Cheater quilts. Sounds awful, huh? But these cheaters actually pretty awesome. Covered in neatly printed patch work of all of the prints offered in the collection, ready for you to just quilt, and pretend you pieced the whole thing. Cheater. Cheater! CHEATER!
This makes cheater prints the perfect first quilting project, as they allow you to try your hand at making a quilted blanket, without having to invest the time piecing the quilt top. Paired with fusible batting, which eliminates the need for using a time consuming basting stitch, spray or pins on your quilt sandwich, this project literary consists of alining and ironing your layers together, followed by quilting, and lastly, adding the binding. Easy as pie! So, if you've been thinking of trying your hand at quilting, get some cheater print and give it a go (why yes, Cate, I'm talking to you)!!!
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So, when it all comes down to it, a Cheater Quilt really is just another variation of my panel quilted blanket, and that was the look I was expecting. I didn't think it would end up actually looking so quilt-y. But see for yourself. It actually looks really good. And what's even better? This crib sized, 2 yard, cheater quilt took me about 4 hours to make start to finish (including making the binding). Not bad.
I quilted the blanket in a grid pattern that followed the patchwork of the cheater panel, but instead of one line on each side of a patch seam, as I would normally do using this quilt pattern, I made 3 lines this time. One on each side, and one in the middle, simulating the seams of a real patchwork quilt top. Of course, this added some time to the process. A simple grid would have been a lot quicker, but I like the look of this, especially on the cheater panel.
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I used a coordinating print from the same collection for the backing, and a matching white solid for the homemade binding. I added one of my labels, and done!
Fabric:
Quilt top:
Dan Stiles for Birch Fabrics Organic, Safari Soiree, Cheater
Backing:
Dan Stiles for Birch Fabrics Organic, Safari Soiree, Polka Dance
Binding:
Birch Fabrics Organic, Solid, Cream
Crib-sized Cheater quilt
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Close up of quilted cheater quilt top
So, when it all comes down to it, a Cheater Quilt really is just another variation of my panel quilted blanket, and that was the look I was expecting. I didn't think it would end up actually looking so quilt-y. But see for yourself. It actually looks really good. And what's even better? This crib sized, 2 yard, cheater quilt took me about 4 hours to make start to finish (including making the binding). Not bad.
Coordinating print for the quilt backing
I quilted the blanket in a grid pattern that followed the patchwork of the cheater panel, but instead of one line on each side of a patch seam, as I would normally do using this quilt pattern, I made 3 lines this time. One on each side, and one in the middle, simulating the seams of a real patchwork quilt top. Of course, this added some time to the process. A simple grid would have been a lot quicker, but I like the look of this, especially on the cheater panel.
.jpg)
I used a coordinating print from the same collection for the backing, and a matching white solid for the homemade binding. I added one of my labels, and done!
Fabric:
Quilt top:
Dan Stiles for Birch Fabrics Organic, Safari Soiree, Cheater
Backing:
Dan Stiles for Birch Fabrics Organic, Safari Soiree, Polka Dance
Binding:
Birch Fabrics Organic, Solid, Cream
Hey now, look at you calling me out! :) Yeah, this is my kind of quilting! Before I took a closer look, I really thought you had gone ahead and done all the the individual blocks. Hmm... I like this whole "cheater" idea. No good reinventing the wheel, I say! Just as warm, less time, more durable. Win!!!
ReplyDeleteExactly! Major win! I literary though of you the entire time I made this! :D
DeleteI didn't realize this was a cheater quilt! Genius! I love these prints so much, I might have to order some of this fabric too!
ReplyDeleteThe entire line is gorgeous! I love Birch Fabrics! They have some more, absolutely amazing looking collections coming up this year!
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