Aprons on the Clothesline

This wall quilt is near and dear to my heart! I created this quilt of memories I have of my Nana and Mom wearing aprons around the house to cook and clean.  I can still see those aprons hanging on the clothesline and waving in the breeze!

This quilt measures 25"x27"

If you have any questions? Contact me at seastar42@msn.com

                                         Materials List

2 fat quarters of of two different green batiks for bottom section

3 fat quarters of yellow, blues and green batiks for top

1/2 yard blue/green batik for borders

Fat quarter of mottled brown for trees

Fat quarter or scrap leaf fabric

Scrap of basket weave cotton fabric 6"x4"

18-inch piece of cording for clothesline

Tiny 1-inch clothespins to hang your aprons

You will also need:

paper-backed fusible 

1 yard cotton fabric for backing and binding

1 yard batting

1/4-inch double fold bias tape, various colors for apron edging and strings

Bottom Section

1.  Cut ten 1-1/2 x 20 inch strips from each green batik fabric. 
For a total of 20 strips.

*Tip~ For quick easy  cuts , you can  use a special ruler with marked slits to make fast strips!

Strips of each green batik fabric ready to sew

   2. Sew strips together, alternating green fabrics.

3. Press as you go.

4. Sew until all 20 strips are sewn together.

 5. Turn so strips are horizontal to you, and cut 1-1/2 inch strips all the way across.

  

 6. Lay out strips again, so blocks alternate. They will not match up         perfectly, so don't worry about that. Just line up ends.

7.Sew strips together, press and set aside.

Top Section~Birds in the air block

8. Cut Strip 6-7/8 inch from Blue green batik fabric.

                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                   

9. Turn and cut strip 6-7/8 inch, so you have a square.

 You need three 6-7/8 inch squares.

 10. Cut each square in half diagonally, so you have six-half square triangles.

 11. Cut the yellow /green/ blue fabric for top 2-7/8 inch strips.

 12. Turn and cut each strip 2-7/8 inch squares. Just like you did for large squares.

13. Turn and cut each square point to point. Each square makes 2 half square triangles.

 14. Do the same for the yellow fabric, as you did in steps 11-13.

15. Lay out block as shown.     

   For each block you will need:  6-A  3-B  1-C

   For all 6 Blocks  you need: 36-A  18-B  6-C

 16. For each block join A and B units together using scant 1/4 inch seam. Chain piece.

 17. Press seam to darker side.

 18. Cut apart and trim off "tails".

Lay out block as shown

Label as shown

 19. Sew 1 to 2, scant 1/4 inch seam.

 20. Sew 2 to 3, aligning top edges. Press and trim "tail".

Lay out again as shown

21. Sew 4 to 5, press, and trim "tail".

You now have 4 units for the block

 22. Sew unit 1 to unit 2.

 23. Sew unit 2 to unit 3.

I make sure the seams "kiss" and then I pin and sew scant 1/4 inch seam.

 24. Press and trim.

     25. You now have two half square triangles.






 26. Sew together at long edges, scant 1/4 inch to complete block.

27. Press and trim and press block. This block is 6-1/2 inches

Make five more blocks for a total of 6 blocks.

Arrange Blocks as you wish, experiment by turning blocks. I chose this way because the yellow fabric lines look like rays of sunshine!

28. Sew the top 3 blocks together, then the bottom 3, using scant 1/4 inch seam.

29. Sew top to bottom, matching edges and seams. Scant 1/4 inch seam.

                   30. Sew top quilt section to bottom using 1/4 inch seam.

  Quilt top before borders

31. Take border fabric and cut 4-1/2 inches wide.
Sew to each side of quilt, then top and bottom using 1/4 inch seam.
Trim and press.

Completed Quilt Top

Adding the Details

Tree Trunks and Branches

Iron on paper backed fusible to the brown mottled fabric, a piece the size of 8-1/2" x 11"

Use provided patterns to draw tree trunks and branches onto paper side of fusible. Cut out along lines. Peel off paper.

TIP~To peel paper of easily, slash the back of the applique with a pin to rip paper.

Pull paper of super-quick!

Position quilt on design wall. Or just hang on wall. 

 Position tree trunks and branches on each side of the quilt, refer to main picture or just wing it! Use pins to hold in place, stand back and take a look and re-position as necessary.

Iron paper backed fusible onto leaf fabric and cut out leaf shapes, small, medium, and large. Peel of paper and a-fix leaves with pins.
Stand back and look again, keep checking as you position leaves and branches. 

When you have everything the way you like it. Press in place.

 TIP~ A mini-iron works perfect for this job.
Secures appliques easily in all those tight little spots. Easier to handle too!

CAUTION~ These irons get extremely HOT!




 Draw laundry basket onto paper back of basket fabric and inner lining onto brown tree fabric. Cut out and place on quilt. Pin and iron in place.

Lay quilt top down flat and give it a good press all over, making sure all appliques are secure.

Layer quilt with backing, batting, and top. Pin in place



























Feed dogs down, free motion foot, and clear thread, secure all appliques and meander quilt throughout the entire top. 
When you have the top quilted the way you want and all appliques are secure, trim off excess backing and batting even with top. Bind quilt. 

 For the laundry basket handles, I used a decorative stitch and just stitched them on freestyle. You can draw handles of first with marking pen.

 Take the 18 inch cord and knot both ends. Pin on tree branch on each side.

   Secure with a couple of stitches.

                 Apron 1

 Using pattern provided cut a 2 A pieces, 1 B and cut 8 inches of 1/4 inch double fold bias tape.

Press under 1/8" on curved edges of piece B. Sew with small stitch along edge.

Place B right side down on A so right sides are together. 

Place other A right side down on top of B.

Pin and 1/4 " stitch all the way around apron, leaving a 1-1/2 inch opening at bottom of apron. Trim corners and turn to right side.  Slip stitch opening and press.

 Apply bias tape enclosing apron top edge inside tape. Stitch all the way across open edge from end to end.

Apron 2

Using provided pattern, cut out 2 A pieces and 1 B.
Cut 1 -10 inch piece of bias tape for neck and ties.
Cut 2- 5 inch pieces of bias tape for ties on sides.
Cut 1- 6 inch piece for top of pocket.

Encase top edge of pocket B with bias tape.

 Sew close to bottom edge.
Clip off excess tape.

 Place and pin pocket to right side of one piece A, matching edges. Baste pocket in place from top of pocket from one side to the other.
Place other piece A on top of pocket side, right sides together. Pin in place.

 Sew all the way around with 1/4 inch seam, leaving a 1-1/2 inch opening at bottom. Clip corners and turn to right side. Slip stitch opening and press.

 Encase top edge of apron with the 10 inch piece of bias tape. Sew end to end, catching in apron edge.

Sew on each 5-inch bias tape at sides.

  Sew down center of pocket through all layers, to create a double    pocket.

Apron 3

Using provided pattern cut 2 rectangles 7-1/2 x 4 inches and one 8-inch piece of bias tape.

I pieced scraps together to make each of the rectangles.

 Pin rectangles right sides together and sew all the way around leaving  1-1/2 inch opening.

 Clip corners and turn, slip stitch opening and press.

 Baste along top edge of apron using machine or by hand. Pull up gathers so top measures about 3-inches and secure threads.  Sew across top with a regular stitch about 1/4-inch from edge.

 Stitch in place each 4-inch piece of bias tape on both sides.

Make a couple of extra aprons to put in the laundry basket.

 I kind of scrunched the aprons up and tacked them in place

        Quilt Back

Patterns