Batik Baby Quilt

Inspired by Fresh Snow from quilt collector Miriam Kujac

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 1-5/8 yards solid white (blocks, border)
• 1 yard blue batik (blocks, border)
• 7/8 yard orange batik (blocks, border)
• 2/3 yard green batik (blocks, border)
• 1 yard purple batik (blocks, border, binding)
• 3  yards backing fabric
• 54×63" batting

Finished quilt: 45-1/2 ×54-1/2"

Finished block: 4 -1/2" square

Cut pieces in the following order.

From solid white, cut:

• 144—2-3/4" squares
• 320—1-3/4" squares

From blue batik, cut:

• 33—5" squares
• 18—2-3/4×5" rectangles

From orange batik, cut:

• 25—5" squares
• 18—2-3/4×5" rectangles

From green batik, cut:

• 17—5" squares
• 18—2-3/4×5" rectangles

From purple batik, cut:

• 6—2-1/2×42" binding strips
• 9—5" squares
• 18—2-3/4 ×5" rectangles

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid white 1-3/4" square.

2. Align a marked solid white square with one corner of a blue batik 5" square (Diagram 1; note direction of drawn line). Sew on marked line; trim excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle. In same manner, add marked solid white squares to remaining corners of blue batik square to make a blue Snowball block. The block still should be 5" square including seam allowances.

3. Repeat Step 2 to make 32 blue Snowball blocks total.

4. Using remaining marked solid white 1-3/4" squares and orange, green, and purple batik 5" squares, repeat Step 2 to make 24 orange Snowball blocks, 16 green Snowball blocks, and eight purple Snowball blocks.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, arrange Snowball blocks in 10 rows. Sew together blocks in rows. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

2. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 36-1/2×45-1/2" including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid white 2-3/4" square.

2. Align a marked solid white square with one end of a blue batik 2-3/4×5" rectangle (Diagram 2; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving a 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle. Add a marked solid white square to opposite end of rectangle; trim and press to make a blue Flying Geese unit. The unit still should be 2-3/4×5" including seam allowances.

3. Repeat Step 2 to make 18 blue Flying Geese units total.

4. Using remaining marked solid white 2-3/4" squares and purple, orange, and green batik 23⁄4 ×5" rectangles, repeat Step 2 to make 18 purple Flying Geese units, 18 orange Flying Geese units, and 18 green Flying Geese units.

5. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 20 Flying Geese units to make a pieced side border strip. Press seams in one direction. The border strip should be 5×45-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second pieced side border strip.

6. Sew together 16 Flying Geese units and two remaining batik 5" squares to make a pieced top border strip. Press seams in one direction. The border strip should be 5×45-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a pieced bottom border strip.

7. Sew side border strips to long edges of quilt center. Add top and bottom border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward quilt center.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2. Quilt as desired. Kristina Whitney, Handi Quilter Studio Educator, used two layers of batting—an 80/20 and an all wool—and a 50-weight, three-ply polyester thread in white (So Fine by Superior Threads) to complete the project. In the Snowball blocks, she alternated a floral motif and a leaf motif (Quilting Diagram). In the background of the Flying Geese units, she did matchstick quilting to make the centers stand out.

3. Bind with purple batik binding strips.