Heart Baby/Toddler Quilt Kits (And Free Pattern)

*By Popular Request this tutorial is now a complete PDF pattern that you can purchase for $3.95 HERE in our shop.

For 2017 we thought it would be fun to create a kit that we could offer to every one once a month…and so to kick off the year of kits we thought it would be fun to begin with a quilt kit that uses our very own “When Skies Are Grey” fabric!

So today we are happy to share with you our Heart Quilt!

The quilt finishes off at just under 50″ X 50″ square which makes it a large baby quilt (perfect for laying out on the floor) or a great size for a toddler to wrap up in.

The kit includes:

*Pre-cut “When Skies Are Grey” squares needed to create the body of the heart

*Pre-Cut “When Skies Are Grey”  and white squares needed for the half square triangles that make up the top and bottom of the heart

*Pre-Cut white squares

*White fabric needed to create the border

*1/2 yard of fabric needed to create the binding

Each kit costs $36 and can be purchased HERE in our shop.  (The cost includes shipping anywhere to the continental United States.)

*NOTE:  You will need to choose the color of your kit…black and white, blue, or pink.

However….

If you would like to make this quilt top using fabric from your own stash here is how to do it:

Supplies:

*4 white squares measuring 10.5″ x 10.5″

*4 squares of different prints each measuring 10.5″ x 10.5″

*6 squares of a variety of printed fabric each measuring 10″ x 10″

*2 squares of white fabric each measuring 10″ x 10″

*3/4 yard white fabric for borders

*1/2 yard of fabric for the binding

*Sewing machine and basic sewing tools (scissors, pins, etc.)

Instructions:

#1.  Begin by using your 4 white 10.5″x 10.5″ squares along with your 4 printed 10.5″ x 10.5″ to make 8 half square triangle blocks that square up to be 10″ x 10″.  (Need more information?  For a short video showing how to make half square triangle blocks you can check out THIS POST.)

#2.  Using your newly made half square triangle blocks and the remaining printed and white 10″ x 10″ squares lay them all out according to the image below.  (Play with the arrangement of the prints!  Have fun deciding where in the heart each print should go!)

#3.  You will begin to construct the heart by stitching together each row.

To do this take the first square of the row and lay it down on top of the second block (right sides together), then stitch together using a 1/4″ seam allowance.  Repeat this process for the 3rd and 4th blocks in the row.  Now place blocks 1 and 2 on top of blocks 3 and 4 (right sides together) and stitch together using a 1/4″ seam allowance (joining blocks 2 and 3 together).  You now have one complete row!

Repeat this same process for the remaining 3 rows.

Press the seams of the first row to the left, the second row to the right, the third row to the left, and the fourth row to the right.

#4.  Now it’s time to join the rows together.

To do this take the first row and place it on top of the second row (right sides together). Stitch together using 1/4″ seam allowances. Repeat for rows 3 and 4. Then join rows 1 and 2 to rows 3 and 4 and press your whole heart.

#5.  All you have left to do to complete your quilt top is to add the white borders!

To do this cut your white fabric into strips 5″ wide.  (5″ wide and from selvage edge to selvage edge.)

Next measure how tall the sides of your heart is.  (It will be about 38″ tall….but will differ depending on how accurate your 1/4″ seams are.)  Cut down 2 of your 5″ strips to the length of that measurement.

Place one of those measured and cut strips on top of your heart along the left hand side (with right sides together) and align the raw edges.  Pin.  Stitch together using a 1/4″ seam allowance.  (As shown in the illustration below.)

Repeat this process, using the other measured and cut 5″ strip on the right hand side of your heart.

Now it’s time to measure your heart again.  This time measure how wide it is….including the newly added side borders.  (It should measure around 48″ wide.)  The width will be longer than your remaining 5″ strips.  This means you will have to sew strips together to get a piece long enough for both the top and the bottom border!

NOTE:  When measuring and sewing your strips together to create the right length for your top and bottom border don’t forget to take into account the seam allowance where you are sewing your two strips together.  For instance…if your heart measures 48″ and you are using a piece that is 42″ long you will want to join that to a piece that is 6.5″ long to account for the 1/4″ seam allowance that will be lost on each piece during the sewing process.

Once you have your top and bottom borders measured, cut, and sewn together it is time to attach them to your heart.  You will do this using the exact same process that you did when adding the side borders.

Once the top and borders are sewn onto your heart simply press thoroughly and your quilt top is complete!

Simply quilt and bind in your preferred method.

Happy Quilting!