COMFORTER PROJECT: SIMPLE & PERSONAL

What's New, Mar/Apr 2002 by Black, Lynette Ranney, Wisner, Linda

Every comfortable bed deserves a generously stuffed comfy comforter. Students can make their own simple comforter for their bedrooms in any fabric they like - from wild to feminine to sporty.

Step 1. Measure the bed.

Comforter Width = Bed width 2 drops 1'' _____'' batting take-up allowance (thickness of batting will vary by brand).

Comforter Length = Bed length 1 drop 1'' _____'' batting take-up allowance.

Step 2. Cut the fabric for the top, lining and batting of the comforter. With 90''-wide fabric, only a king-size comforter needs piecing. This means sewing together multiple pieces of fabric. Smaller sized comforters can use just one piece of material.

Shirred Piping (Inserting the yarn into a tube made by sewing two pieces of fabric together and then gathering the cord).

1. Cut fabric strips on bias or crossgrain, making them wide enough to wrap around chosen cording, plus 1''. Piece into one long strip 2 �-3 times the length around sides and bottom edge of comforter.

2. Center and stitch one end of cord to wrong side of strip. Wrap strip around cord with raw edges even.

Machine baste for 6'' using zipper foot to get close to cord without crowding it. Stop in needle down position.

3. Raise presser foot and push stitched part of strip along cord behind needle until fabric is as loosely or tightly shirred as desired. Continue stitching and shirring. Stitch across end to secure.

4. Machine baste piping to comforter fabric to make raw edges even, using zipper foot to stitch close to cord. Machine baste quilt batting to lining. Stitch comforter to lining, right sides together, leaving top and open for turning.

5. Turn comforter right side out and topstitch or hand slipstitch opening closed.

6. Secure all layers by "tufting" at evenly spaced intervals (6''-8'' apart) across length and width of finished comforter.

How to Tuft: Tufting means attaching all the layers of the comforter to one another by pulling the thread through all of the layers and then tying a knot.

Thread needle with crochet thread. Take �-long stitches through all layers, leaving a 4'' tail at both ends of every stitch for tying. Tie a square knot to secure "tuft," which means pulling the thread through the fabric for accent. "Tufts" also keep all the layers of the comforter together.

Lynette Ranney Black and Linda Wisner are the authors of Creative Serging for the Home and Other Quick Decorating Ideas (Palmer/Fletsch, �2001). Photo Courtesy of Palmer/Pletsch.