Super Quick & Easy Baby Quilt…Tiny Trails

I’ve been looking at the California Dreamin’ collection by Free Spirit trying to devise a plan for an easy project.  After a couple days of racking my brain I finally had an idea…a baby quilt backed with Minky.

Please note: This is a beginner project.  It’s definitely not very complicated.

I picked 5 fabrics from the collection and a coordinating minky for the backing

Here’s the finished quilt top waiting to be quilted…

Here’s what you will need:

5 fat quarters
1/4 yard for first border
1/2 yard for second border
One afternoon…yes it’s that fast and easy

Cutting Instructions:

From fat quarters 1, 2, 3, 4 cut the following pieces:

(12) 3.5″ x 6.5″ rectangles
(2) 3.5″ squares

From fat quarter 5 cut the following pieces:

(11) 3.5″ x 6.5″ rectangles
(4) 3.5″ squares

The diagram below shows the layout of the quilt.  The numbers in the top row represent the fat quarters.

You could mix up all the little bricks for a scrappy look but I decided to go with the diagonal layout above.

Now you will begin sewing the bricks together to make the rows.

All seams are 1/4″

This is row 1.

I sewed all the row 1 bricks together before pressing

All even numbered rows begin and end with a 3.5″ square.  See pictures below.

Row 2 begins with the 3.5″ square

Row 2 ends with a 3.5″ square

Press each row as you finish it.  It really doesn’t matter which direction you press the seams.  You won’t be matching any seams.

I pressed all seams to the left but it really doesn’t matter…

After you have all the bricks sewn into rows you can start sewing the rows together.

I’m a pinaholic so I pin everything.   You may not have to pin as much as I did but I decided to stick one at each seam.

See all my pretty pins?

Press each row as you add it.  Again, it doesn’t really matter which direction you press.  You won’t be matching any seams.

Keep going until all 13 rows are together

This is what you’ll have when all 13 rows are together.

Now all that’s left is adding the borders.

**I added side borders first then the top and bottom borders.  I did this so I wouldn’t have to piece any strips.  I know it might seem lazy but I was going for easy.

I decided to frame the quilt with a white border.  I think that really makes the design pop out.

Cut (4) 1.5″ strips the width of the fabric

I never cut my border strips to the exact length needed.  I always leave them longer than I need and then trim them off.  I sew the border strip to the quilt, press, then trim.

The white border strip has been sewn on and pressed.  Next, I trim the excess.

Trim the little tail off

I have the white border on

Next, add the second border.  I picked green because my backing is going to be turquoise.  I thought a turquoise second border would be too much so I went with green.

Cut (4) 3.5″ strips the width of the fabric

Add the green border. 

The quilt finishes at 38″ x 47″

Now, I just need to load this baby on the long arm and get it quilted.  I don’t expect that will take very long since it’s not a huge quilt.  As I said before, the backing will be Shannon Fabrics Turquoise Minky with zebra texture.  I cannot wait to finish it.  I will post more pictures once I get it quilted.

This little darling couldn’t be much easier.  I put it together in one afternoon.

I’m still fairly new to writing instructions.  So, don’t be afraid to leave a comment and ask questions if anything is unclear.  Or, you can email me at quiltinglodge@gmail.com.  

I hope you all enjoy!