I'm published! Quilted Wall Hangings: 11 unique projects for quilt lovers

I've been published! 

Check out my modern quilt wall hanging, Coral Gem, published in the new Leisure Arts Publishing 

Coral Gem Wall Quilt by Monica Curry
"Coral Gem" Wall Quilt by Monica Curry


BUY HERE!

Book: Quilted Wall Hangings



How to Make Quilted Bag Straps

How to Make Quilted Bag Straps


Apple Cider Market Tote aka Winslow Market Tote

I first saw this tote pattern in the 2018 issue of Make It! Patchwork. It was designed by Kathy Mack and was showcased on the Quilting Arts TV Episode #601. It was originally featured as the Winslow Market Tote and has since been renamed the Apple Cider Market Tote.

Apple Cider Market Tote made by Monica Curry
Pattern Design by Kathy Mack

I haven't made many bags, but I fell in love with this one as soon as I saw it. I wasn't sure, however, what fat quarters to use for it. When I finally dug through my stash, I found the perfect fabric for this tote ─ Into the Garden by Amanda Herring for Riley Blake. I bought this fat quarter bundle several years ago and loved it so much I didn't want to cut it! I also wanted to make pretty matching straps for this bag, but I wasn't sure how to make bag straps. I heard you could use quilt batting for straps and thought that this would be a great way to use up my batting scraps. After a YouTube search, I found a great tutorial for making bag straps with batting by sewing and crafting vlogger Alanda Craft. She uses fusible batting but says non-fusible works just as well. I think my straps turned out great.



Print Friendly and PDF

INSTRUCTIONS

(Also check out Bag Strap Making Video Tutorial by Alanda Craft)

1. Cut [2] fabric strips 5" x length of the strap and [2] quilt batting strips 2½" x length of the strap.


2. Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise and press.


3. Make a lengthwise fold to the center of the strip on both sides and press.


4. Place batting in the center of the strip.


5. Fold each side of the fabric over onto the batting and press.


6. Fold the fabric and batting in half lengthwise and press.


7. To finish off your strap, stitch along both edges using a 1/8" or 1/4" allowance (Version 1). I find the strap is a little stronger if you add three more rows of stitching equally down the center. (Version 2).


Round Table Placemat


If you have a round dining table, why not make of these elegant-looking "round" placemats. They fit beautifully on a 42 inch round table. The placemat patterns come in three styles that are very easy to make: a reversible, seven-spoke, and nine-spoke placemat. All the templates are full page printable.



How to Make French Fold Binding

How to Make French Fold Binding

Print Friendly and PDF

French Fold binding is one of the most popular quilt bindings and for good reason. Because the fabric is doubled, French Fold binding creates a durable edge for your quilt. It's particularly good for quilts and quilted items that are going to get a lot of laundering. It's a very simple binding to make. I use it on all my quilt projects. If you want to add a little flair to your French Fold binding, see my tutorial on French Fold with Flange binding.

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH FOLD BINDING

1) DETERMINE THE BINDING LENGTH YOU NEED
 
EXAMPLE: Finished quilt size = 54" × 60"
(54" × 2) + (60" × 2) + 10" = 238" (10" extra is added for finishing the binding).
(238" ÷ 36") = 6.6 yards
You will need 6.6 ≈ 7 yards of binding for a 54" × 60" finished quilt.
If making bias binding, cut your fabric strips on the diagonal before making your binding.

2) DETERMINE THE BINDING WIDTH YOU NEED

Decide on the binding width you need, then refer to the chart below to get the correct overall strip width for that binding. Important Note: When choosing a binding width, keep in mind your batting loft thickness.


3) CALCULATE HOW MANY STRIPS YOU NEED

EXAMPLE: 238" (length of binding needed in inches) ÷ 42" (fabric cross grain width) = 5.6 ≈ 6 strips

4) CALCULATE THE YARDAGE YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE FOR YOUR STRIPS

EXAMPLE: 2.5" (strip width) x 6 (number of strips needed) = 15" + 2" = 17" (2 inches is added to allow for possible uneven edges). Yardage Needed: 17" x 42"

5) MAKE THE BINDING


6) HOW TO ATTACH THE BINDING TO THE QUILT