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Denim Chenille Quilt
FINISHING AND CLIPPING
Use a 1/2" seam allowance to stitch around the perimeter of the quilt. It's easiest to do this with the calico down and the denim side up. Let the seam allowances fold toward you as they go under the presser foot.
The clipping is very tedious and messy, and it can be hard on your hands. Make sure your scissors have a comfortable grip. They must be strong and sharp because you are cutting several layers with only the very tips of the blades.
If you are having trouble, try clipping through two layers at once instead of all four at the same time. This also has the advantage that you can't cut through the seam. Technically, it's twice as much clipping, but it's much easier. It may make a nicer "chenille", too, if the cuts aren't perfectly aligned.
Clip through all four layers of the seam allowances. Try to make your snips about 3/8" apart. Remember, if your scissors are not strong enough to clip all the layers at once, you can cut through the layers one or two at a time.
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Don't forget to clip around the outside edges of the quilt.
AT THE INTERSECTIONS:
Wherever you have an intersection and the seam allowance fabric is sewn down flat, cut OUT the small square of seam allowance fabric there. Clip close to each side of each seam.
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ALL of the seam allowance fabric should be "loose" - not sewn flat. Where it is sewn down flat, it should be cut loose or removed.
WASHING YOUR QUILT
You've already seen how messy the clipping was. The next step is to wash it, and that is REALLY messy.
If you have a washing machine that drains into a washtub and has a drainhose over which you can tie an old stocking or something else to catch the lint OR otherwise prevent it from clogging up your pipes and incurring a hefty plumber bill, you can wash the quilt at home. If you don't want to worry about this, take the quilt to a laundromat and wash it there. They have better facilities for trapping lint. I have done it both ways without problems.
You can beat it up a bit before washing, anyhow, to get rid of some of the loose threads. Hang it over a railing and beat it like a rug, shake it out, etc. You will still have literally HANDFULS of lint in both the washer and drier.
When you dry it, set the drier to the heaviest setting. Let it tumble for ONE MINUTE. Stop the drier and clean the lint trap. Let it tumble for another minute. Stop the drier and clean the lint trap. After this, you can wait two or three minutes between checking the lint trap. After 15 minutes or so, if the quilt is not producing as much lint, you can let it dry. Check every ten minutes or so. You can also do this step at the laundromat, where they have industrial-sized lint trap systems, if you don’t want to do it at home.
The quilt will continue to have some residual "lint production" and the seams will fray up a bit more with subsequent washings, but you don’t need to wash it again until it gets dirty. When you do wash it, remember to look out for lint.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
You have completely finished your quilt. I hope you will email me a photo of it at cathe@gloryquilts.com and put "Denim Chenille Quilt" in the subject line. We will have an online quilt show!
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