LINKS TO YOUTUBE VIDEOS:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Bonus Variations

In Part 5, we pull this quilt together with a binding and FINISH!

Sewing on the binding…. It’s my favorite part of the quilting process. It may seem like a big task (and it is) but it does go quickly. I like to sit on the couch using the quilt as a blanket.

To begin, you're going to have to square off your quilt again.

It’s called the Organic Quilt so rounded corners are a must! Plus, I love rounded corners, I find them easier to work with and look more modern. Everybody in the year 2022 has a tube of Clorox wipes and it makes a great template for a rounded corner using a water-soluble pen or disappearing ink. I draw around the curve and cut along the line. Don’t overthink this!

To create a binding we need to create strips of fabric that we can sew together that will fit all the way around the circumference of the quilt with some extra (I do about 2 feet extra but I’m an anxious sewer.) The strips need to be cut at two and a half inches.

You may want to cut your strips to the longest part of the fabric that you have. Now if you have a short ruler you might find it easier to do the other way and certainly, I've made quilts and seen quilts that have strips of all different sizes that come together to make the binding and it's very unnoticeable - no stress!

Once you’ve cut your strips. Sew all your strips together to create one long strip. Then, using your iron fold your strips in half and press. Not so bad right?

Now, to attach the binding in the middle of our quilt so pick any side and go in the middle (It doesn't have to be exact!) You won’t be putting attaching your binding at the top of your strip, give yourself some room to attach it later. This is where that extra two feet come in handy.

You’ll line the strip up from raw edge to raw edge. In the illustration below you can see how I left about a foot of overhang and I will begin sewing at the arrow on the dotted line. Use clips to help you secure the fabric while you sew. (Recommendations in my store)

Don’t be intimidated by going around a corner. Use clips and go slow. If you need to turn your wheel by hand that works!

Attaching your two ends of binding can be a little tricky. I have a loose approach to it that has always worked for me and it’s easier to show via my video.

The last step to finishing the quilt is to fold the binding around to the other side and sew by hand. Yes, by hand! This is my favorite part of the quilting process! While you're working on this you can sit on your couch using your quilt as a blanket sewing one stitch at a time. To start the stitch I cut a length of thread, thread my needle, and tie a knot at the end.

I put the needle right into the stitch line and through the edge of the binding. Next, I insert the needle directly below where the thread just came out at the stitch line. Sit back and repeat! If this feels weird to you try changing the direction you are stitching. I stitch right to left.

Treat the rounded corners just as you have on the straight edges. Use your clips to secure and take it a little bit at a time. You'll do this around your quilt until your unique organic quilt is finished!

If you've made the organic quilt or are having any troubles reach out to me on Twitter Instagram or Facebook! I’d love to see your creation! Tag me! @kirbifagan

If you enjoyed making the Organic Quilt and want to try more improv quilting watch my BONUS video with ideas for variations on the Organic Quilt!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Bonus Variations

Supplies

In Part 4, we will create a quilt sandwich and begin sewing the layers together.

Step One: Now the quilt top is done. You likely have some rough edges, we will need to trim this off. Do you get nervous cutting your quilt? Cutting fabric is a skill and does take practice so be patient and be brave! As a rule of thumb, I always let the bulk of my fabric hang to my right and the scrap side (the stuff we don’t need at my left.) My ruler ALWAYS goes in my left hand and my rotary cutter in my right. This helps me keep my flow. If you are left-handed you can switch sides. If you stick to this rule cutting will feel more intuitive.

Use the longest ruler you have, a heat pen, or a water-soluble pen to help you if you’d like to draw a line on your quilt to guide you.

Step Two: Now it’s time to make that quilt sandwich.

Place your backing fabric face down and your batting on top of that. The backing and the batting should be the same size and several inches larger than your quilt. You may have to sew fabrics together to make your backing big enough. Spoiler alert - it won’t be noticeable While it can feel like a waste of fabric at the moment, this is a shortcut you don’t want to take, believe me. Your quilt will likely shift some when you quilt. On top of the batting place and center your quilt.

Pin you sandwich together. Curved pins work especially great. I place my pins about a hand print apart. This will help your quilt from shifting while you sew. Also, basting spray is an awesome alternative. If your quilt is really big or this is your first quilt, you may want to do both!

Quilt basting spray link amazon

Quilt your sandwich using a walking foot. Follow the curves of your fabric. I quilted along either side of the seams of my waves as a guide. In places where I had a larger stripe, I sewed extra lines as needed.

Psssst! I had a few stripes that really shifted, it was pretty visable as the fabric was pulling. So I sewed a few more lines through it and after it was washed it wrinkles of course and it covers up these mistakes. Woopsie! In Part five, we will put on the binding and finish this project!

Sewing on the binding. It’s my favorite part of the qiulting process. It may seem like a big task (and it is) but it does go quickly. I like to sit on the couch using the quilt as a blanket.

Links to Youtube videos:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Bonus Variations

In Part 3 we continue sewing our curves and creating the quilt top.

Sewing the Waves:

Sew the curves together.

Take your sewn pieces back to the cutting table (maybe after a quick press if you feel it needs it) and place them on top of another face-up. Cut along the curve. On your second curve, your fabric won’t be curved at the top, so you will have to create a curve to work from. Below shows how it will be on your third curve and beyond.

From here, you will go back and forth to your cutting board and your sewing machine. It makes it easy to stop and start between sewing sessions. Are you feeling the “yoga flow” quality of this quilt!?! I chose the fabrics of wavy stripes to be random but you can create a uniform pattern if you’d like.

Join me in Part Four, let the “quilting” being.

Best,

Kirbi

LINKS TO YOUTUBE:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Bonus Variations

In Part Two, we will cut the first “wave” of the fabric and pin them together.

Step One: Cutting

Lay your fabric on top of one another as I do in the video. Both fabrics should face “up.” Cut into both layers using your rotary cutter.

Take your top wave and lay it over your bottom fabric as if you are “folding” it. This will give you the right sides facing each other. This feels awkward the first time you do it and you will see below how it doesn’t look like they will line up, but they will I promise! The first time I had to do a few “wrong” before I got it right.

Place pins along the edges. It may be helpful to pin each side first, then the center, then the spaces between. Bring the lows of the “valleys” to the top point of the “hills” Use as many pins as you need. Unlike other curved pieced quilts, this doesn’t have to be exact for it to turn out great.

Let’s sew these together and free flow! Join me in Part Three.

Best,

Kirbi

LINKS TO YOUTUBE:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Bonus Variations

I love quilting (can you feel the “but” coming on?) But… sometimes I want to work with my sewing machine, with a playful approach. For me, that means less measuring! I also do not like to pause at certain stages of a quilt project as all the information and numbers are fresh in my head. I wished there was a quilt project I could come and go and play as I pleased. So I came up with… The Organic Quilt.

The Organic Quilt Pattern is more of a technique than a pattern. Some quilters may call this improv or freestyle quilting. There’s less need for exact accuracy and more room for creativity. The technique creates subtle waves and I chose soft colors to match. Each Organic Quilt is 100% unique from color choice to design. Ready to give it a try? In Part One, I outline my supplies and inspirations.

Skills required:

This quilt requires you to sew curves and do basic quilting methods (binding, basting, quilting, etc.) However, in my videos, I cover every step. It requires overal less precision than most quilt patterns which makes it great for all levels.

Supplies:

Quilt top: 3-6 of your favorite cotton fabrics, how much is up to you, and how big your quilt is going to be. I recommend buying one of your fabrics in a larger quantity and a smaller quantity of the rest of your colors fabrics. This will ensure your quilt has a dominant pattern/color that will help the overall harmony of the fabric you choose. I used a total of two yards of fabric for the quilt top that I made at 54x6. I also used solids and patterns for a twinkle of fun.

Quilt back: You will need the same yardage for the back of the quilt in a single pattern/color. I had to sew two pieces together to get the size large enough for the back of the quilt. Don’t worry about this is barely noticeable!

Batting: How heavy do you want your quilt to be? I used: Warm and White

Thread: I use Aurifil for all my machine work.

Sewing Machine: I drive a Juki

Other supplies: Rotary cutter, self-healing mat, fabric scissors, walking foot.

Ready? Let’s get started!

Join me in Part two for more!.

Best,

Kirbi