Puzzle-Themed Baby Quilt

More involved sewing projects have kind of slipped into the background lately, but an impending birth nudged me into action: a baby quilt/mat.

I have always loved quilts, but am not as devoted to their making as my sister, who has produced about 200 for her Quilts for Charity group.  Baby quilts allow me to dabble in quilt-making, without dealing with the size and time demands of a larger quilt. They also allow me to experiment with fun themes and kid-friendly patterns and colors. And they make great gifts for someone who is about to begin the most important job in the world!

Of utmost importance to me in making these quilts is that they be very practical.  Having raised two kids of my own, I know that every day is an opportunity to have some sort of accident on anything the kids come in contact with.  Therefore, my quilts are always totally machine-sewn and color-fast, using pre-washed fabric.  Every Mom needs to be able to just toss the kids’ stuff in the washer, and often!

My favorite pattern to use has been Log Cabin, mainly because the color and block-arrangement can result in so many different looks.  Plus, cutting the pieces is a cinch!  This time I decided to push myself a little, since I have the time, and went with a modification of a design by Liz Schwartz and Stephen Seifert in The Foundation Piecer.  It’s designed for foundation piecing, but I went with traditional piecing.  Each “puzzle piece” uses 7 different size squares and rectangles to which I had to add the 1/4″ allowance.  I made plenty of mistakes in the process (cutting and sewing), but am pleased with the final result.

I chose to use batik prints (from my sister’s stash) because they are fun and don’t show stains!  I planned on all 25 “puzzle pieces” being a different color, but I ended up duplicating three colors because they were SO bright and cheery.  The border is a blue batik (the expected baby is a boy) and the binding is a dark purple batik (doesn’t show dirt).  The backing is dark red batik (it looks dark pink in the photo, but it’s actually more maroon) – again, super practical. My topstitch quilting simply outlined each puzzle piece – it looks really good from the back.  The finished size is about 38″ square – easy to bring along and good for stroller or floor.

After years of making same old – same old quilts, this one has prompted me to be a little more adventurous!