Learn to make a simple, block style baby quilt.
It's a project that is relatively easy and fast to do.
Making the quilt:
If you know how to sew and are looking for an easy baby quilt to make for a gift for someone else or for your own child, there is a very simple quilt that you can make-a Block style. While it is simple in concept, it will steal the show at the baby shower and will be enjoyed by all who see it or use it.
The first thing I like to do is to sketch out the block pattern for the quilt and then color the squares to see how the quilt will look in it’s finished form. This is also a good way to keep track of which color block goes where in your quilt. As you get more experienced, you can also use the blocks in different ways to really change up the design. If you need inspiration, there are numerous books and websites dedicated to quilt patterns.
Baby Quilt size:
Most baby’s quilts are about 45”x60” finished.
When sketching the design, you can decide whether you want bigger squares or smaller squares. I did my quilt with 6” squares. It’s really up to you to decide how you want your finished quilt to look. *Keep in mind that the larger you make the squares, the less time it will take to complete!
For this Quilt -Actual Dimensions:
For this quilt, I used 6” squares with a 1/4” seam allowance of all sides. This brought the squares to 6.5” all around. (see diagram).
I figured it would take 4 squares across and 6 down to complete the block pattern of the quilt.
Adding the sashing (border) is 8” across with the 1/4” seam allowance will make the sashing 8.5” wide.
My quilt had a finished size of 43” across and 56” down with these measurements. (see diagram).
Picking the Fabric:
Now you need to decide about the fabric and colors to be used in the quilt.
Most quilts are made from 100% cotton or cotton mixes. Cotton is a very versatile, strong and natural material to work with. It is generally allergy free and is not flammable. So if you are making the quilt for a child's bed then this could be a great choice. Make sure you wash and dry the fabric first before cutting the fabric as it can strink in the wash!
Choosing a color for your quilt:
If you are making a quilt for a friend, loved one or someone special, try to find out if they are using a particular color scheme. This is a good place to start. For my first baby quilt, I knew my friend was doing her baby’s room in purple.
So that’s where I started. I went to the fabric store and found a few different fabrics that would work with that color. I tried to stick with only 4 different fabrics to not get too complicated.
Cutting your Squares:
You can successfully cut out accurate squares and patches using a rotary cutter and rotary board. Simply find your size square and cut using these lines and you will have perfect squares. The fabric stores have all different types of templates and cutting tools to make your life easier! Make sure you leave a 1/4” seam allowance on all sides of the squares. This is for when you sew the pieces together.
Once you have all your squares cut, you can begin pinning them together in place. I pin and sew one row at a time until you have the front quilt squares all sewn together.
Quilt block assembly tips:
When sewing the individual pieces of your quilt block together here are a few tips to help you along the way:
• Always make sure the right sides of the material are facing each other - it is very simple to sew one the right way and one the wrong way!
• Keep your pins fairly close together to prevent the material from slackening and creating bubbles or uneven squares.
Adding Sashing:
Once you have all the center block pieces of your quilt sewn together, it’s time to think the sashing. Sashing is basically a boarder around the blocks. It’s a good way to finish off the design of the quilt.
After you have cut each piece of sashing, simply attach it to the blocks in a similar manner to the way the squares were assembled. It is often easier to create long strips and then sew the strips together. For the baby quilt, I used 8” sashing strips with 1/4” seam allowance all around. (see diagram).
Be very careful when pinning the long strips together as by this stage there are literally hundreds of seams and all it takes is for a couple of them to be 1 mm off and you are out by a 1/4 inch!
When pinning try to use the right angles of the fabric to line up the seam, that way the quilt will be in perfect geometric order.
Once you have completed your quilt top, removed the pins and ironed back all the seams, it is time to choose the batting.
Adding Batting:
Batting, padding or wadding is the "bulk" of the quilt, and is the middle component of the quilt sandwich. It comes in different thicknesses, composition and texture. There is a variety of batting available, ranging from natural fibres like cotton and wool, to synthetics and man-made fabric.
• Cotton - Cotton batting is idea for beginners and small projects. Cotton is natural and easy to work with, and you are often more able to achieve a more even look using it.
You can find batting already made to fit crib size. Depending on your finished size, you may have to trim off a little excess. The quilt batting should be bigger than the quilt top and smaller than the backing. Leaving a small amount of overlap allows for any pull or if you find that once the quilt has been sewn the edge has moved in a couple of centimetres. When quilting it is always better to be safe rather than sorry!
Consider the thickness of the batting:
A thin light weight batting is ideal for a quilt as it is easier to sew compared to thick heavy batting. As it is very important to produce small, even stitches over the whole quilt, it is much easier if the needle and thread only have to go through a thin piece of batting.
If you are making the quilt for a bed and would like to use it for warmth then you can use a thicker batting, however it would probably be a lot easier if it was tied rather than quilted. (see "Tie-Off" at the end).
Choosing Quilt Backing and Binding:
The next step to finishing the quilt is to decide on the backing of the quilt. You can use many different materials for this. Traditional white fabric is the most popular type of backing. A plain cotton or cotton mix will suit almost all quilts.
However, if you are after something a little different you could choose the most popular color in your quilt and use a fabric in that color. For my baby quilt, I choose to use flannel fabric for the backing. I thought this was a good option for the softness and warmth of the fabric.
It is always a good idea to keep the backing to a simple print if not a plain color.
Binding the Quilt:
The binding is the last step when quilting. It is generally around 1/2 inch thick and is the same as one of the dominant fabrics in the quilt or it can also be bought at most fabric/hobby stores. Make sure the binding compliments the other colors being used. I find the easiest way is to purchase the binding already made.
There are different ways to bind the edge of your quilt. I will only give instructions for using the bought binding material.
The bought binding generally comes folded. Fold one half on the front of the quilt and one half on the back. Then sew the edges to the raw quilt edge about 1/4 inch away from the edge. Making sure to cover all the raw edges.
Corners can either be mitred, where you can cut the binding at a 45 degree angle and then sew together, or you can gather the excess fabric and sew around the corner giving a smooth curve rather than a pointed edge.
Tie Off the Quilt:
For this baby quilt, I usually take embroidery thread at the end to
tie-off the corners of each block square. This helps to keep the
batting in place. To do this, simply take the embroidery thread and a
big needle and sew it threw each corner of the block square. Then just
knot it. You can leave a little thread hanging for a more country feel
or snip it close to the fabric for a more subtle look.
Congratulations! Your quilt is now finished and ready to enjoy!
Time to Celebrate!