Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Basic Baby Quilt, Wk 1 - Let Process Begin


Last week I showed you a sample of the simple square block to make this lovely quilt. Starting this week, I will walk you through making the quilt pictured above. The whole process should take about 6 weeks to complete. I have broken the process up so that there isn't too much to do each week and you don't end up feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Plus, I understand that in this day and age, people are busy and can't always set aside a huge block of time for something. The idea is to have each step take only a few hours a week - so if you can block out a half hour a day to work on this, you should not have any problems. A new step will be added every Wednesday until the quilt is finished.

Now down to business....

For the first week, the only thing I am going to have you do is gather your supplies.

You will need:

  • Four cotton fabrics, in 44"-45" width
  1. 1/2 yard each of Fabric A and Fabric C (for blocks)
  2. 1 yard of Fabric B (for blocks, border and binding)
  3. 1 1/4 yard of Fabric D (for backing)
  • Batting, Crib Size (45" x 60")
  • Coordinating Thread
  • Rotary Cutter
  • Rotary Cutting Mat
  • Quilting Ruler (I prefer 6.5"x 24")
  • Safety Pins
  • Straight Pins
  • Sewing Machine
  • Iron and Ironing Board
  • Comfortable Work Environment
This ends up being about a 40" square quilt, perfect for a new baby. When choosing material, I like to use solids and tonals to keep the quilt from being too busy. Plus, solid cotton fabrics will tend to be less expensive than some of the lovely prints you can find.

When considering your work environment, you will need to be able spread out a bit. I used to sew at the dining room table with my ironing board set up in a corner. Look at your own situation and determine what the best place will be, especially if you are having to set up and take down your work area each time you are ready to sew. Make it as easy and convenient as possible so you don't lose interest in finishing to project.

That's all for this week. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me a line and I will be happy to answer them as best as I can. Have gathering those supplies!

Happy Crafting All!

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