Chevron Baby Quilt with Machine Sewn Binding

This quilt was inspired from a pinterest picture. I did not go to the website or follow her instructions. If you would like to see her way to do this quilt, click here to go to her blog. My blog will go through the whole process and will also show you how to add your binding to your quilt with your sewing machine.

There will be links you can go to that I will add in, that will give you further information on how to do a certain step in the quilt.

I have attached my legend so that you can have a visual of how it goes together. You can use any colors you wish.

To make the Chevron Neapolotan Baby Quilt you will need...

***This is based off of your yard width being 45". Fabric widths are not made equal. Some can be between 45" to 60" width. So when you find the fabric you like, see how wide it is and you can adjust how much fabric you want to buy. It never hurts to have more than you need however, what stinks is when you have just under the amount you need. So don't worry about having a little extra.

Sewing Machine- Mine is the Janome DC1050
Walking foot- I did not use one, but when making a quilt most people suggest it
Iron
Ironing Board
Water Spray Bottle
Fabric Rotary Cutter
Fabric Cutting Mat
Fabric Ruler 6"x24"- They sell them lots of places, Joanne's Fabric, Walmart, Amazon, Quilt Specialty Stores etc
Thread- I used a light blue for my finishing stitch on top, and a dark pink for my bobbin, I used white for my basic sewing together.
Fabric

Tan and Brown = 12 (6"x6") squares each, buy 1/2yard (18"x45") of each color
White, Blue, Coral, Pink = 6 (6"x6") squares each, buy 1/4 yard (9"x45") of each color
Backing = 1 yard ***I used the same pink for my backing, but you can choose a different color, I was just using up colors I already had sitting around
Batting = 1 yard, I used this prewashed batting that I had left over from another project
Binding = 4 (4"x45") strips, 1/2 yard *** you can do your binding the regular width of 2.5" I just wanted to try something different. I like the look of a binding and I feel like sometimes 2.5" comes out too small for my liking. You can do what is to your liking.

1. Making Your Squares

This is where the 6"x24" fabric ruler comes in handy . I am sure there are different brands, but I use the omnigrid one. It's already 6" wide so it helps to make perfectly squared up 6"x6" squares.

I just cut out a 6"x 45" strip (or however wide your fabric is). Lay your ruler parallel with the edge of the "width" (45" long) end of the fabric to do this. Then once you have your strip, take the end of the ruler and line it up vertical to your 45" strip. Then you will get awesome 6" squares! You will get around 7 squares from each strip.

2. Making your Isosceles Right Triangles

When you have all of your squares cut, use the 45 degree angle marking that is on your fabric cutting mat. You want to line it up as perfect as you can so that you can get sharp edges.

Making Your New Squares.

3. Making your new squares

You can use the legend that I provided to know which colors get sewn together.

You want to sew your isosceles right triangles at 1/4" of an inch. That's right! You are doing math! I guess I was wrong, trigonometry does come in handy after all. For mine I used the edge of my presser foot as a guide. I was told that it is 1/4" of an inch but I think it could be a tiny bit bigger.

What matters the most is that you make every single one the exact same.

TAKE YOUR TIME!!! You

want your points to be

sharp.

When you have your isosceles right triangles all sewn together making a square, press the seam flat with your iron, like this.

You will have little edges that you cut off (I forgot to take a picture but I'm sure you will understand) so that it is all lined up.

Making your Rows

4. Making Your Rows

I like to lay my fabric out a few rows at a time. That way I don't make a mistake and sew the wrong angle or pieces together. Refer to the legend to lay them out correctly.

Then I take one square at a time and sew it to the row. Double Check and triple check your angles are facing the right direction.

Complete one row at a time. Then press the seams flat.

This is what your edges should look like, nice sharp points!

5. Finishing the front

When your rows are all done, sew each row together, adding one at a time. Then press those seams flat.

Again double check that you are sewing all the angles in the right direction and to the right color.

Iron the front out to make it lay as flat as possible.

6. Basting your quilt

Now lay the 1 yard of backing fabric ( I used the dark pink) facing down on the table or work area.

Next lay the 1 yard of batting on to the backing fabric.

Then lay the front of your quilt facing up, and safety pin your quilt sandwich together so it doesn't move around.

7. Stitch in the ditch

Instead of stitching in the ditch, I wanted my chevron pattern to stand out. I picked the zigzag stitch on my machine and set it to 1.0 and 1.0. You can change this to make the zigzag further apart if you wish. (The best way to know what it will look like is to test it out on a scrap piece of fabric.)

To do this, sew along the lines where your colors meet.

***I did not stitch in the ditch or sew anywhere else, because I wanted my chevron lines to be the most prominent.

8. Making The Binding

To make the binding you are going to cut 4 (4"x 45" strips). So basically you will cut the width of your fabric 4 times at 4" wide.

Then you want to lay your fabric strips right sides together like this and sew a line right where my pink thread is.

I really enjoy this ladies video of how to make a binding. She shows the entire process, but I will be showing you how to sew your binding on a little bit differently.

Go here to watch the video of how to make a binding.

Next cut the extra fabric off. It doesn't matter if that line is perfectly straight as long as you sewed it straight.

Then open up the binding and iron the seams.

Your lines should match up. If they don't match up perfect don't stress too much. You will be folding this in half, and those lines will be sewn to the back side of your fabric and then folded over, so you won't see them. Try your hardest to get it as close as possible though.

Then fold your binding in half and iron it one more time. I like to spray mine with water because it makes the fold sit flatter.

9. Attaching the binding to the back

To attach the binding with my machine I watched two youtube videos to give me an idea of how to do it. To watch these videos click

here and here

I first sewed my binding on to the back of my quilt. This might be a little tricky to line up with the front of your quilt if you want to make your binding fat.

The way I did it, was I ironed my backing fabric folded under the front of the fabric so that it made a nice line for me to sew on. You could also use chalk or find your own creative way to show you where your front edge is.

If this seems to complicated and you would rather a flat binding cut the back of your fabric and the batting so that they match/line up with the front.

If you have never done binding before, this video here will show you how to do your corners (keep in mind she will be showing you the version that is sewn to the front and needs to be hand sewn to the back)

***Use a thread that will stand out so that you can see it to follow along, on the front side.

Now fold the binding over to the front.

10. Attaching the binding to the front

See that pink thread I was talking about? Line the binding fabric up with it and start to sew your decorative stitch. I chose the zigzag to keep with the theme.

You will want to take a scrap piece of fabric and test out which one you want and how long and wide you want it.

It may take a little practice, I know it will take me some time to get it just right.

11. DONE

If you did it correctly your decorative stitch should line up with the back. If it doesn't, undo the stitch and learn from your mistake. Notice in the previous picture those tiny holes? Thats because I made a mistake and undid the stitch and just tried again.

Don't be hard on yourself, and just try again if you make a mistake. Thats how you learn.

The speed at which you sew and how fast you feed your fabric through will alter how your stitch looks. So keep it consistent.