Clamshell quilting
Rows of half circles, each row half a shell over from the one above, like fish scales; here each shell is 3" across. Stitched in long wavy rows, it is quicker than it looks.
By Editorial Staff
How to stitch clamshell
- Mark the rows with a clamshell stencil or a plate, or trace a circle ruler.
- Stitch each row as one continuous line of arcs from edge to edge, rather than one shell at a time.
- Then quilt the next row, its arcs meeting the tops of the row before.
Home machine, longarm or by hand
| Level | How | |
|---|---|---|
| Home machine | Intermediate | Walking foot or free motion, marked |
| Longarm | Intermediate | Pantograph or curved ruler |
| By hand | Suits hand quilting | How to hand quilt |
Thread for clamshell
40 or 50 weight by machine; hand quilting thread by hand.
| Size | Quilt | Stitching | Top thread | Bobbin thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 45" × 60" | 79 yd | 108 yd | 108 yd |
| Throw | 60" × 72" | 126 yd | 173 yd | 173 yd |
| Twin | 70" × 90" | 183 yd | 252 yd | 252 yd |
| Full | 84" × 96" | 234 yd | 322 yd | 322 yd |
| Queen | 90" × 108" | 283 yd | 389 yd | 389 yd |
| King | 108" × 108" | 339 yd | 466 yd | 466 yd |
Stitching is measured on the drawing above at 3" shells. A lockstitch takes about 1¼" of top thread and 1¼" of bobbin thread for each inch it sews; we add 10% for starts and tails. To check your own machine, sew 12", then measure what came off each spool.
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