March 13, 2015

Super Fast Baby Quilt (Using the Scrappy Trip Method)


 "Scrappy Trip Around the World" is a quilt pattern that, as far as I can tell, originates here. It uses a very unique piecing method involving unpicking seams (on purpose!). It's a great way to use scraps, and delightful to see how the different patterns emerge as you go. I am making a classic "Scrappy Trip" right now, you can see my progress on Instagram @woodberry_way (#marquittascrappytrip).


I received a quilt order for twins this week that needed to be finished rather quickly, so I thought I'd use this method to save time, and it worked wonderfully. I've created this tutorial with very beginning quilters in mind.

Supplies:



12 different 1/4 yard cuts in coordinating prints (I used Cottage Garden by The Quilted Fish, plus some blenders.)
1/2 yd for binding
1 1/2 yds for backing
You will also need your trusty seam ripper:)

1. Cut strips to 4.5" by WOF. (You can technically make two of these quilts out of 1/4 yd cuts, if your cuts are very careful and straight.) You should have 12 strips, one of each print.



2. Arrange the the strips however you'd like. I do this on the ironing board because I have little fabric stompers at my house. You can blend the colors to achieve an ombre look, or go for high contrast with distinct stripes. The stripes you see here will be the same as the diagonal stripes in the end. Also, keep in mind that the top and bottom rows will touch eventually, so make sure you like the way they look together.


 You can see here I arranged the colors with two different results in mind- one with blended colors and one with contrasting.



3. Sew strips together.


You'll have what could be a simple striped quilt top. Don't trim it yet! The fabric widths vary depending on manufacturer, and that's alright. 



4. Press seams, alternating the direction on every row. This will ensure that your seams nest in the end, making it much easier to match up corners.



5. Fold in half, right sides together, and sew the top and bottom strip together. You will create a tube of strips. You can see I don't fuss about threads until the end.




6. Lay the "tube" flat, and cut perpendicularly into 4.5" strips. I fold it in half again for easier cutting, just make sure it's lined up! You should have 9 tube strips.




7. Take a tube strip and unpick one of the seams. Keep in mind that wherever you start unpicking will determine which print will start the pattern in the upper corner. Lay that strip flat.



8. Determine which seam needs to be unpicked in the second row by looking at the first two prints of your first flat strip. Unpick the seam between those two first prints. When you lay this one next to the first you will see that the prints have all shifted over one spot. Continue to do this, laying them out with the first color from the last row in the last spot on the next, and you will see the diagonal stripes emerge. (You can see I have highly qualified help!)




*Note: You can't rotate the layout (like in the original Scrappy Trip block) unless you reduce the pattern to a 9 by 9 grid. It will only work with a square layout. I highly recommend trying that too, it's super fun!

9. Sew your strips together, "nesting" the seams as you go. As you put your strips right sides together to join them, you'll see that the seams you ironed will alternate, making them easy to tuck into each other as you go. This eliminates the need to pin, and you can feel that the seams are lined up perfectly, making perfect corner points. Press your rows all one direction and trim any threads.



Voila! You have a lovely 36" by 48" quilt top ready to go-  the perfect baby size. Layer, baste, and bind with your favorite method. There are lots of wonderful tutorials out there for these steps if you are still learning.



Thank you for following along, have fun sewing!

30 comments:

  1. Beautiful. I needed a quick baby quilt idea and this is perfect!

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  2. This quilt looks very "Do-Able" What are the finished measurements?

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  4. This is a fantastic tutorial. I didn't think it was possible to make a quilt top in an hour! I am mind blown. I have made three quilts and am just finishing my fourth. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  5. Beautiful. Do you have the conversions for a king quilt? My daughter loves this pattern.

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  6. I to would love a conversion for different sizes..love it!!

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  7. Mine did not end up 'squared'. What can I do, if I trim it, some squares will be less than 4 inches.

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  8. Great tutorial, I've just cut my strips and unpicked the first 2 but numbered them all before I unpick any more. Layer them out and unpicked the rest. Cup of tea before I do any more, I have some small appliqué to add before I resew seams

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  9. got to get sewing on this one! great pattern thanks

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  10. Mine turned out so pretty. It was fun to make and I cut out two tops at the same time. Now to finish it. Thanks!

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  11. If I wanted to make a larger size quilt, would I just add more strips?

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  12. Thanks for sharing Bonnie Hunter's pattern in a larger block size & making the great tutorial. Looks so quick & easy.

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  13. I just finished #6. I am concerned about the seams I just cut. Don’t I need to resew all those seams so they don’t come undone at some point before I start assembling all my strips? I am excited to see my finished result! It’s going well & going to be very cute! Any advice? Thanks!

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    1. Hi Shelly :) I always wondered this too! I found that when you are piecing, reduce the stitch length to 2 and then the seams hold after you cut them. I hope that helps!

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  14. Can you adjust the size of the strips to make larger squares and then cut the tube to reflect the larger size? I am new to quilting, so I was not sure. I love the pattern and would like to try it.

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  15. Such a fun idea - can't wait to try it :)

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  16. Thanks so much for your clear directions...I needed something quick, much appreciated

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  17. That sounds awesome and yours are so pretty! Blessings to you and yours.

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  18. I am so excited to make this quilt. I had never been told to sew into a tube. This will be so easy to make. Thank you!!

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  19. Just finished my first quilt using this as a guide. I made mine 13 blocks by 17 blocks, 52" X 68". It came out beautifully! Thank you for creating such an excellent guide that even a beginner can follow.

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  20. I'm working on this now - I used fat quarters and even carefully cut, I will only have 8 blocks across - there is a good bit of waste because of the length of the pieces. I had to make four tubes instead of one big one. It's going together nicely but just a heads up to anyone thinking of using fat quarter bundles.

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    1. Thanks for your comments on fat quarters. I was wondering the same thing as i was reading the instructions.

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  21. Can you make this quilt larger? Could I do more rows or make the blocks larger?

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  22. I can't find dimensions anywhere. Is it about 45" x 60"??

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  23. What size seam allowance are you using? Thanks!

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  24. I don't understand direction #9. To me the words "nest" and "tuck" mean one is inside the other. Your picture, though, specifically shows the seams on opposite sides of the wrong sides of the fabric, so impossible to tuck into each other. I suspect you are using the terms "nest" and "tuck" differently than I understand them. If all you are doing is lining the seams up on opposite sides, then please just say that. Please clarify. Thanks.

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