How To Make Handmade Crib-Sized Quilts

Add a satin binding to the crib quilt for a soft and smooth edge.

A handmade baby quilt is a precious keepsake gift for a mother-to-be that can be passed down from generation to generation. Make the quilt for a beloved daughter from her own baby clothes that you originally saved years ago. You can also make the quilt from new fabric in neutral colors or colors that coordinate with the baby's nursery color scheme. When the quilt is finished, consider hand-embroidering the baby's date of birth on one corner of the quilt for a personalized gift.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric of your choice (about 1 1/2 yards)
• Lining fabric (about 1 1/2 yards)
• Cotton batting (about 1 1/2 yards)
• Sewing needle
• Thread
• 3-inch-wide satin binding

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of backing fabric that measures 36 inches by 60 inches. Cut a piece of cotton batting with the same dimensions.

2. Cut the squares for the quilt. For a quilt made from 6-inch squares, cut 60 squares. For a quilt made from 12-inch squares, cut 15 squares.

3. Arrange the squares into a rectangular pattern on your working surface. When using 6-inch squares, line up six squares across and 10 squares down. When using 12-inch squares, line up three squares across and five squares down.

4. Sew the edges of the squares together. Use a whipstitch -- a sewing stitch used to join two pieces of fabric -- to sew together the adjoining squares. Insert the needle in the back edge of one piece, up through the fabric and then down through the adjoining piece of fabric. Repeat along every adjoining edge.

5. Lay the quilt good side down and place the cotton batting on top. Place the backing fabric on top of the batting. Sew around the outside edges of the three layers with a small straight stitch to join them together.

6. Sew a straight stitch along the edges of each of the squares to make a quilted fabric.

7. Cut the 3-inch-wide satin binding. Measure the four sides of the quilt and cut four pieces of satin binding, one for each side of the quilt. Cut each end at a 45-degree angle to avoid overlapping ends on the quilt.

8. Slide one side of the quilt into the fold in the binding and pin it in place. Repeat with the remaining three pieces of satin binding. Sew through the binding and all three layers of fabric to join the binding to the edges of the quilt.

References

• Make Your Own Baby Stuff: Make a Patchwork Baby Quilt
• Quilting 101: How to Make a Quilt

Resources

• Fiber Images: Hand Sewing Stitches