Hi! I’m Cherie from SEW and So Quilts. I am SO excited to bring you my first project for the Bake Shop! I’ve seen a few different play quilts for kids, and since my girls love Tic Tac Toe, I thought that this would make a great pattern, especially for rainy days or days when it is too hot to play outside (I think heat index during the summer in Southern Mississippi is 115) 🙂 This is a quick project and would make a great gift for a little special someone!
One Layer Cake of Fairy Tale Friends by American Jane
One yard of Bella Snow
Two Yards of solid or small print (I used a small orange dot) for binding, backing, and block corners.
18 inches of transfer webbing
Filling: rice or plastic pellets
To begin, select 2 sets of 3 pieces from your layer cake to become your beanbags. You will need ten 5-inch squares of each color to make 5 beanbags of each color. I picked these particular prints because the layer cake had 3 of the small red dot and two of the small orange dot. I then used a small scrap of orange dot (also used for backing, binding, and corners) to cut an additional two pieces to become the fifth bag. If you didn’t want to use the exact same print, you could use similar prints in the same colorway. The colors should be different enough to separate player A from player B 🙂
With right sides together, sew around the borders of each one, leaving a small opening that will allow you to turn your fabric.
Once all the squares are sew, turn your bags, fill with rice or plastic pellets, and hand stitch close. Place these to the side, and you’re ready to move on to your quilt.
Step 2
Select 8 prints to be used for the 2.5-inch blocks around each letter. I used prints that were different from the binding and backing. Here you can see that I auditioned lots of combinations until I found a few that were pleasing to the eye.
Cut each piece into four 2.5-inch strips. You will need 30 strips total (you will have two extra strips leftover for scraps).
Step 3
Using various combinations of your fabric, sew together 10 sets of 3 strips–chain piecing saves so much time with this step. (The image shows one set of 3)
Now cut three 2.5-inch strips by width of fabric (WOF) from your solid/small print. Sub cut these strips into 10-inch pieces for a total of eight 2.5-inch by 10-inch strips (there will be half of a strip left over). From the 10 sets pieced above, take 5 of them and add the small print/solid to the top and bottom.
You will now have 5 sets of 3 and 5 sets of 5.
Step 4
Now cut each of your ten sets into four 2.5-inch strips.
Now you are ready to assemble your letter blocks!
Step 5
It’s time to make your letter blocks! Cut nine 6.5-inch squares from your Bella solid that will become the center of your block. Place these to the side while you work on your letters.
Using any word processing program, type your words “TIC TAC TOE” and resize to 4 inches tall. I used Microsoft Word and used WordArt for the letters. I made three individual blocks for each word and sized the box at 4 inches x 9 inches. This allowed me to fit each letter comfortably within each block as well as make the best use of space within the layer cake piece. When printing, be sure to “mirror” your words. They should look something like this:
Trace your letters onto fusible webbing. I cut approximately 1/4 inches outside and inside the letters to minimize the amount of fusing in the quilt itself. This helps to keep the letters soft. Apply your webbing to your fabric per the manufacturer’s instructions, and then cut your letters out on your traced lines.
Once cut, fuse the letters onto your Bella Solid fabric. Using a zigzag or decorative applique stitch, sew around each letter to secure it to your block.
Step 6
Apply your strips to each side, first sewing your sets of 3 to opposite sides, then adding your strips of five to the other side.
Now that your blocks are done, it’s time to add the sashing.
Step 7
From your Bella Solid, cut eight 2.5-inch strips by WOF.
Sub cut TWO of these into six 2.5 inch by 10.5 inch pieces to place between your blocks (there will be an extra half strip that won’t be used). Sash between the first and second and second and third letters in each row (vertical). Be sure to avoid sashing BEFORE your first block and AFTER your last block, as you will add these borders at the end.
For sashing between the rows, measure your quilt at three different points (top, middle, bottom) to determine the width of your sashing (mine measured 34 3/4 inches). Use 4 of your 2.5-inch by WOF strips and cut to your measurement. Sew all rows together, sewing your sashing on top of the first row, between your rows of letters, and below your bottom row. This picture helps to demonstrate the piecing:
Once all the rows are pieced, measure for the side border (mine measured at 38 3/4 inches). Cut the remaining 2 of your 2.5-inch by WOF strips to your measurement. Sew each side onto your quilt, and your top is done!
Step 8
Cut five 2.5-inch strips by WOF of your solid/small print for your binding and sew together into one long strip. Fold in half to make a double fold binding.
The rest of your small print/solid will become your backing.
Make your quilt sandwich, and quilt as desired. I meandered around the entire quilt, avoiding the letters. Trim the excess, and apply your binding.
One 38-inch square play quilt with 10 beanbags (5 of each color.
Cherie Wright
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