Beginner's Guide To Quilting - UK (2020-04)

Patchwork Made Easy

50 Beginner’s Guide to Quilting

Summer tent

Use pretty patchwork to magic up a hideaway

that children will love, by Alexandra Smith

V

YOU WILL NEED

Materials

Q Basic quilting kit, see page 16

Q Bright print fabric: 3½ yds x 45in

(3.2m x 114cm)

Q Cotton twill tape: 3 yards (2.75m)

Q Print fabrics for patchwork: 3½

yards (3m) in total, made up of

around eight different patterns

• about ½ yard (45cm) each of
  45in (114cm) wide fabric pieces
  Q One patterned double bed
  sheet
  Q Pattern paper (or newspaper)
  and pencil
  Q Rope or sturdy string for hanging

Seam allowance

Q ¼in (5mm) seams

A

s a child, there’s something

magical in having a special

place for hiding away on a long

summer’s afternoon – a secret place to

read or daydream, in a kaleidoscope

of colours,” says designer Alexandra

Smith, also known as popular craft

blogger Lola Nova. “Maybe a rainy-day

refuge is in order, a nook in which to

foster daydreams. This patchwork tent

will be the delight of the young-at-

heart, no matter the age. Oh, and it’s

reversible too, for two different looks!”

MAKE A TENT FLAP PATTERN

Tape together sheets of pattern paper

or newspaper. With a long ruler or

other straight edge, draw a right-

angled triangle with the following

measurements: 18^18 x 31 x 36in (46 x 79

x 91.5cm) – see the ‘Tent flap template’

on page 53. Cut out the pattern piece

along the drawn lines.^1

CUTTING OUT

From the bright print fabric, cut:

s฀฀ &OUR฀FLAP฀TRIANGLES฀FROM฀THE฀PRINT฀

fabric. Using just over 1 yard (90cm)

of fabric, fold it in half matching the

selvedge edges. Pin the triangle in

position and cut out two flaps.

Reposition the triangle pattern and

cut out two more flaps. Lay out your

“

pattern pieces on the fabric to cut

the correct four triangle flap pieces,

as shown in the photo below.^2

For the patchwork pieces, cut:

s฀฀ 4WENTY

FOUR฀ IN฀CM    ฀SQUARES฀

from the various print fabrics.

From the cotton twill tape, cut:

s฀฀ %IGHT฀IN฀CM ฀LENGTHS฀AND฀FOUR฀IN฀

(40cm) lengths.

From the patterned bed sheet, cut:

s฀฀ &OUR฀FLAP฀TRIANGLES฀AND฀ONE฀FT฀X฀FT฀

(123 x 184cm) rectangle for the

reverse side of the tent.

SEW THE PATCHWORK SQUARES

Step 1 Lay out the fabric squares in six

rows of four and adjust the placement

of the squares until you’re happy with

the result. Make stacks of squares for

each row in the correct order and pin

together. This will help you make sure

that the placement comes out as you

planned when you start sewing.^3

Step 2 Pin together the first two squares

of your first row, right sides together, with

raw edges matching, and stitch

together along one edge taking a ¼in

(5mm) seam allowance. Stitch the third

square to the first two squares and then

12 3 4