Lily Pad Mats

Pattern/Technique: Twig & Tale Lily Pad Blanket (from Tropical Leaf Blankets collection), large size

Modifications: None

Materials: 2 yds quilting cotton, 1 yd high loft quilt batting (bought a twin-sized high loft roll acrylic batting to make 2 lily pad blankets)

New skills: n/a

Lessons/Notes: After sewing the batting to the fabric layers (if I recall correctly, I sewed with the batting layer on top to prevent fibers from getting pushed into my machine), I used scissors to grade the batting so that it wouldn’t form a thick layer after turning the pad right side out. I also clipped notches around the tight curves to make a clean edge.

I didn’t use the template for the vein quilting, given the simplicity of the veins and the work required to make a template. Instead I used a chaco liner to sketch in veins and sewed over them.

While sewing the vein lines, I started at the intersection point with 5 0mm length stitches, then switched to a 2mm stitch and sewed toward the outside edge, backstitching for 1/2 inch then cutting the thread.

Bringing the bottom thread up to the top layer was extra important on this project, so that I didn’t end up with a thread nest at the intersection point of the veins.

What I'd do differently: I’m hopeful that the quilting lines are close enough to prevent the batting from bunching. If that proves to be an issue I’ll quilt closer lines in the future

Care: Machine wash, lay flat to dry