Autumn Lattice Quilt

Have you tried fabric weaving yet? I have so many ideas I want to try! After my failed attempt at an open weave a few months ago, I've been wanting to try again. October's challenge for the Island Batik ambassadors was "creative borders and binding." It was the perfect opportunity to try some "crazy" ideas!

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I looked through my Island Batik fabrics and chose a fall themed bundle from the "Pumpkin Patch" collection. There were fat quarters of the darker fabrics, and a one yard cut of the neutral.

From this bundle, I drew up an idea for my quilt. I figured since I hard one yard of the neutral, I would aim for making a 36" square quilt.

I also had a one yard piece of Dotalicious that I thought would work great for the backing. I had several strips of cream colored batiks from stash builder rolls that I decided would be perfect for the woven section. I found another green and blue to add to the mix too. Ultimately, I decided to exclude the browns and yellows.

I started by making prairie points with the blue and green fabrics.

A unique quilt calls for a unique plan. I started by making the outside border!

I sewed the green 1 1/2" (1" finished) border first, then added the prairie point border to that. The entire quilt was pieced and quilted with Aurifil 50wt Stone #2324.

I layered this border panel with The Warm Co. 80/20 batting and backing then quilted it using a medium stipple. I measured carefully before pin basting to ensure the border was square on the backing and batting. I only quilted the neutral fabric section, quilting around and under each prairie point. I did not quilt on the skinny green inside border.

Once quilted, I cut out the inside square of the batting and backing and set it aside to use for the center section.

I printed a paper pieced circle template from EQ7 to make a 16" center block.

As I sewed each "blade" into the circle, I also sewed a prairie point into the seam.

Once the center block was done, I removed the paper and added a 1 1/2" (1" finished) blue border.

I pin basted the center block using the batting and backing that I had cut from the center of the outside border section.

I used my walking foot to quilt circles about 3/4" apart. I did not quilt over or under the prairie points and left the outside border unquilted.

Now I had the center block and the outside border complete. I really contemplated putting the binding on the outside border at this point, but decided I liked how binding is always the last stitch to finish a project, so I decided to wait.

For the woven lattice, I wanted the pieces to have batting so they would be a similar thickness as the rest of the quilt. I sewed 2 1/2" strips into tubes, then turned them right sides out. After pressing, I pulled 1" strips of batting into the strips and pressed again.

Now for the hard uncharted part.

I wanted to turn the raw edges 1/4" under on both the inside of the outside border and the outside of the center block before adding the weaving. For the center block, this was relatively simple.

However, for the outside border, the inside corners were a bit tricky to navigate. I decided the best way was to unstitch 1/4" of the seam on the top to be able to turn the edges under. Then for the back, I snipped the fabric at a diagonal into the corner to be able to turn it under. I turned the batting under with the backing fabric too, and pressed each edge very well.

To prepare the two quilt pieces for weaving, I first taped the outside border to my dining room table. I was very careful to ensure the piece was square before taping it down, and only taped the outside edges.

Next, I used looped tape to secure the center block in the center of the border so no tape was blocking the edges.

Once the quilted pieces were secured, it was time to plan the weaving.

I laid out the strips at 45 degree angles, cutting each one to approximately the needed length as I went. I aimed for a random placement of the different fabrics (even though in pictures they all look to be the same cream print). I just roughly estimated the placement and number of strips I'd need at this point.

One thing I learned from the previous open weave, was that each strip must be secured in place much more than a typical weave. I decided to pin each strip end in place around the entire quilt.

I really had no idea if the idea was even going to work out at this point. I still had a lot of unknowns, but decided to bridge each only when I got to it.

I encountered issues at every corner, but was able to adjust a few strips ever so slightly to make it work without effecting the overall look.

The final side presented the most issues. Once I decided that the spacing was the most important thing, the lattice all came together.

At this point, I was pretty ecstatic! I had just proven that a concept was indeed possible! But now I had to move it from the table to the sewing machine without having the pieces shift.

I used binding clips and curved basting pins to secure the lattice intersections and keep them from shifting while I stitched around the quilt.

I used my walking foot to stitch just inside the edge of the now 1" borders, removing the pins just as I got to them. I used my hand under the quilt to ensure the backing and batting was still folded under the 1/4" as well. (My Juki TL-2010Q never complained about the many layers it was sewing through. Due to folding the batting under 1/4" and strips with batting, there were many times that it was stitching through four layers of batting and eight layers of fabric all at once!)

Once I had stitched around both sides of the strips, I removed all the basting pins and clips. And....IT WORKED! When the quilt is folded or crumpled, the weaving strips bend and move out of place, BUT when the quilt is held back up, all the strips go right back to where they should be! It's seriously like magic!

I was so excited to stitch the binding on. It was definitely a victory lap!

I have so many ideas running through my head now for more things to try! This will definitely not be the last time I make an open weave quilt!

I love the 3-D effect of the prairie points combined with the open lattice. It reminds me of fall leaves swirling on my grandmother's porch!

Linking up with Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River, Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts, Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter, Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts, Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and TGIFF at JANDA Bend Quilts.

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