Our good friends, Michelle and Thomas, are expecting their first baby within the next few weeks and I couldn't be more thrilled for them :) I decided to whip out my sewing machine and make a chevron baby quilt. I hadn't sewed in a really long time...possibly since I made my niece's quilt, so it took me a little while to figure out what I was going to make. I ended up deciding to do a quick jelly roll chevron quilt and here's a tutorial for how to make this:
Step 1: Purchase your fabric. I didn't really have a pattern, so I had to estimate what I needed. I found two colors of green fabric and I bought 10 inches (width) of fabric of each of the green colors. I then bought 20 inches (width) of an off-white fabric. For the back, I found this really soft baby fabric and purchased enough fabric to create a small 1 inch boarder around the edge of the quilt. I was aiming for about 37 inches X 40 inches for my finished quilt. I then purchased baby batting for the filler.
Step 7: Lay out the fabric for the back of the quilt (notice the pattern is face down on my table. Lay out the batting )I decided to double mine so the quilt was warmer). Place the top of the quilt facing up. I first cut the batting to match up right to the edge of the top of the quilt. Next, I cut the fabric for the back of the quilt leaving about 2 inches all around. I then folded the back of the fabric over once and then again to create my boarder. I then pinned the back all the way around before sewing it. I sewed as close to the edge of the boarder on the inside of the quilt.
Step 2: Cut your fabric into 2.5 inch strips and then group the strips into strips of 4. Sew each strip together alternating patterns.
Step 3: Set half of your strips aside and take the other half and begin cutting. You need to cut the first batch of strips, by lining up your quilting ruler on the 60 degree mark on one of the seams of your jelly roll. You then cut along the left side of the ruler. I cut my chevron pieces in 5 inch pieces, so I lined up the cut edge (this was the left side) with the 5 inch mark on my clear quilting ruler and the 60 degree mark with one of the seams of my jelly roll. I then cut each strip on the right edge of the ruler. Once you've cut the first bach, place them in a stack.
Step 4: Take your second batch of jelly rolls and follow the same instructions as step 3, but you need to cut the strips in the opposite direction. So, you're still cutting at the 60 degree angle but you are cutting the angle on the opposite side. Once you've cut the second batch, place them in a stack
Step 5: Take the first batch and line up 6 pieces into a column. Take the second batch of strips and line up 6 pieces into the second column. Do this step twice more. What you are doing is laying out the pattern for the quilt and creating the chevron stripes. You will then sew each of the columns together (be sure to line up the corners of each fabric). Next, sew each of the columns together to create the front of your quilt.
Step 6: You will have uneven edges, so you need to cut along the top and bottom to get a straight edge.
Step 8: Cut any strands of thread and then use embroidery thread to tack the back of the quilt to the front and hold the batting in place. I did two rows of tacking on the top and bottom of the quilt. And then you are done with your baby chevron quilt!
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