TUTORIAL: Cross My Heart Quilt

When you want a charming baby quilt with a little secret, Cross My Heart might be just what you are looking for.

CROSS MY HEART
Finished size: 36-1/2″ 36-1/2″

MATERIALS

170+ 2-1/2″ squares.  I like to match them to the backing of the quilt.  NOTE:  4 of the squares should be a matching red.  It doesn’t matter if you have red on the back of the quilt.  Go ahead and include those 4 red squares for the heart.

4 1-1/4″ colored squares (to match above, but NOT red, best in pairs–two each of two different colors.)

2/3 yard background fabric (white here)

1-1/8 yard backing fabric

batting

binding

CUTTING DIRECTIONS

You may already have the 2-1/2″ squares.  Cut from your scraps.  Use mini charms, or charms cut into quarters.  Leftover jelly roll pieces are good, too.  Just get a good pile.

From background fabric you will need:

1 4-1/2″ x 20-1/2″

1 4-1/2″ x 24-1/2″

1 2-1/2″ x 20-1/2″

3 2-1/2″ x 26-1/2″

2 4-1/2″ x 26-1/2″

1 2-1/2″ square

2 2-1/2″ x 4-1/2″

1 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″

CONSTRUCTION

1. To build your heart, attach a 1-1/4″ square to the upper left and right corners of two of the red heart pieces.  Stitch diagonally.  Trim. Flip.  Next, pair the other two red squares with squares of a different color.  Stitch diagonally.  Trim.  Flip. 
2. Assemble into a heart.

3. Create your 10×10 center block.  Decide where you want to “hide” the heart and place it there.  I chose the lower right hand corner.

I fiddle for a while to get the color placement and balance just right.  You will notice that, while there is red in my top, none of it is too close to the heart.

4. Using colored squares, create two strips of 13 2-1/2″ squares–should measure 26-1/2″ when assembled.  Next, create 2 strips of 18 2-1/2″ squares–should measure 36-1/2″ when assembled.

5.  Using the shorter colored square strips, build a unit that consists of 1 4-1/2″ x 26-1/2″ background, colored strip, 1 2-1/2″ x 26-1/2″ background, colored strip, 1 2-1/2″ x 26-1/2, as shown below.

6. Time to build another unit.  Start with 4 2-1/2″ colored squares.  Make them into pairs.  Create a strip that consists of 1 4-1/2″x4-1/2″ background square, colored pair, 1 2-1/2″x4-1/2″ background strip, colored pair, 1 4-1/2″ x 26-1/2″ background strip.   Attach it to an 18 square colored strip.  Then create another strip that consists of 1 2-1/2″x4-1/2″ background strip, a single colored square, 1 2-1/2″x2-1/2″ background square, 1 colored square, 1 2-1/2″ x 26-1/2″ background strip.  Attach to the others.  Add one more 18 square colored strip.

7.  Time for assembly.  Starting with your central block, attach a 4-1/2″ x 20-1/2″ background strip to the right side.  Press.

8. Attach a 4-1/2″ x 24-1/2″ background strip to the bottom of the quilt.  Press.

9. Attach a 2-1/2″ x 24-1/2″ background strip to the left of the quilt.  Press.

10. Attach the unit you made in step 5 to the top of the quilt.  Press.

11. Attach the unit you made in step 6 to the left of the quilt. Press.

15. Layer, quilt, label and bind as desired.  Ta-dah! Your quilt is complete.

NOTE:  I was asked how I might turn this into a throw size quilt.  Here is an idea:  First, just change from 2-1/2″ squares to 3″ squares.  That will make it 45″ square.  If you want to make it a little larger yet, make the large square 12×12 instead of 10×10.  Now you are up to 50″x50″.  To make it taller, too, add another “crossing” row above the first one.  Now it will be 50″x55″.  What do you think?  Will that work?

Thanks for visiting WeddingDressBlue and trying out the tutorials. I love to see what you create.

CROSS MY HEART GALLERY

Yummy made this version–so bright and cheerful.

…your beautiful creation here.