How to Upcycle a Sweatshirt with an Orphan Quilt Block

A fun, zero-waste project you can finish in an afternoon.

I always have a couple of orphan blocks floating around my sewing room. If you follow me at @sewingthroughfog, you won’t be surprised to learn they are usually made from old jeans, but you don’t need to be obsessed with denim to do this super fun, easy, and totally free project! In fact, it works with any type of block you have (like one made with my second favorite quilting fabric – Liberty Tana Lawn) and any sweatshirt.

Using what you already have is the best and easiest way to be more sustainable. Plus, this technique is a great way to cover up logos you don’t like on a sweatshirt, adding some personality, or to make a sweet handmade gift. (This would be great for a kiddo)

So, grab a block, turn on your serger, and let’s get started!

Advantages of Using an Overlock/Coverstitch Combo

• Made for knits — overlockers and coverstitch machines are made to work with knits and fleece (like sweatshirts), so you’ll get a professional finish that holds up beautifully.
• Skip the binding — I must admit, binding is not my favorite part of quilting. (Maybe you can relate?) By using an overlocker, you can totally skip the binding step! The overlock stitch will neatly finish your block edges without any extra work.
• Coverstitches for quilting — on the L 890, you can use a coverstitch to sew two or three perfectly even lines of quilting at once or use a chainstitch the same way you would a single-needle straight stitch.

Materials Needed

• 1 orphan quilt block (any size you like). I’ll be demonstrating on two very different blocks—a log cabin made from upcycled jeans and a classic block from the Dear Jane quilt made with Liberty Fabrics.
• Scraps of batting (big enough to match the quilt block, extra points for franken-batting*)
• Thread (matching or complementary to your quilt block — it will show! I used Mettler’s Seracor.)
• A sweatshirt (any style — new, old, thrifted, whatever)
• BERNINA L 890

(Seriously, that’s it. You already have this stuff sitting around your sewing room.)

*A note on batting: If you haven’t made and used franken-batting, this is the perfect opportunity!

Just grab a couple scraps, line up the straight edges and either do a wide zigzag (like I did for my Liberty block above) or use a fusible to fix them together.Or if you are going to use the batting under thicker fabric (like denim), you can even use your L 890 stitch #5 the 3-Thread Flatlock Wide (LN), to join your batting like I did below for my log cabin block.

Step 1: Prep Your Quilt Block

Cut your batting to match your orphan block — no need for extra margins.

Layer the batting behind your quilt block. No backing fabric needed—the sweatshirt will act as the backing.

Use pins, basting spray, or a few hand stitches to keep the two layers together. If you are using pins, be extra careful to remove them before they get anywhere near the blade!

Step 2: Overlock Your Quilt Block

Set up your L 890 for overlock stitch #3, the 3-Thread Overlock Wide (LN). Remember to use thread that either matches the edge of your quilt block or is complementary.

You can use any overlock stitch for this step, I prefer stitch #3 because the ¼” width is like a binding width. Since you will be adding quilting on top, you do not need a safety stitch.

Line up the edge of the block with the farthest right notch on the foot and overlock all the way around the edge of the quilt block. This neatens up the edges and attaches the batting in one go.

Step 3: Position Your Block

Decide where you want your block on your sweatshirt — front, back, off to one side, whatever feels good.

Pin or baste the block securely in place. Notice below I turned under the edges of my Liberty block for a cleaner finish (check out Bonus Ideas + Variations for more).

Step 4: Secure the Block with a Coverstitch

Switch your L 890 over to stitch #22, the 3-Thread Coverstitch Wide (LC-RC). Remember to thread your two needle threads in colors that match or complement your quilt block (since they’ll show on the front). The looper thread (back side) can match your sweatshirt or be whatever color you want.

Remove your extension table if you have been using it

Line up the edge of the block with the edge of the foot so the right cover needle catches the edge of the block. Quilt around the outside edge of the block to anchor it in place.

Quilting With a Coverstitch – Things to Consider

What about the corner?

It’s possible to coverstitch around a corner, however, it will be slightly wonky. As you can see here (although it’s barely noticeable), I don’t mind wonky so that’s what I did. But you can start and stop stitching at each corner if you choose.

How to make a Wonky Corner

• Stop stitching right before the corner: Ensure the needles are up and the presser foot is lifted.
• Create a tiny bit of looseness: Pull the needle threads a tiny bit to give them some wiggle room.
• Turn the fabric: slide the fabric around to align the corner with the needles.
• Continue stitching: Lower the presser foot and resume stitching.

Don’t forget your CS Lock Tool!

This little tool comes with your L 890 and makes cutting and locking the cover- and chainstitch super easy!

Step 5: Add your Quilting

Add as many additional quilting lines as you want — but don’t overdo it. Too much stitching will make the block stiff, and you want your sweatshirt to stay comfy. Check out the Bonus Ideas + Variations for additional thoughts on quilting.

For my log cabin block, I lined up the middle of the foot with the seams, adding quilting lines on both sides of each seam

For my Liberty block, I kept it simple, adding double lines through the center of the white X

Step 6: Clean Up Your Threads

Pull all the remaining threads to the back of your sweatshirt.

On the back side, at each stitch beginning and end point, tie the two needle threads into a small knot.

Bury the three threads (two needle threads and one looper) under your stitching by threading them under a few stitches with a hand needle or tiny hook.

And that’s it! You just made a one-of-a-kind sweatshirt using orphan blocks, and some creative stitches on your L 890.

Bonus Ideas + Variations

• Fold under the edges of your quilt block before chainstitching it to your sweatshirt.  This will give you a cleaner look — just know it’ll create some extra bulk around the edges, so you may need to adjust your stitch accordingly.
• Use the BERNINA Binder Accessory Attachment for C21 / C22 on your L 890 if you actually like binding.
• Quilt from the inside: If you coverstitch from the inside of the sweatshirt, your looper thread will show on the outside for a more decorative finish.
• Use a Chainstitch: Want a single line of quilting instead of two? Use the Chainstitch instead of a Coverstitch.