Orange peel quilting
Gentle arcs from corner to corner of every square, both ways, so each square holds a four-petal flower and circles link across the quilt. Here the squares are 3"; on a patchwork quilt the arcs follow the seams.
By Editorial Staff
How to stitch orange peel
- Stitch one arc of each square in a long continuous line, corner to corner across a whole row of squares, curving the same way each time.
- Come back along the same row on the other side of the corners, curving the other way, to close the petals.
- Repeat for the rows running the other direction.
Home machine, longarm or by hand
| Level | How | |
|---|---|---|
| Home machine | Intermediate | Walking foot or free motion |
| Longarm | Intermediate | Curved ruler |
| By hand | Suits hand quilting | How to hand quilt |
Thread for orange peel
40 or 50 weight cotton.
| Size | Quilt | Stitching | Top thread | Bobbin thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crib | 45" × 60" | 157 yd | 216 yd | 216 yd |
| Throw | 60" × 72" | 252 yd | 346 yd | 346 yd |
| Twin | 70" × 90" | 367 yd | 504 yd | 504 yd |
| Full | 84" × 96" | 470 yd | 646 yd | 646 yd |
| Queen | 90" × 108" | 566 yd | 778 yd | 778 yd |
| King | 108" × 108" | 679 yd | 934 yd | 934 yd |
Stitching is measured on the drawing above at 3" squares. 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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