Color and Tag Along Blanket

Hello! Megan here from Downtown Housewife! Check out my sweet little “Color and Tag Along Blanket” made up of Lil’ Rascals fabric! It’s the perfect size to fit in a diaper bag, purse or your wee one’s tiny hands. The colored appliqué is a great way to get those wee hands involved in some crafting! Ready made kits will be available at “Sew Sweet Quilt Shop”… just drop them an e-mail or phone call!

1 charm pack
1/4 yard for border
1/4 yard for binding
1/4 yard white or cream solid fabric for appliqué
Portable luminaire for tracing
Washable fabric pen
Sewable heat bond (approx. 11” x 20”)
Lightweight fusible interfacing (4” x 8”)
Fabric crayons
Iron
Rotary cutter and mat (or scissors and ruler)
Coordinating thread
Backing: 34” x 34”
Batting: 34” x 34”

First cut three pieces of your solid white or cream fabric to fit the design you will be tracing.

Begin by printing and then tracing the 3 downloadable templates. If you prefer other templates they are easy to make! Simply scan the fabric and enlarge the desired image to the desired size.

To trace the appliqué picture onto the fabric you will need a light box. If you do not have one you can use a lighted window or projector.

To use a light box you place the paper on the box with the fabric over it and trace the design with a washable fabric pen.

Once the designs are traced, attach the fabric to the heat bond. This will make the fabric more stable and make coloring much easier!

Make sure to test your fabric crayons on a scrap piece of fabric to ensure you are using the right colors.

After you use the crayons, you will place fabric or paper over the colored picture and run the iron across it to set them. This can change the color dramatically; therefore testing colors is highly advised.

CUTTING YOUR PIECES:

For the border you will need:
2 (4” x 28”)
2 (4” x 34”)
For the binding:
4 (2” x width of fabric)

For the blanket handle:
4” x 8” scrap piece of fabric
4” x 8” piece of light weight fusible interfacing

The majority of this little blanket is simply charm squares. You will sew 6 rows containing 6 charm squares each. After the 6 rows are made up, simply sew them together to complete the middle.

Next, attach the border. Begin by sewing the 2 (4” x 28”) pieces. One on each side of the center piece. On the remaining top and bottom place the 2 (4” x 34”) pieces.

Once the border is on you can place your applique pieces where you like and iron them in place.

Now that the appliqué pieces are stable you can stitch around them. I prefer a very small, tight zig zag stitch with a coordinating thread but feel free to experiment! Use a fun decorative stitch on your machine or do a little hand stitching!

QUILT AND BIND:
Now that your quilt is pieced, colored and appliquéd you can quilt it as you wish and follow up with the binding.

MAKE AND ATTACH THE TAG ALONG HANDLE:
Take the 4” x 8” fabric piece and fusible interfacing and iron together. Attach the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric.

Next, fold in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew sides together and turn right sides out. This will form a tube. Iron flat.

Finished size: 34” x 34”

Yeah! You are done! Enjoy your new blanket whether it’s for your own wee one or a gift for someone else!

Megan Frock
{Downtown Housewife}

Big Girl Quilt and Pillow

Hello all! My name is Megan and I blog over at Downtown Housewife. I also work at the fabulous Sew Sweet Quilt Shop with my family. I was inspired by my niece Drake Lynn to make a quilt that would fit a toddler-sized bed.  Enjoy!

Quilt:
2 charm packs
7/8 yard print for big inner border
1 1/2 yard print for final border and binding
(2) 1/2 yard cuts of a patterned print for scrappy inner borders
1/2 yard cut of a solid colored fabric
Quilt backing 53” x 65”
Quilt batting 53” x 65”

Pillow:
1 yard fabric (keep in mind how directional prints will lay out)
Scrap piece of fabric (2” x 43”)

For Both:
Coordinating thread
Washable pen
Scissors and ruler or rotary cutter and cutting mat
Iron

1  1/4 yard pom pom trim for pillow case

Cut Your Pieces:
Cut 24 stars (prints of your choice) with the stencil included in the Printer Friendly Version. The stencil should be printed and sized to approximately 4  1/2”. Each star is cut from one charm square. You may be one square short. If so, use an extra scrap piece.

Cut 4 (9  1/2” x  9 1/2”) squares with the solid fabric.

Out of your 2 half yard patterned prints, cut 14 strips (13” x 2”), 7 of each print.

Use 6 charm squares to cut 12 strips (2” x 5”).

Cut 36 charm squares into half. This will give you 72 (2  1/2” x 2 1/2”) strips.

For the big inner border, cut 2 strips (5” x 43”), 2 strips (9  1/2” x 43”) and 4 (5” x 9  1/2”) for the corner pieces.

Cut 2 strips  (6” x 53”) for the final border.

Cut 5 (2” x width of fabric) strips for the binding.

Begin Piecing:  All seam allowances are 1/4”.

Begin by making 5 blocks made up of 4 charm squares each.

Once you have sewn your 5 blocks, lay them out with your 4 solid blocks and sew them all.

Next, sew together the scrappy border. This will be for the 2 thin inner borders. Together you will have 288” x 2”. Once you have one long strip you will cut each of the 8 pieces as needed, as you go. I found this method easiest! Use the 14 (13” x 2”) and 12 (5” x 2”) pieces to make up your 288” following the diagram below.


Next, take 2 stars and place one directly on top of the other, lining up all edges. Both stars should have the right sides of the fabric facing up. Next, sew both stars onto the quilt using one continuous set of stitches 1/4” from the edges of the star so that it has an unfinished edge in order to allow it to ravel. A stitching line is shown on the star stencil. Repeat with the other 3 stars.

Note: One point of the star is longer, point the longest point of each toward the center of the middle block.
Next, sew the inside out border using the 72 (2  1/2” x 2  1/2”) pieces. Simply sew 4 strips made up of 18 pieces each, making sure to place each piece of wrong sides together!

Once all 4 sides of the inside out border are attached, piece on charm square in each corner. This is a little tricky because these will be sewn with the wrong sides together also. The ends of each border strip may need to be trimmed before attaching the corner pieces if  more then 1/4” is left on the end.

Next, sew and attach the bigger inner border. Begin by sewing 1 corner piece to the end of each of the 2 (5” x 43”) strips. Attach the 2 (9  1/2 x 43”) onto the top and bottom.  Finish by sewing the 2 (5” x 43”) with the corner pieces to each side.

On the top and bottom big inner border sew 4 evenly spaced stars. Attach them in the same manner as the first set of stars. Doubled stars with a 1/4’”seam.

Finally, attach the final border pieces. They are the 2 (6” x 53”) strips. Simply sew one to the top and bottom.

Finish The Quilt:
Quilt your pieced top, batting and backing together.

When finished, make your binding out of 2” strips and sew in place.

In order to get the shabby border and the stars to ravel, give the quilt a quick wash through the washer and dryer.

Make sure to add a cute label to personalize your quilt!

Pillow Case:
Cut the pillow body (43” x 33”)
Cut the trim piece (2” x 43”)

Begin by folding each side of the trim piece over long ways. Each raw edge will meet in the middle of the strip. Thus making the strip 1” x 43”.

Layout the pillow material. On one 43” side, draw a line 6” up from the bottom. This will be the trim placement guideline while attaching the trim, if you prefer trim!
Place the pom pom trim under the 1” trim strip and pin in place directly over the guideline drew in the previous step. Sew in place and consider adding a decorative stitch!

After, fold and press the bottom seam under the stitch.

Next, fold the body piece in half with right sides together and sew the two unfinished edges. Finishing them by serging or using a zig zag stitch.



Quilt: 53” x 65”
Pillow case: 21  1/2 “ x 33”

I hope your toddler will enjoy “The big girl quilt and pillow” as much as my niece. Although I must mention when I gave it to her she said, “Aw,but  I wanted a pink one!” Too cute. You may want to ask your wee one for her of his fabric choices!

Megan Frock
{Downtown Housewife}