Layer Cake Quilt: Camping Style!
To see the video, click on the photo above or HERE.
There's something magical about camping—the fresh air, the crackling campfire, and the starry nights. I wanted to capture that magic in a cozy and creative way, so I decided to make a camping-themed quilt. Using a fabric layer cake, which is a bundle of pre-cut 10-inch squares, I found the perfect palette of colors and patterns to bring my vision to life. In this blog post, I'll take you through each step of the process, from selecting the right fabrics to stitching it all together. Whether you're an experienced quilter or a beginner looking for a fun project, this camping-themed quilt is a wonderful way to combine your love for the outdoors with your passion for crafting. Let's get started!
I used the fabric line The Great Outdoors by Stacy Iest Hsu for Moda in this video, but you can use whatever Layer Cake you’d like! If you want to use scraps, that works, too.
Step 1: Cutting the Fabric
For this project, we will use all 42 of the layer cake squares. Personally, I like to cut off the pinked edges on layer cakes. Just a word of caution, however: make sure they are 10” before cutting them down. Some fabric companies take the measurement from the pinked points and some from the pinked valley. For this set (Moda), the measurement is from valley to valley. I trim those points away!
Next, press and cut the sashing strips to 1.5” x WOF (Width of Fabric). Then I cut them down to 1.5” x 10”. We need a lot of these (97!) for this project. Cutting in batches works well for this.
Step 2: Cutting the Sashing Strips
Next, press and cut the sashing strips to 1.5” x WOF (Width of Fabric). Then I cut them down to 1.5” x 10”. We need a lot of these (97!) for this project. Cutting in batches works well for this.
Step 3: Fussy or Focus Cutting Cornerstones
There are so many ways to do this! You can use washy tape or a wet erase marker to show the perimeter of the motif, you can use a template the size you need (in this case, 1.5” square), or you can cut out a section that is bigger and then cut it down to size.
Regardless of what technique used, make sure to remember there is a 1/4” seam allowance on all sides. This will ensure your cute motif doesn’t get lost in the finished quilt.
We need (56) 1.5” corner stones for this project.
Step 4: Sewing The Rows
Now it is time to put it all together! YAY! I start by adding one 1.5” x 10” sashing strip to the right side of each of the (42) 10” squares. Press seams toward the sashing strips.
Next, sew those units together to form rows. Remember: We need to add a strip to the left side of the rows, too, making rows that are in this configuration: Sashing Strip, 10” Square, Sashing Strip, 10” Square, etc. You will have seven sashing strips and six 10” squares in each of the seven rows.
Step 5: Prepare Cornerstones & Sashing Strips
Next, sew the “in between” sashing strips to the fussy/focus cut motifs. To do this, sew a motif square to the right side of a sashing strip end, just like we did with the 10” squares. Next, sew them together. Don’t forget to add a 1.5” motif square to the left end. You should have a strip that has seven motif 1.5” squares and six sashing strips. Make eight of these rows. Press seams toward the sashing strips.
Step 6: Putting It All Together
Once. the rows and sashing strips with the corner stones are complete, sew them all together. Because of the way we pressed, all of the intersections should all nest into place. Press well.
The quilt top is finished! YAY!
Please let me know if you have any questions! As always, I am happy to help!
Happy Quilting!
Kris