How to make a Chenille quilt by nonnacookbooker

"A very satisfying project"

How I did it: When N told me that she was going back to University to do a double degree in Paramedics/Nursing, the first thing I thought of was to make her a quilt to keep her warm while she was living away on campus..

I called this quilt "A Coat of Many Colours" -something that she could wrap around herself....

When I started to make Teddy Bears a few years back, I was having difficulty finding Chenille fabric.  They have only started to replicate it again..

N would go on the hunt at various country op shops for me and find original chenille blankets that obviously no-one was wanting anymore.  These are usually 50's and 60's vintage....  The colours are just so glorious and vibrant.  The newer range is mainly pastels...  She washes up these blankets for me and then sends them on - such a sweetheart....

To me the obvious thing was to make her a quilt in some of these fabrics mixed in with warm flannel.

She also adores kittens - so I quilted cats into the border and found some cute little kitten buttons to embellish it with....

Lessons & tips: Chenille has a tendency to stretch whilst you are sewing it, so a bit of care is needed.

Resources:

  •  a wonderful daughter who collects fabric for her mother:)
  • good cutting mat
  • good cutting scissors
  • ideas on size and cutting proportions from various quilting magazines
  • a very, very good vacuum cleaner.  You have no idea how far chenille sheds :~)


4 people found this helpful
 

Mar 02, 2009, 08:29PM PST | 6 comments | 55 cheers


Comments:

SallyKitt "Action is the antidote to despair" - Joan Baez

Ooh, chenille.

It’s the most comforting thing in the world, if you ask me. My pink chenille robe is getting threadbare at the shoulders, but it reminds me of the white chenille bedspread with the little balls hanging off the hems that was on my Grandma B’s bed, so I’m not giving up on it!

Sounds like a wonderful wonderful quilt!

Jun 03, 2009, 10:25AM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 2 cheers

nonnacookbooker

Chenille...

... is a very comforting fabric, isn’t it Sally?

My daughter is still managing to find me some old bedspreads, so I will definitely be making some more warm snuggly quilts :)

Jun 03, 2009, 04:37PM PDT | Respond to this 2 cheers

roxi

Wow!

I love the colours you’ve used, and the fresh pattern. Quilts are usually made in such sedate colours, and in boring, rigid patterns; I very rarely see one I actually like, but this one is positively charming. Well-done!

Jul 06, 2009, 03:49PM PDT | Thread | Respond to this 5 cheers

nonnacookbooker

Thankyou so much Roxi...

... I love it too. I must admit I tend to use a lot of bright and “out there” colours in my quilts ~ maybe it’s a reflection of me ;-) I don’t think I have ever made a soft, pastel coloured quilt. :)

Jul 06, 2009, 08:35PM PDT | Respond to this 5 cheers

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Jul 06, 2009, 08:37PM PDT

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Jul 06, 2009, 08:38PM PDT

Trauma_Junkie thinks she may have had a touch too much caffiene...

beautiful

I really need to refresh my quilting skills, which are limited to following instructions, but still….the ones my mom made me 20 years ago are starting to show that indeed they were made 20 years ago!

Jan 16, 2010, 04:39PM PST | Thread | Respond to this

nonnacookbooker

Hey TJ....

.... following instructions are good! Believe me, I don’t wing it all the time ;o)

Hmmmmm ~ I’m thinking maybe 20 years, maybe need to rethink quilts!!!!!

Thankyou :)

Jan 16, 2010, 05:04PM PST | Respond to this 2 cheers


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