Such Treasures

This article was originally published in the October 2005 issue of 2TCHKeepers, the T2CHK E-Zine.

Wonderfully Made — Painted Nine-Patch Baby Quilt
by Wardeh Harmon

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." — Psalm 139:14

At a mom's group I attended last spring, we together created amazingly simple, but tremendously unique baby quilts. Each mom painted a couple of muslin squares using simple coloring book pictures as our inspiration. A few ladies with basic sewing skills each took home nine squares (enough for one quilt top), flannel backing, and blanket binding. We couldn't believe it when a few weeks later, the quilts came back assembled into precious, distinctive gifts. As a group, we made several baby quilts to give to struggling new moms.

You may be part of a mom's group that is looking for meaningful gifts to give new moms. Or perhaps your dear friend just gave birth and you've been looking for just the perfect gift. I hope you will love making these easy painted quilts for your gift giving occasions.

Photo 1: Animal Quilt — This fun blue and green quilt is all about animals ~ a panda, a dolphin, a lion, an elephant and a bird. I chose a blue, green and brown striped flannel for the back. Every picture came from a barnyard coloring book… so easy! I stuck to my rule of only three colors ~ lime green, leaf green and periwinkle blue. I went for the antique brown outline look by using a black dry erase marker instead of a permanent black marker.

Photo 2: Psalm 139 Quilt — Four verses from Psalm 139 adorn this quilt ~ "For You created my inmost being," "You knit me together in my mother's womb," "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made," and "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book." The middle square features my friend's new baby girl's name and her date of birth along with a set of baby footprints. The coordinating squares come from an antique blue and red floral fabric that I picked up at a thrift shop one blessed day.

PAINTED NINE-PATCH BABY QUILT INSTRUCTIONS

The following pattern incorporates five painted squares and four squares of complimentary patterned or solid cotton. Coordinate colors of the four unpainted squares with the flannel backing and blanket binding. (See Photo 1 and Photo 2 for examples of finished quilts.)

Needed Materials

• 5 (11 inch by 11 inch) squares of pre-washed unbleached muslin
• 4 (11 inch by 11 inch) squares of pre-washed solid or patterned cotton
• 1 yard flannel, solid or patterned, pre-washed
• 1 package Wright's blanket binding
• white or ivory thread
• thread to match blanket binding (optional)
• 4 or 5 acrylic paint colors (black plus 3 or 4 other colors which coordinate with flannel and blanket binding color choices)
• coloring book pages
• paint brushes (fine line brush for outlining and lettering, fuller brushes for filling in colors)
• extra fine-line black permanent marker
• newspaper

1. Paint Quilt Squares

Before you paint, think of a theme. For almost certain painting success, find five designs in coloring books that work well with the theme. Look for simple pages, preferably with one large dominating image. Some great, simple themes that would be easily supported by coloring book pages are animals, summer fun, sports, or angels.

With your theme and supporting images ready to go, start painting each square. Protect your work surface by placing newspaper underneath the quilt squares. Leave a one to two inch border around the edge of each square free of painting. This blank white space will set off your painting, just like a frame.

Slip coloring pages under the muslin squares to guide your artwork. Trace just the main lines, using an extra fine-line permanent black marker (or a fine line brush and black paint). Remove the coloring page and "color" in the picture using a fuller brush dipped in other paint colors.

If you prefer painting without the aid of coloring pages, go for it. You can practice your drawings first, if you'd like. Draw your design on paper and then slip the paper under the muslin square. You will be able to trace the drawing (with a permanent black marker or black paint) right onto the square. Or practice your design right on the fabric by using light pencil marks, which you can then paint over. Be aware that if you use light colored paint over pencil, the pencil marks may show permanently.

Dress up Your Painting

• Center drawing or lettering as much as possible. If lettering isn't quite centered, don't despair. I like to paint hearts or flowers to take up any extra space.

• Draw just the first letter of a phrase in cursive to dress up printing.

• Keep colors simple. Too much color gets lost. Use only three or four colors for filling in. Colors don't have to be used realistically. Ears can be blue, eyes can be pink, and grass can be purple. If you use the same colors throughout the quilt (and each color does not have to be on each square), your consistency will tie them all together. (See photo 4.)

Photo 4: Lion Close-Up — Features do not have to be painted in realistic colors to be effective.

• Don't be afraid of white space. Add color in just a few features of an outlined image. Leave just a thin bead of irregular white space between a patch of color and the outline. (See photo 5.)

Photo 5: Dolphin Close-Up — This cute little dolphin isn't entirely painted. Notice that only the water splashes and his eyes, fins and tongue are painted in. Also, within each area I've painted, I've left a bead of white space between the color and the outline.

• To end up with outlines of an antique brown color after heat setting, use an extra fine line black draw-erase marker. However, the marker lines can smear by painting too close to them, so preserve white space with this technique.

• Don't be a perfectionist. Handmade crafts are in fashion. People adore products that look a little less than perfect.

• Engage children in the project. Use their hand- and foot-prints. Let them paint and color simple shapes or words.

2. Heat Set Painted Squares

Let the painted squares dry for 24 hours. Toss in dryer on high heat for 50 minutes. Remove. Wash in washing machine on gentle cycle with cold water. Dry completely. Press flat.

3. Assemble Quilt Squares

Lay out the five finished painted squares and four coordinating squares on a flat surface in a checkerboard pattern. Arrange them as you prefer. Put your best square or the "theme" square in the middle.

Once you are satisfied with the arrangement, begin sewing. With right sides together sew the first and second squares together at the right edge of the first square, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Open up the first and second squares and lay them flat. Lay the third square down on top of the second square with right sides together. Sew the edges together at the right edge of the second square, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Lay aside. Continue sewing the second row and third row in the same fashion. Press seams open or toward the darker colored squares.

Lay the first row on top of the second row, right sides together (the pictures in the first row will be right side up and the pictures in the second row will be upside down). Line up all seams and edges. Pin in place. Using a 1/2 inch seam allowance, sew the first and second rows together at the bottom edge of the first row. Open up the first and second rows and lay them flat. Lay the third row on top of the second, right sides together (now the pictures in the second row will be right side up and the pictures in the third row will be upside down). Line up all seams and edges. Pin in place. Using a 1/2 inch seam allowance, sew the second and third rows together at the bottom edge of the second row. Lay entire quilt out flat and press seams open or toward the darker colored squares.

4. Add Flannel Back

Press flannel so that it is completely smooth. Lay it out on a flat surface with the wrong side up. Lay the quilt top, right side up, on top of the flannel so that two of the four edges match. Pin together. Cut the flannel to match the exact size of the quilt top.

If you have a dark colored or patterned flannel, it may show through the muslin. In this case, cut a piece of light colored fabric (another piece of muslin or a light-colored sheet) the same size as the entire quilt top. Layer it in between the quilt top and flannel back. It will become a permanent part of the quilt. Pin all layers together.

Stay stitch all the layers together by sewing a seam 1/4 inch from the quilt's edge all the way around the quilt.

5. Attach Blanket Binding

For less noticeable stitching, use a thread color that matches the binding color. Read carefully and follow the directions at the Wright's website to attach the blanket binding.

Even though the binding is seemingly simple to attach, it can be a tricky. I have found that a few additional instructions are helpful.

Additional Blanket Binding Instructions

• Start attaching the binding at the bottom edge, about 1/3 of the way from the bottom right-hand corner. Pin the binding to the bottom edge, overlapping the binding over the blanket edge by 1/2 inch. Leaving four inches unsewn at the beginning, sew along the very edge of the binding all the way to the end of this side. DO NOT CUT BINDING. Follow the Wright's website directions to pin the first corner and second side. Continue pinning and sewing just one corner and side at a time.

• When you finish attaching the binding around the last corner and are approaching the point where you started, cut the end binding so that it overlaps the beginning binding by about three inches. Tuck the end binding under the beginning binding. Turn the beginning binding edge under 1/2 inch and pin down, lining up the edges. Now you can finish stitching along the blanket edge.

• Topstitch perpendicular to the blanket edge along the folded edge of beginning binding to secure. Go back to each corner and sew along the diagonal to secure the mitered corners.

6. Variations

• Use nine muslin squares and paint all the squares in the quilt top.

• Add contrasting fabric strips in between the nine squares.

• Add bulk to the quilt by putting a thick layer in between the quilt top and the flannel back, such as a blanket or batting.

• Challenge your color ideas. Use colors that normally don't go together, like red and pink, or orange and blue. Give a quilt in an unexpected color to a new baby. In the Psalm 139 Quilt (Photo 2), even though the main color is soft blue, the blanket is just right for a baby girl because of the feminine antique red and blue floral design.

7. Bless a Precious Child

Now that you've dreamed up a quilt and fashioned it together, you're ready to give your lovingly painted, unique baby quilt to a little baby who will need and cherish it.

If you're like me, much delight comes from working on a project and watching it come to life. In most cases, I marvel that a home arts project could turn out so beautifully. But no matter how much pleasure the creating brings, I receive even more joy from giving away something I've dreamt in my heart and fashioned with my hands. This is perhaps why not many things that I've made remain in my house. The two baby quilts I worked on to draw up this pattern are soon to be delivered into the hands of two of my dear friends who each have just had a new baby. I will enjoy that more than anything!

I would love to see a photo of the quilt you create. I welcome all your comments, suggestions and photos at wardeh@t2chk.org.

© Copyright 2006 by Wardeh Harmon.