)

Here's an off-the-wall idea, something I saw in Georgia Bonesteel's "Lap Quilting Lives" (p 81 if you can find the book). The blocks are sewn and turned just as you plan to do, overlapped and stitched to leave "flaps", and the flaps fastened down with buttons and buttonholes. Her blocks have 2 big scallops on each edge to accommodate the hardware, but it would probably work just as well with straight edges if youcut off the corners. Roberta in D

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