I have to admit that Rachael’s is one of my favourite blogs to read.  So many colours and shapes and weird and wonderful ideas, I think I want to be Rachael when I grow up!  Anyway, when she offered to do a tute on her super cute magnetic improv quilt, which she had made for the Umbrella Prints Trimming competition, I leapt at the idea, I hope you enjoy!

Over to you Rachael…

I know you’ve all been busy beavers for the last 3 months finishing up lots of projects but today I’m going to show you an easy way to make lots of quilts in just a few hours…

by making a Dynamic Magnetic Improv Quilt!

This is a great way to use up any advertising magnets you might have lying around or you can buy sheets of magnetic strips from you local craft store.

As for fabrics, use up your scraps or show off your favourite prints, it’s up to you.

Any size or shape will work for your magnetic pieces. I’m making this one 2 x 3.5 inches. Cut out 2 pieces of fabric a bit bigger than your chosen finished size. Then cut your magnet about 1 quarter – half an inch smaller than your fabric pieces.

There are a lots ways of marking the lines so you know where to stitch. On the right side of the fabric you could trace around the magnet with a pencil, or a hera marker. You could hold the magnet, or glue it in place between the fabric and stitch around by feeling the edges.

This is the way I chose to stitch my lines so there were no markings on the fabric.

I simply cut a piece of paper the same size as the magnet…

…and pinned it to the 2 pieces of fabric, wrong sides together.

Using perle #8 or embroidery thread, start at one corner. Keep the knot in between the 2 pieces of fabrics and come up through the top fabric. This hides your knot so you magnet will look neat on both sides, just in case anyone ever looks at the back.

Sew with big stitches around 3 sides of the paper. If you like you can change colour of your thread for variety, just remember to hide your knots in between the 2 fabrics. Once you have sewn 3 sides slide your magnet in between the fabrics into position, keeping the magnetic part facing towards the back.

Sew the last side.

Tidy up those rough edges using some pinking shears and that’s your first piece done.

Make a few more of these…

…until you have enough for a quilt.

Stick them on your fridge…

… and then have fun coming up with different configurations.

The possibilities are endless.

I wonder if Katy will let us enter our Dynamic Magnetic Improv Quilt variations in the FAL?