Quick Quilt Project - Happy Animal Naptime Quilt

The two design collections I used for this are perfect for adding text to nursery baskets, baby's back pack and other children's decor projects, but think this quilt works really nicely as well. I also like the idea of an alphabet where Zachary gets to be a camel and Emma doesn't have to be the Elephant. Use this quilt in an animal themed nursery for maximum "Wow" effect!

Supplies needed:
- Ann The Gran’s Happy Animal Designs - 12 for the quilt
- Tear-away stabilizer such as Ann’s medium Tear Away
- Embroidery thread
- Embroidery temporary spray adhesive
- Crib size batting
- All purpose thread
- Fabric for Quilt
- 1 yard fabric for center panel
- ½ yard for inner sashings
- ½ yard for outer sashings
- 1 ½ yards for backing
- ½ yard background fabric for embroidered blocks
- Other supplies
Rotary cutter, cutting mat with grid and 24” quilt ruler
Water-soluble fabric marking pen
Pins

Cut the fabric

1. Center panel – cut 1 piece 35” X 31” (The 31” is the length in case you have chosen a fabric with a pattern
such as in the photo above)
2. Inner sashings – cut 2 strips 35” X 7” each
3. Outer sashings – cut 3 strips 1 ½” X WOF (width of fabric) then cut 2 strips 35” X 4”
4. Embroidered Applique background blocks – cut twelve 6” blocks

Choose the design you would like to embroider.

1. Hoop the stabilizer and background square. Embroider the first design. Remove the stabilizer and set
aside. (tip: If you iron the fabric background squares using spray starch they will be easier to make into
appliqué.) Repeat for all twelve designs.
2. Print 12 full size templates from your favorite software program. Ann’s Catalog Xpress, Amazing Designs
Edit and Stitch and many others provide this feature.
3. Cut out the templates and pin to the inner sashing squares where you would like the designs to be.
4. Load the first design into your machine.
5. Hoop the stabilizer. Spray a small amount of the embroidery spray adhesive in the center of the hooped
stabilizer and adhere inner sashing strip using the template as a guide. Place the hoop on your machine. Be
sure the needle lines up with the center point on your template and your vertical and horizontal lines are
where you want them. Adjust if necessary. Remove the template.
6. Embroider the first placement color of the appliqué square.
7. Spray a small amount of embroidery spray adhesive on the back of the embroidered square and center it in
the placement square.
8. Embroider the second tack down color of the appliqué square. Remove the hoop from the machine but do
not remove the embroidery from the hoop. Cut around the outside of the square close to the tack down
stitching line carefully, do not cut the inner strip.
9. Replace the hoop and embroider the appliqué color of the square.
10. Repeat for all designs chosen.

Sewing the quilt top

1. With right sides together pin top edge of upper inner sashing to the top edge of the center panel. Sew
¼” seam. Press seam toward the center panel.
2. With right sides together pin the top edge of the lower inner sashing to the bottom edge of the center
panel. Sew ¼” seam. Press seam toward the center panel.
3. With right sides together pin the top outer sashing to the upper inner sashing. Sew ¼” seam. Press
seam toward the outer sashing..
4. With right sides together pin the bottom outer sashing to the lower inner sashing. Sew ¼” seam. Press
seam toward the outer sashing..
5. Sew the ends of the 1 ½” strips to make a long strip. With right sides together, align one end with the
top edge of the quilt. Pin along the long edge. . Sew ¼” seam. Press seam toward the outer sashing.
Cut the end even with the bottom edge of quilt top.
6. Repeat for the other side.

For Quick no binding quilt

1. Cut batting and backing 4” larger than quilt top.
2. Lay batting on large flat surface.
3. Fold strip wrong sides together and press to make a long strip that is 1 ¼” wide.
4. Place backing , face up, on top of batting.
5. Place quilt top, face down, in center of backing fabric. Pin all around and in center.
6. Sew ¼” around quilt top edge, leaving 6” opening for turning quilt.
7. Turn quilt by reaching in between top and backing and carefully working all quilt to outside.
8. Hand stitch opening closed.

Machine Quilt as desired.

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How Would You Do It?

I used test sews to create this project. What do you do with your test sews? Use the Comments link to let us know.