Quilting for Beginners

Use a four-patch pattern to make a baby quilt.

Quilting is not complicated. At its most basic form, a quilt is pieces of fabric sewn together for a quilt top, which is layered with batting and a back and stitched together. Many quilters hand-sew their entire quilt, or a sewing machine can be used. A good first project is a baby quilt. Any new mom will be thrilled with a quilt made just for her baby. This 36-inch by 36-inch quilt uses the simplest method of piecing, the four-patch.

Things You'll Need

• 6 fat quarters of various cotton quilting fabrics
• 1 sheet medium weight cardboard
• Iron
• Ruler
• Lead pencil
• White marking pencil
• 1 1/4 yard quilt batting
• 1 1/4 yard white muslin fabric
• Scissors
• Thread
• Needle
• Thimble
• Quilting hoop
• Safety pins
• Straight pins

Instructions

1. Cut a 5-inch by 5-inch square template from the cardboard. Iron the quilt fabric flat.

2. Mark the quilt fabric squares, using the template, ruler and pencil. Use the white marking pencil on dark fabrics. Cut out 64 squares.

3. Sew two squares of different fabrics together with a 1/4-inch seam. Sew two more squares together. Sew these two pairs together for a four-patch square. Continue sewing all the fabric squares together to total 16 four-patches.

4. Sew the four-patches together to create eight-patches, by sewing 2 four-patches together, then two more, then the two pairs together for an 16-patch. You will have four 16-patches.

5. Sew two 16-patches together, then two more. Sew the pairs together.

6. Cut the quilt batting and white muslin to measure 40 inches by 40 inches. Layer the muslin, batting and quilt top on a table, centering the quilt top. Use the quilting hoop to secure the layers together. Safety pin the edges to secure.

7. Sew through all three quilt layers with the needle and thread, following the seam lines with a straight stitch, beginning in the center of the quilt and moving toward the quilt edges.

8. Cut the muslin and backing edges to the exact size of the quilt top. One side at at time. fold the edge of the muslin over the batting 1/2 inch. Tuck the quilt top edge under 1/2 inch. Straight pin in the entire edge and top stitch 1/8 inch from the edge with a straight stitch.

Tips & Warnings

• Distribute the fabrics randomly throughout the baby quilt. If two like fabric squares end up next to each other, it is not a big deal.