Hey everyone! Today you will learn to make a playful baby quilt that lets one bold monster truck print do all the heavy lifting.
Meet the Fabric
Here we go. This one is fun.
It is Mash The Throttle Monster Truck Outline in Turquoise. It comes from 3 Wishes Fabrics. The collection is Mash The Throttle.
The print outlines monster trucks across a turquoise ground. Those big outlined trucks have real presence. You do not lose them from across the room.
This is a quilting fabric, sold by the yard. It comes from High Country Quilts through Linda's Electric Quilters.
The description calls it fun for kids' quilts and playful coordinates. I agree. It was made for a project like this.
Turquoise is bright and cheerful here. And those truck outlines give a baby something to look at during tummy time, folks.
Why It Works for a Baby Quilt
A baby quilt is a perfect first quilt. It is small. It is useful. And it gets loved hard.
We are aiming for about 36 inches by 45 inches finished. That is a nice crib and stroller size. It also works as a play mat.
This fabric suits it for one simple reason. The print is the star. You do not need tiny piecing. You do not need a complicated pattern.
If you cut the trucks too small, you lose them. I have done that before. I chopped a favorite motif right in half. Oh my goodness, I was not thrilled with myself.
So we will cut big squares. Just like that. The trucks stay whole, and your work shows.
You have options here, too. You could do a whole-cloth version. You could do large squares like I am showing. Or you could add wide strips between rows. My preference is large squares. But it is completely up to you.
What You Will Need
- 1 yard of Mash The Throttle Turquoise Monster Truck Outline for the large print squares
- 1/2 yard of a coordinating solid or soft blender for alternating squares
- 1 1/4 yards of backing fabric
- 1/3 yard of fabric for binding, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips
- One piece of batting, about 42 inches by 51 inches
- 50-weight cotton thread for piecing
- An 80/12 quilting or universal needle
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and your iron
That gives you breathing room to center the trucks you love most. We are not reinventing the wheel here.
Brief Steps to Make It
Step 1: Cut big and simple. Cut your monster truck fabric into 8 1/2-inch squares. Cut your coordinating fabric the same size. You will need about 20 squares total. Lay them out in five rows of four.
Step 2: Arrange before you sew. Alternate print and solid across each row. Step back and look. Move things until you smile.
Step 3: Piece the rows. Sew with a scant 1/4-inch seam. Set your stitch length to about 2.0 to 2.5. That is roughly 10 to 12 stitches per inch. Press seams toward the solid squares.
Step 4: Join the rows. Nest those seams where you can. Pin at the joins. Go slow there. Slow down or a bulky join can shift under the foot.
Step 5: Layer and quilt. Layer backing, batting, and your top. Baste well. Quilt simply to start. Stitch in the ditch around the big squares works great. Or echo the squares 1/4 inch away. Both are super duper easy and cute.
Step 6: Bind it. Join your 2 1/2-inch binding strips. Sew them on, miter the corners, and finish the back by machine or by hand. Completely up to you.
Practical Tips From My Table
First, prewash if this quilt will be washed often. Baby quilts usually are. It helps everything shrink together.
Second, use a fresh needle. That 80/12 makes a clean hole. A dull needle can tug and pucker. Change it at the start. You will feel the difference.
Third, keep quilting simple and soft. Heavy quilting can make a baby quilt stiff. Space lines a few inches apart, and check your batting's recommended quilting distance.
And here is your permission beat, friends. It does not have to be perfect. A truck turned sideways is not a mistake. A seam that wobbles a little is fine. You are your own worst critic. The baby will not grade you. They will just love it.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Take your time. It is not a race. Enjoy the silly trucks. Enjoy the turquoise pop.
Alrighty. Small project, big personality, and a print that makes folks grin.
Thanks so much for sewing with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 3W Mash The Throttle Turquoise Monster Truck Outline at Linda's Electric Quilters.
