Bargello Baby Quilt Instructions

Bargello: Baby Quilt Size

Materials

Inspired by Rolling Prairie From Designer Mabeth Oxenreider

1—2-1/2x42" strip each of 17 assorted prints: for the quilt top

1/2 yard fabric: border

1/2 yard fabric: binding

1-1/2 yards fabric: backing

Batting

Finished top: 35.5 x 34.5 [before border is added]

Cut Fabrics

From each assorted print 2-1/2x42" strip, cut:

2—2-1/2x20" strips [cut the full strips in half]

Border: cut 4 – 2 ½” strips

Binding: cut 4 – 3 ½” strips

Prepare Fabric Bands

1. Lay out a 2-1/2x20" strip from each of the 17 assorted prints in a pleasing manner. (Consider making a chart showing fabric placement and labeling fabrics 1 through 17 to avoid confusion when assembling strip sets and quilt top.)

2. Join strips to make strip set A. Press all seams toward fabric 1. To avoid a strip set that curves, alternate the sewing direction as you add each strip. Add one strip sewing from top to bottom, then add the next strip sewing from bottom to top, and so on.

3. Join ends of strip set A —fabrics 1 and 17—to make an A tube.

4. Cut the A tube into assorted-width bands to use for making the odd-numbered rows. Cut one layer of the tube at a time. To do this, smooth out the tube carefully on your rotary-cutting mat and cut only as much as you’re comfortable with at a time. Rotate the tube and continue cutting from where you left off.

3-1/2"-wide A band

3-1/4"-wide A band

3"-wide A band

2-3/4"-wide A band

2-1/2"-wide A band

2-1/4"-wide A band

2"-wide A band

1-3/4"-wide A band

5. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make an identical strip set; label this strip set B. Press all seams toward fabric 17, which ensures that seams will abut when assembling quilt top.

6. Join ends of strip set B to make a B tube.

7. Cut the B tube into assorted-width bands to use for making the even-numbered rows. Use the same widths as set A.

Assemble Quilt Top

1. Select an A band (we used a 1-3/4"-wide A band). Remove stitches joining fabrics 1 and 17 to make row 1. Lay the row horizontally on a design wall or large flat surface with fabric 1 at the left-hand edge.

2. Select a B band (we used a 1-3/4"-wide B band). Remove stitches joining fabrics 1 and 2 to make row 2. Lay row 2 below row 1 with fabric 2 at the left-hand edge.

3. Select an A band (we used a 2"-wide A band). Remove stitches joining fabrics 2 and 3 to make row 3. Lay row 3 below row 2 with fabric 3 at the left-hand edge.

4. Continue in same manner, using A bands for odd-numbered rows and B bands for even-numbered rows.

5. Join rows. Press seams in one direction.

Finish Quilt

Add border. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired. Bind with binding strips.