Trip Around the World

This quilt is one of several Trip Around the World quilts that I have done.  It is an easy quilt to make and it can be completed in a relatively short period.  I know people who have done one in a weekend, but not me.  This one took me a couple of weeks from beginning to end.  There are many patterns for this quilt on the internet and elsewhere and sometimes the patterns tend to complicate things.  I am going to do the "Coles" version of doing a quilt like this.

Here is what it looked like in the end:

Materials for a Double sized quilt:

Select 7 colors that complement each other and buy 3/4 metre of each one.  These make up the blocks in the quilt.

Select three colors for the borders.  I prefer to select the colors that are in the quilt already.  In this case I selected the solid colors for the borders.   The borders are also different sizes so the amount of material varies.

Small inside border:   2" strips -- 1/2 metre
Middle border:  4 " strips-- 1 metre
Outside border: 4 1/2" strips-- 1 1/4 metre  (Note:  This border is optional and makes are a larger quilt.  I bought a queen sized batting for this quilt since it is wider than a typical double sized batting)

(I know I am combining two measurements here.  In Canada, material is sold by the meter, not by the yard. A yard is about 3" less than a metre.  Yet, I normally use inches when measuring vs centimetres.)

Backing:  I bought 6 meters to ensure that I had enough to do the binding.

Wash and dry all materials prior to cutting into strips to ensure that any shrinkage will occur prior to sewing.

Step 1:  Cut the 7 colors for the main part of your quilt into 4 1/2 " strips.  (5 Strips of each color).

 I also like to make a swatch when using a pattern that refers to numbers.  This pattern suggests arranging the colours from light to dark, which is what I have attempted to do.

Step 2:   Sewing the first row.

Take one strip of each colour and sew them together in this order based upon the colours in your swatch:   3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2.

Step 3:  Cutting the blocks of the first row.

Press the first row colours by pushing the seams away from colour 3.
Fold the piece so that it is easier to cut into strips.
Square the piece by cutting off a small strip at the top.

Now cut 8 strips from this piece.  They will be 4 1/2" wide.

Lay the strips to one side.  These will be your first row strips.

Step 4:  Sewing the second row.

Take a strip of each colour and sew them together in this order:  4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3.  (Notice that for the first row it began with colour 3, the second row begins with colour 4 and ends with row 3.)

Step 5:  Cutting the second row.  Do the same as you did with the first row, also laying the 8 strips to one side.

Step 6:  Sewing rows 3 to 7.

Again take a strip of each colour, sewing them in this order:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
Repeat this until all strips have been used.

Step 7:  Tubing rows 3-7.

Before cutting rows 3-7, take each panel and sew it into a tube.  That is sew colour 1 and colour 7 so that the colours make a tube.

Step 8:  Cutting rows 3-7.

As you cut row 1 and 2, cut the tubed panels into 8 pieces each.
When they are cut, each will look like this.

Step 9:  Cutting the tubes to make rows 3 to 7.

Row 3:  Take 4 tubes and separate one seem so that the colours are in this order:  5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4
Row 4:  6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Row 5:  7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Row 6:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Row 7:  2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1

Step 10:  Sewing the rows together.

Make four squares by sewing rows 1-7 together.

Step 10:  Rotate the four blocks so that colour 3 is pointing towards the centre.

Step 11:  You will have noticed that you still have 4 row 1s and 4 row 2s left.  Sew the row 1s to the row 2s.  

Step 12:  Sew 1 of these four to each of the square blocks on the end.  This gives length to the quilt.  The picture is not real clear, but enough that you see that I am prepared to add rows 1 and 2 to the top portion.  

Step 13:  Take one of the leftover tubes and open it so that it goes between the two boxes.  Repeat this for the other half of the quilt as well.

Step 14:  When to two half are completed, you will need to select a colour for the centre block.  and make a  strip that will complete the pattern when  both halves are together.   Now the pieces can be assembled to make your quilt.

Step 15:  Add the borders.  I usually do both ends first with the first colour and then add the same colour to the sides.

Step 16:  Place the bottom of the quilt, the batting, and the top together and prepare it for top stitching as you would for any quilt. Then add the binding.  

Once again, Lexi moves to the quilt.  With great speed I might add.