Two sided quilt

[Margo]

Does anyone know how to make a two-sided quilt?

That's one with no seams showing on either the quilt's face or the back. The actual joining seams are covered with another piece of fabric about a 1/2" wide finished. The piece of fabric is actually used to quilt the sandwich together. The quilt's face (front) and back would have to be the same pattern for the original seams to line up.

Pam

[Margo]

I have never done it, but I saw once a quilt as you go method where you work from the center out. You butted the batting up against the center portion, you put your strip for top and bottom with right sides facing the center square and then sew the whole thing with a zig zag so that you caught the batting peice and sewed the seam at the same time. You then pressed your front and back strips onto the batting peice.From there you just kept building, I think the example I saw was like a double sided log cabin, but it was identicle front and back and looked lovely when it was finished. Best yet once your peicing was done it was already quilted! I don't know that this is the method you were looking for, but it might work for you if you can understand a word of what I was saying, lol :lol: Good luck

[Margo]

I've taught this as a class for many years. I just found out that there's a book on doing this, by Sharon Pederson, Reversible Quilts Two at a Time. It's available on Amazon. Her method is a little different that mine, but it's really fun to do two-sided quilts. You can see a couple that I've done in my webshots quilt album at

http://community.webshots.com/user/pknord

Pat in Rockport, TX

[sandytn]

I did a two sided quilt the hard way. I made a Flag of England (not the Union Jack but Red Cross that looks like symbol for The Red Cross) for SIL of a friend who is from England to give to his sister. He wanted the flag on both sides. I had to match the seams (thank goodness there weren't many) and quilt. It was a lap size quilt. Stupid me, I made 2. My friend asked me to do a second one for her SIL because he liked the first one so much. But I'm sure this is not what you are talking about.

[bar7700]

Pam..... Check out this web site. I saw a demo for this at IQF in Houston. Amazing!

http://www.quiltyard.com/

Barbara

[snowplow3840]

I was going to recommend the same book that Pat (PKNORD) recommended but also want to tell you about something I do that so far I have never seen anyone else do. (I would like to know if anyone else has ever seen it done so let me know) This works really well on small projects -wall hangings table runners placemats etc. but I have also done it with slight variations on larger throws and small quilts. I have not tried a full size quilt but am working on a baby quilt with one of my variations on the theme. I make both the top and the back. Obviously they need to be similar in size and each needs a large enough outer border so that trimming to match the other one is not going to be a problem. Then take quilter's flannel or drapery lining flannel which has been washed in hot water and dried on high at least twice preferably three times unless you want a crinkled old world homespun effect to your quilt then do not wash flannel at this stage. Use one layer of flannel to line the front of the quilt and do your decorative quilting on those two layers If you are doing a lot of quilting such as fancy feathers etc or bobbin quilting you can use a stabilizer either on top of the flannel so you can mark the stabilizer or between the two layers. The flannel will not catch on the feed dogs like batting does so you can just quilt the two layers if you wish. Repeat the process with the backing and another layer of flannel. Now sandwich the two layers together pinning the same as you would for a non quilted sandwich or by using a spray adhesive to hold the layers together. Now you do some additional quilting to hold the two layers together. You do not need to do a lot of quilting if it is for a table runner or wall hanging. I have also made vests and jackets this way and have only done a little quilting and some finishing stitching like adding some pockets or a small amount of embroidery around the edges.

If I am doing a larger item like a lap robe or a baby quilt that potentially will be washed with some regularity, I quilt the one side (usually the back with stitch in the ditch or some other simple quilting design and then either do my more decorative stitches through the whole sandwich or do a flip and sew technique where I randomly add squares triangles strips etc and then sew those on with the right side of each piece I add to the right side of the quilt and sew a seam , flip, press and add another piece until the whole sandwich is covered.

This technique has baffled some very experienced quilters(even Ricky couldn't figure it out the first time that he saw a piece I had done this way) so I know it is not a common technique but for me it solves some of the problems I have in machine quilting on my domestic machine and allows me to do reversible pieces that have very different patterns on either side. I have combined convergences with traditional squares or landscape wall hangings and don't have to worry about the quilting showing somewhere tahat I do no want it to show.

I haven't entered this into any competitions so do not know how it would hold up to a judges' scrutiny but I know it works well for me.

If you have any further questions you can ask them here or email me through my profile. (I have been getting some unpleasant e mails so clearly identify your e mail or it may get erased as spam)

Thanks Ann

[snowplow3840]

You can do a SIMILAR thing with hand quilting!

If for example you have an appliqué quilt and you do not want to quilt THROUGH the appliqué then when you have finished the front of the quilt you turn the quilt over and quilt the back where the appliqué is on the other side ( if you see what I mean ) but you do not go through all three layers. You literally quilt the back and just into the batting.

SO from the reverse the quilt is covered in quilting but on the front the applique isn't.

This is also very very useful when hand-quilting through seams and you just cant keep stitches even and neat - do the top through the top and batting then flip it over and do the reverse through the backing and batting.

Neat little trick I reckon!

[snowplow3840]

Ann that sounds fantastic.... I'd have never dreamed anything like it!

[snowplow3840]

Pam
I saw this technique done on sewing with Nancy.It's really agreat technique in quilting. I have never tried it but would like to. I have the episode taped but I would have to run back and forth to the tv,alot of pausing too!

I think Ann has described it really well here but for me I'm still baffled, lol! yea it takes along time for it all to sink in with me alot of directions to follow,LOL. Though, I know it's agreat quilt,maybe some day I'll try it. I don't know which way to go,You all,are always filling my list with great things to try in the quilty world. Geesh, I wanna try it all!

Maureen we could be twins ,LOL isn't that scary for you!!!
First time I met my now SIL we we're chatting and I said; Ya don't reckon,I started laughing really hard because I was never aware of using that slang line. Looks like we have another common bond besides being great quilting friends at TQS.

yo mates, Katzzz Back
Love and Hugzzz

[snowplow3840]

Katzzz, it's nice to see you're back.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[snowplow3840]

Glad to see you back Katzzz, you had me worried. 8)

[snowplow3840]

Thanks

I had "myself" worried!!! Oh well, "live & learn".

[snowplow3840]

This is very interesting. Wow, you ladies are far more talented than I.

The quilt I was envisioning is a geometric. If you picture bricks making up a sidewalk, that would be the quilt top (front). The same pattern (bricks) would be on the back, maybe a different color or fabric. If we look at the front, we would see each brick being held together by the 1/2" piece of fabric. If we turn the quilt over, the bricks are in the same place as the bricks on the front and being held together with another 1/2" piece of fabric. This 1/2" piece of fabric is the quilting holding it all together. I guess I need to draw this out.

The quilt I saw had various size bricks. Of course, the various sizes were in the exact same place on the back. It was very interesting and I wish I could make one. My mind doesn't work that way.
Pam

[RuthMcI]

Kathy,

I say "I reckon" all the time--one of my favorite phrases. It's nice to hear it again--I've been living in areas of the country where no one says it...

[Judymc]

Ann, that's a neat technique--I'll have to remember that!