A lot of my customers use my animal squares to make quilts to help their children or grandchildren learn the animal names. So I thought I would design some large squares that you keep the names on and design a simple quilt that anyone can make.
I have started selling packs of 16 different animal squares. Therefore, you could either make a small lap, play or display quilt using 16 squares (A), a medium quilt with 32 squares (like the one I am taking to shows) (B) or a single bed-sized quilt using 48 squares (C). Each finished block will be approximately 9 inches square.
For the blocks you will need:
A. 16 large animal squares and 4 fat quarters (4 x 4 blocks, approximately 36 inches square plus border)
B. 32 large animal squares and 8 fat quarters (4 x 8 blocks, approximately 36 x 72 inches plus border)
C. 48 large animal squares and 12 fat quarters (6 x 8 blocks, approximately 54 x 72 inches plus border. A single bed quilt should be 60 x 80 inches in the UK.
I have created a bundle of 8 fat quarters to use for this project (32 squares) or you could choose your own. I have tried to match each animal roughly with a habitat (it's the scientist in me!). Each fat quarter will make 4 blocks, so for two animals.
1. If you are going to wash your quilt, wash your fabrics before sewing, because shrinkage is likely to occur. When washing Sea Parrot fabrics for the first time, wash light and dark colours separately because colours may bleed. If machine washing, use a gentle cycle and place fabrics in a tied up cotton bag or pillow case. This will reduce fraying. Alternatively, hand wash. Wash sea parrot fabrics at 30 degrees with a mild detergent.
2. Iron your fabrics. It is best to iron the fabrics when they are still slightly damp. Always iron on the reverse to prevent staining.
3. Making sure the animal is in the middle, cut the animal squares accurately to 6 1/2 inches square. Because of the nature of fabric, the animal may not be exactly in the middle of the original square, especially if it has been washed, so don't just cut 1/4 inch from each side.
4. Next, it is time to cut your fabric strips. This method is for fabrics with direction but can be used for all the fabrics if you would like. Take a fat quarter and fold it in half, towards the selvedge as in the photo below. (I am using a wonky fat quarter. Yours will not be like that!).
5. Unfold it and cut the fat quarter in half.
6. Take one side and cut horizontal strips that are 2 inches wide. (They should be approximately 10 1/2 inches long.)
7. Then cut vertical strips, 2 inches wide, from the other half.
8. Now cut these vertical strips into pieces that are about 7 1/2 inches long. You will actually have too many. You just need 8 strips.
For each animal square, you will need two vertical and two horizontal strips. So you should be able to make 4 blocks from each fat quarter.
9. To make one block, take 2 vertical strips and place them right sides facing to each side of the animal square, and pin in place. Make sure the fabric will be in the right direction once sewn!
10. Sew along each side with a 1/4 inch seam. I always go backwards and forwards at the point where the square begins and ends so that when I trim it, it will still be secure.
11. Press the seams away from the central square.
12. Trim off the excess fabric to the size of the central square.
13. Now take the two horizontal strips and pin them, right sides together, with the top and bottom of the sewn piece, making sure that when sewn, the fabric will be in the correct orientation. Sew with a 1/4 inch seam.
14. Press the seams away from the central square.
15. Trim the excess to the central sewn piece.
16. The finished block should be approximately 9 1/2 inches square. Trim if necessary.
17. Repeat for three other blocks using the rest of the strips.
18. Then repeat the whole process for the rest of the animal squares and fat quarters. Another option would be to put maybe plain sashing around each block.
19. Arrange the blocks how you wish.
20. Sew blocks in each row together first, trying to match seams as closely as possible.
21. Press the seams open.
22. Then sew the rows together. Again, trying to match the seams as closely as possible.
23. Press seams open.
I then cut strips that were 4 1/2 inches wide from orange fabric, that I got from my local fabric shop, to make the border. It is up to you how wide you make the border and which colour you prefer, or if you have a border at all!
Quilt and bind as usual (see my previous tutorials)