Tied Baby Quilt

Materials:

• 1/4 yard each of six assorted cotton flannel prints (quilt top)
• 1 yard cotton flannel backing fabric
• 30x38" medium-loft polyester batting
• Chopstick or pencil with eraser (optional)
• No. 5 Perle cotton or yarn (ties)
• Darning or chenille needle
• Water-soluble marking pen

Finished quilt: 28x36"

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

Measurements include 1/2" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Prepare Fabrics:

Wash and dry all fabrics except batting before beginning your project. Use the same washer and dryer settings that you will use to launder the quilt when it is complete

Cut Fabrics:

From each of six assorted prints, cut:

• 1--7x29" rectangle

From backing fabric, cut:

• 1--29x37" rectangle

Assemble Top:

1. Lay out the six assorted cotton flannel print 7x29" rectangles in a row.

2. With printed sides together, pin together first two rectangles. Sew together one long edge of the first two rectangles using a 1/2" seam.

3. Press seam open.

4. Add remaining rectangles, one at a time. To ensure the edges are even, sew rectangles in an alternating fashion, following directional arrows. Add one row stitching from top to bottom, next stitching from bottom to top, until all rectangles are joined. Press seams open. The quilt top should be 29x37" including seam allowances.

Assemble Quilt:

1. Place batting on a work surface; smooth out any wrinkles. (TIP: Unroll batting and allow to breathe overnight. It will relax and fluff to original loft.) With right side up, center and layer quilt top on batting.

2. Center and layer quilt backing right side down on quilt top.

3. Pin layers together around all edges.

4. Beginning at the middle of one short edge (not the corner), sew together layers around edges using a 1/2" seam allowance. Leave an 8" opening along one edge for turning (marked here with water-soluble marker).

5. Trim batting to within 1/4" of stitching.

6. Clip corners close to stitching to reduce bulk.

7. Turn right side out through the opening. Use a chopstick or the eraser end of a pencil to push out corners; lightly press quilt top. Using a needle and thread, sew opening closed to make the quilt.

Tie Quilt:

1. Using water-soluble marker, make small X marks at even intervals across quilt top. Refer to batting package label for recommended maximum distance between stitching/ties.

2. Using No. 5 perle cotton or yarn and a darning or chenille needle with an eye large enough to receive the thread, make a single running stitch through all quilt layers, beginning and ending on the quilt top, leaving a 3" tail.

3. Make a single backstitch through the same holes and all three layers, ending on the quilt top. Clip the thread, leaving a second 3" tail.

4. Tie the tails in a square knot (right over left, then left over right) close to the surface of the quilt. Avoid pulling too tight and puckering the fabric. Clip the thread tails as desired.

5. Repeat stitching ties across quilt top. (Be certain the batting you select is appropriate for tying, because there will be large unquilted areas between ties. Refer to the package label for recommended maximum distance between stitching/ties.)

6. When top is completely tied, remove markings to complete quilt. (The marks from the water-soluble marker used in these photos disappear with a cool water mist.)

7. Add a label to the quilt back that includes who made the quilt and date and place where it was completed. If it's a gift, include details about the honoree and the occasion.