Camp-a-lot Quickie
(Camp-a-Lot fabrics are by Riley Blake Company and available at Quilters Crossing)
You will need:
1 Camp-a-lot layer cake
1 Camp-a-lot panel
7/8 yard light beige background
1 1/2 yards backing (I used fireflies)
1/2 yard binding ( I used brown zig-zags)
Optional: 1 1/2 yds wonder under or steam a seam
Cut your beige background fabric to measure: 29”x39”
Cut 8 of your layer cake squares in half so you have 16 5”x10” pieces. I stuck to the darker prints so there would be plenty of contrast. Be mindful of the directional fabrics---->(If they are directional think about how you will place them around the 29”x39” panel and let that determine whether you cut them up and down or side to side- if you want all your words etc.. to be right side up.)
Lay your 5”x10” pieces around your beige background. You want an even distribution- move them around until you like what you see! ------>Remember to be careful with the directional fabrics if you want everything right side up! Sometimes it is easier to space them out and then fill in with the ones that aren’t directional.
You will sew three end to end for the top and repeat that for the bottom. Sew onto the beige panel top and bottom. Press.
The sides will each have 5 sewn end to end. Sew them together and then sew onto each side.
Option 1.You can make a “ticker tape” quilt from here- meaning you will layer the quilt thus far on batting and the backing as you would to baste but do not pin!
FIRST cut up the panel arrange the pieces in a pleasing way leaving 1/4-1/2” space all around. Move them, rearrange etc... You will have a few holes that you can fill in by cutting pieces of your leftover layer cake to size for the hole. When you have everything as you like it all the holes filled THEN you pin everything down with safety pins-- going through all the layers. Take the quilt to the machine and do a narrow but dense zig-zag stitch around each patch. This method makes puffy little pillows in each patch and is quick and easy. It will fray when washed and is generally not as durable an end product but is a fun and easy method. After all the patches are stitched down you quilt the border as you please and finish it off with binding as you normally would any quilt.
Option 2. You can make a sturdier version of this quilt by applying a fusible to the panel BEFORE you cut it up. Then proceed to arrange the pieces as above in option one. Fill in the holes with your extra layer cake pieces be sure to apply the fusible to them as well. Once your arrangement works for you, iron down all your patches and proceed to layer your quilt with batting and backing and stitch down all the patches with a narrow, dense zig zag stitch through all the quilt layers. Then finish the quilting of the border as you please and bind normally.
(note- I did not use every bit of the panel, there were some leftover which could be used on the back as a label)
