How to Make a Baby Quilt: Framing and Tying

Alrighty, so by now you should have your squares sewn into a quilt top. Yay for you! Next we are going to frame the top, like a picture and put the final touches on the quilt. Ready?

Step 6:  Frame the quilt top.
*Using the lightweight fleece cut 4 3 inch strips. Make sure the strips are at least 6 inches  longer than the longest side. You'll trim them later to make them even. You can measure your top and then measure and cut the length of the strips (make sure they are at least 6 inches longer than the  longest sides) or you can do what I do and just eyeball it. Either way works.
* Sew a strip to each of the short sides of the quilt. Place the strip right side down on the quilt top and then sew with a 1/4inch seam, just like you used for the squares.
*Trim the ends of these strips to be even with the quilt top.
* Sew the last 2 strips to each of the long sides. This is why the strips needed to be a bit longer. The extra length will enable the long side strips to line up with the framing strips on the top and the bottom. When you're all done sqaure up the sides. It should look like this:

 Image: Strips on each side; top trimmed and squared

Step 7: Prepare the backing fabric for the quilt/Baste the quilt top to the back
*On a table or  hard floor lay out the solid baby fleece and smooth it flat. You may want to use masking tape to hold the fabric smooth and flat to the table/floor. You don't need to square this fabric because you are going to be trimming it to fit the top.
* Lay the top, right side up, on top of the back fabric and smooth the top. You'll want to try to center the top on the backing fabric, but it doesn't have to be perfect. Leave at least a couple inches on all sides. Don't forget: make sure there are NO wrinkles or bubbles in the back or top.
* Baste the top to the back. Basting is when you use large stiches or pins to hold the layers of the quilt together while you join them permanently with yarn ties or quilting stitches. Basting is really important because it prevents the front and back from slipping and wrinkling while you finish everything up.
           -If you choose to stitch the top to the bottom you can make the stitches 4-6 inches long and you don't need to secure them with knots. Stitch in a grid, putting in lines of stitches about 3-4 inches apart horizontally and vertically.
           -If you use safety pins (you can buy them by the hundreds at craft stores) pin all over the top 3-4 inches apart. I use safety pins, but either way works equally well.

Quilt top pin basted to the back

NOTE: You have noticed that this quilt doesn't have any batting (the fluffy white stuff that is usually in between the quilt top and the quilt back). You are correct, it does not. I chose not to put batting in this quilt because the layers of fleece and flannel make it soft and warm. I live on the surface of the sun and adding backing would make it too warm. If you livei n colder climates, you can add a layer of batting between the quilt top and the backing. Everything else remains the same.

Step 8: Tie the quilt.

Using a large, sharp yarn needle and the coordinating yarn, tie small knots at the corners of the squares (diagonally connecting 2 squares). I doubled up the yarn (pulled it through the eye of the needle until I had two long lengths of yarn) and I decided to put my knots at the corners of the flannel squares. You can cut the yarn after each knot or go fronm one knot to the next without cutting the yarn; either way works just fine!

Image: Knots tied at the flannel corners. Connected knots at the top

Continue tying knots all over the top of your quilt, in the pattern you have chosen. 

Congratulations! You are nearly finished. Next week, we'll tackle the binding and finishing touches in our last 2 installments of the series.