A few months ago illustrator and author Hallie Bateman mailed me a box of her retired sheets in hopes that I could use them. The tops of the fitted sheets were worn, but their sides were pristine- so I wanted to explore a quilt top that would make the most of the usable fabric with as little fuss or waste as possible. Fitted sheets are a great source of fabric for quilt making because their use is so uneven- while the tops see all the action the sides are just sort of… there… hugging your mattress… sustaining very little wear and tear outside of laundry… waiting to become a quilt :)
For this quilt you will need at least 2 fitted sheets, although the steps can easily be hacked for using tablecloths, flat sheets, curtains, etc. Fiber content doesn’t matter, but they should be woven rather than knit. (Jersey sheets will stretch and warp and give you a lot of headaches in a project like this. Make those into a rag rug instead! Braiding stretchy fabric is tactile bliss.) You will also need a sewing machine (this process isn’t great for hand stitching as you’ll be cutting through the seams you sew), sharp scissors, an iron and lots of thread.
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