Making an Easy Quilt Sandwich



Nothing's better than a quilt. Am I right? 

I mean, what do you reach for when you're cold? Quilts. What do you snuggle with when you need comfort? Quilts.  What makes your house warm and inviting? Quilts. 

Quilts are quite possibly the BEST. INVENTION. EVER. (Other than cookies.) 🙂

Whether you've made quilts for years or this is your first go, below is the stuff you need to know: cut sizes, how to make that famous "quilt sandwich," and how to quilt with Clear Blue Tiles®

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Quilt Cut Sizes

What size of quilt do you want to make? Here's a quick reference guide for common quilt sizes (particularly sizes that are perfect for gifts and donations)!

Pssst . . .the reason I'm focusing on these particular sizes is because of our upcoming Tiny Hugs initiative. (Stay tuned for more details . . .they're coming soon!) 💕

Quilt Cut Sizes  (1)
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Quilt Sandwich Ingredients

Once you've determined the size, it's time to make THE "quilt sandwich." 

The quilt sandwich consists of top and bottom layers of fabric (bread, if you will) with a good layer of batting in between. Here are some tips on creating the perfect quilt sandwich!

Top Fabric

Cut your fabric to the desired size. Press the quilt top so all seams are flat and fabric is wrinkle-free! 

Batting

Match the size of the batting to the size of your quilt top PLUS allow an extra 1" on all sides. We strongly recommend Kimberbell Project Batting, which has the ideal loft for quilting in-the-hoop!

Tip: If you need to use more than one piece of batting to make it larger, be sure to zigzag stitch the pieces side-by-side so the quilt lays flat! 

Back Fabric

Your back fabric should be the size of your quilt top PLUS an extra 3" on all sides. (This extra back fabric allows room for hooping and for embroidering the design off the edge of the quilt top.)  Press well! 

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Assembling Your Quilt Sandwich

Below are step-by-step instructions and illustrations for putting your quilt sandwich together! 

Quilt Sandwich

After you've created your sandwich, you're ready to quilt your project in-the-hoop of your embroidery machine with Kimberbell Clear Blue Tiles! 
 
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Using Clear Blue Tiles

Here's a quick overview of how Clear Blue Tiles work:

These remarkable tools make it possible to create continuous, all-over quilting, just as if you stitched your project on a longarm machine (but you actually used your home embroidery machine)!

First, you'll place one of the Clear Blue Tiles on top of your quilt sandwich. Next, you'll use a water-soluble pen to mark the fabric as directed. (The included User Guide will walk you through each step!) 😀

It's a lot like using a rubber stamp. Place the tile and mark your fabric. Then move the tile, align with previous markings, and mark again. Repeat until you've "stamped" the fabric all over, indicating where quilting will go. 

After you've marked your fabric, you'll hoop it, making sure your needle is aligned with the center crosshairs. You'll then stitch the corresponding embroidery file that matches the tile size you used.

It's that simple!

When stitching is complete, hoop your fabric again with the next "stamped" marking and continue the process until the entire project is quilted. Couldn't be easier! 😊

Tip: When using Clear Blue Tiles, projects don’t require stabilizer for hooping. The quilt sandwich is stable enough to be hooped on its own.
 
After your project is hooped, loosely roll the part that will be in the throat of the embroidery machine and secure that fabric with the included slap bands (as shown in the above image). 
 
For larger projects, it's important that the project is on the same level as the embroidery machine. If your fabric drapes over the edge of the table, the quilting may become distorted due to the weight of the fabric. 
 
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Tiny Hugs

So . . .are you excited to get quilting? 😊 I sure hope so, because we need YOU to help spread light and love through Kimberbell's Tiny Hugs initiative (coming right up)! 
 
 
Kimberbell is bringing back our Tiny Hugs initiative to support families grieving the loss of a child or facing big medical challenges. This initiative will run from September 21-November 21, 2026!

More details will follow. Until then . . .happy stitching! 
 
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