Pillowcase quilt idea, thoughts?
 

I learned about a month ago my 80 year old neighbor has cancer. He still goes out every day, snow blows his driveway, sees his girlfriend, and and is very active.

We have a neighbor-type friendship, and I was thinking of making him a lap quilt. A rail fence with fabric choices of gardens and boating, his favorite things. I want it to be warm, like a hug, and was thinking of using fleece or flannel for the back. I want to do something nice, and maybe that will help get me out of my slump.

My problem is that I'm not great at the quilting part so I wanted to make it a pillowcase quilt, with double stitching around. I made one of these for my grandson a few years back and it washes and wears well and it's his favorite.

I was planning on going to JoAnn's today and hopefully they have the fabric. I'd like to make it this weekend.

What do you think?

I would just make sure there are enough quilting lines according to the batting recommendations (10 inches apart? 6 inches apart?). otherwise, i say it sounds like a great plan!

I made a bed size quilt for a farmer friend of mine. I used veggie and fruit fabrics plus a blender fabric that coordinated with each fabric as best I could. I used a Quiltville pattern and it came out so nice. With the extras scraps I made myself a lap size quilt for the library but using only the blender fabrics as I'd ran out of the focal fabrics. The pattern I used is called Bricks and Stones.

I think your idea is wonderful! I'm sure he will appreciate the kindness. Doing something for someone else always makes me
feel better!

Butterfli - that sounds like a wonderful project! I hope your JoAnns has more fabric than mine does so you can get everything you are hoping for. With regards to quilting it, after you've done the exterior edges, you can always do a running stitch up and down the quilt to make sure that all the batting is secured as LAF said. He is going to love it!

Snooze they are lovely! What a great idea to use fruit and vegetables as your blocks for your farmer friend.

So creative!

What a kind gesture. I'm sure your neighbor will love it!

When you say, "pillowcase quilt," do you mean sewing it together with right sides together and turning it right side out? If so, I put my batting on the bottom, backing on top of the batting with right side up, then put the quilt top on top with the right side down. Pin it all together and sew all the way around, leaving about 12" to turn. Close the opening by hand, then top-stitch all the way around about 1/2" away from the edge. It works pretty good. Then you can tie or quilt as needed.

@Snooze, very nice! Good idea for the leftovers too.

Well, no luck at Joann's. They did have some garden themed fabrics but not enough that I liked, and the boating themed ones were juvenile-oriented. I had checked WM as well as they have a good selection and nice fabrics, but nothing that really matched my idea.

Maybe I'm not supposed to do this. Maybe flowers would be nice too.

I think your neighbor is not going to care about the quality of quilting and is going to be delighted that you thought enough of him to make something for him. You're very kind.

Snooze, that is gorgeous! The Quiltville tutorial looks fun and easy.