Little Sprouts

Designer: Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.

• 1-1⁄2 yards solid white (appliqué foundations, outer border)
• 1- 1⁄2 yards green print (appliqués, inner border, binding)
• 3⁄4 yard sheer, featherweight, nonfusible, nonwoven interfacing
• 3 yards backing fabric
• 54" square batting

Finished quilt: 46×45-1⁄2"

Quantities are for 44/45"- wide, 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for Leaf Pattern.

From solid white, cut:

• 5--3×42" strips for outer border
• 4--9×38 -1⁄2" appliqué foundation strips

From green print, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips
• 3--2×38-1⁄2" sashing strips
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×41" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×38-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 28--4-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangles for appliqués

From interfacing, cut:

• 28--4-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangles for appliqués

Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together solid white 9×38-1⁄2" appliqué foundation strips and green print 2×38-1⁄2" sashing strips to make quilt center. Press seams open. The quilt center should be 39×38-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Use a pencil to trace leaf template onto wrong side of a green print 4-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangle. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under the rectangle.) The drawn line is the stitching line (Diagram 1).

2.    Layer marked rectangle atop a 4-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" interfacing rectangle, right sides together (Diagram 2).

3.    Sew pieces together, stitching on marked line. Cut out appliqué shape, adding a 3⁄16" seam allowance (Diagram 3).

4.     Trim interfacing seam allowance slightly smaller than green print seam allowance. Trimming in this way enables seam allowance to roll slightly toward back side of appliqué once it is turned. Clip curved edge and point just up to stitching line (Diagram 4).

5.    Clip a small slit in center of interfacing, being careful not to cut through green print appliqué shape (Diagram 5).

6.    Turn appliqué piece right side out through slit (Diagram 6).

7.    Press appliqué piece from right side to make a leaf appliqué.

8.    Repeat steps 1–7 to make 28 leaf appliqués total.

1.    Referring to photo, arrange prepared leaf appliqués along green print strips in quilt center. Pin or baste appliqués in place.

2.    Using thread in a color to match appliqués and a blind-hem stitch, machine-appliqué pieces in place.

1.    Join green print short inner border strips to side edges of quilt center. Add green print long inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

2.    Cut and piece solid white 3×42" strips to make:

• 2--3×46" outer border strips
• 2--3×40-1⁄2" outer border strips

3.    Join short solid white outer border strips to side edges of quilt center. Add long solid white outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2.    Quilt as desired. Designer Vanessa Christenson quilted in the ditch around the green print sashing strips and inner border to secure the quilt top. Then she echo-quilted stylized leaves inside each appliquéd leaf. To finish the quilt, she stitched circles in all of the solid white background spaces.

3.    Bind with green print binding strips.