Show your love for the little ones in your life with this adorable quilted blanket.
Tools and Materials
- 1 yard printed quilt fabric for front, pre-washed and ironed
- 1 yard solid cotton fabric for backing, pre-washed and ironed
- Craft- or crib-sized quilt batting
- Rotary cutter
- Clear grid ruler
- Cutting mat
- 4 yards 3/4-inch or 11/16-inch cotton rick rack
- White water-based craft glue
- Pins
- Sewing machine
- Coordinating thread
- Scissors
- Iron
- Water-soluble marking pen
- Quilt tie diagram
- 1 spool Perle cotton embroidery thread
- Embroidery needle
Note: The finished quilt is 35 by 35 inches, plus a rickrack border, but these instructions can be used to make a small quilt with any dimensions. When cutting the front, backing, and batting for a custom-size quilt, add 1/2 inch to the desired length and width of the finished quilt to account for seam allowance.
Tied Children's Quilt How-To
1. Cut the three quilt elements (batting, front, and backing) to 35 1/2 by 35 1/2 inches, using a rotary cutter and cutting mat.
2. Place batting on a flat surface. Place front piece face up on top of batting, lining up the edges. Place backing face down on top of front piece. Trim slightly, if needed, to make edges match perfectly.
3. Lift edges of back piece one at a time, and glue-baste rick rack to edges of front piece, on all four sides. Pin all three layers together along edges as you baste the trim.
4. Sew around all four sides with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving an 18-inch opening in the center of the bottom edge.
5. Trim corners and excess batting in seam. Reach through opening, between front and back pieces, and flip entire quilt right side out.
6. Press all four sides of quilt to create nice sharp edges. Press opening flat and pin closed. Topstitch just inside edge all around quilt (this not only secures the flat edges, but also closes the opening).
7. Make water-soluble ink marks every five inches on the back of the quilt, using a clear grid ruler and referencing the diagram for placement.
8. Add a tie at each mark. Start with a needle with a long length of embroidery floss. Insert needle at mark on back, come up through the layers, leaving a 3-inch tail on the back. Send needle back through the layers, right next to where you came up. This will make a small dot. Use two more stitches to make an "X" over the dot.
9. Bring needle over to next tie mark and repeat, continuing until you run out of thread. Clip thread between ties on back; triple-knot each tie. Clip excess thread down to about 1/2-inch from each knot.
10. Remove marks by spraying with water, or gently wash quilt.
Resources
Fabric used on "The Martha Stewart Show" available from Purl Patchwork; printed fabric part of "Far Far Away" collection, designed by Heather Ross for Kokka. Bamboo batting available fromFairfield. All other tools and materials available at quilting or fabric-supply stores.
