Lollipop Forest I-Spy Quilt

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Lollipop Forest I-Spy Quilt

Designer: Kathy Mack

**A huge thank you to Kathy Mack for generously donating the pattern for the Lollipop Forest I-Spy Quilt for the Craft Hope book. Please feel free to use this pattern, but do not sell it.

Quilts are comforting and colorful. This one is playful as well! The novelty fabrics—printed with animals, dolls, cars, the alphabet, or whatever—provide the images for a game of I Spy. It’s a great way to take a child’s mind off a scary medical procedure or treatment.
What You Need
Basic Sewing Kit (page 000)
1/8 yard (11.4 cm) each of 25 assorted novelty print cotton
1/4 yard (22.8) each of 10 assorted cotton solids
1/2 yard (45.7 cm) of a light-color solid cotton

3/4 yard (68.5 cm) of print cotton

1/2 yard (45.7 cm) of print cotton for the binding

1 3/8 yard (1.3 m) of a cotton print for the backing

Low-loft cotton batting
All-purpose cotton-wrapped thread for piecing

Rotary cutter and mat

Ruler
Machine quilting thread, 40-weight in variegated cotton

Note: All fabric is 44 inches (111.7 cm) wide

What You Cut

Novelty Prints

25 rectangles, one from each print, each 5 x 3 inches (12.7 x 7.6 cm)

Assorted Solids

25 rectangles, each 5 x 3 inches (12.7 x 7.6 cm)

10 strips, one of each color, cut across the width of the fabric. Vary the width of the strips between 1, 2, and 3 inches (2.5, 5.1, and 7.6 cm).

Light-color Solid Cotton

8 strips, each 1 1/2 x 44 inches (3.8 x cm) cut across the width of the fabric

Print Cotton

4 strips, each 5 x 44 inches (12.7 x111.7 cm) cut across the width of the fabric

Print Cotton for the Binding

5 strips, each 1/2 x 44 inches (1.3 x 111.7 cm) cut across the width of the fabric

Seam Allowance

1/4 inch (6 mm) unless otherwise noted

What You Do

1. Pair each rectangle of the novelty prints with a complimentary solid rectangle. Starting at the upper left corner with a novelty print, arrange the pairs on your work surface or design wall into a pleasing pattern. Alternate the prints with solids to form a grid that is five blocks across and ten down. Note: Step back or take a digital picture to analyze the final layout for color and balance before sewing the rectangles together.

2. Piece the top using the all-purpose thread. First, pin and sew each of the five vertical columns, pressing the seam allowances down. Then, join the columns together, pressing the seam allowances to one side.

3. With right sides together, pin a light solid strip to one side of the pieced top. Position the strip with the selvage ends extending beyond the top and bottom edges. Trim the excess to make the edges flush. Sew the border strip to the pieced top. Press the seam allowances toward the center. Repeat for the other side. Then repeat to join border strips to the top and bottom edges of the pieced top.

4. Cut each strip of assorted solids in half to measure 22 inches (55.9 cm) in length. Arrange the solid strips on your work surface, varying the widths to create visual interest. With right sides facing, pin the strips together along their long edges and sew. Press the seam allowances open. Add strips until the piece measures at least 15 inches (38.1 cm) wide.

5. Using the rotary cutter, mat, and ruler, cut eight, 2-inch (5.1 cm) strips across the grain of the pieced fabric. Divide the strips into pairs. Sew the short ends together to create four strips for the pieced border.

6. As you did in step 3, pin and sew the pieced borders to the edges of the quilt top, pressing the seam allowances open as you go.

7. As you did in step 3, pin and sew another light solid border to the edges of the quilt top, pressing the seam allowances open as you go

8. As you did in step 3, pin and sew the wide print border to the edges of the quilt top, pressing the seam allowances open as you go.

9. Lay the cotton print for the backing right side down on your work surface. Lay the cotton batting on top of it. Then lay the pieced top, right side up, onto both layers. Baste the layers together. Trim the backing and batting to leave a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border around the edges of the pieced top.

10. Use a walking foot to machine quilt the pieced top. On the first column, count down five rectangles to the piecing line. Starting at the outermost edge (just inside the border) sew from side to side, crossing the piecing line back and forth with a wavy line. At the end of the row, turn, and stitch in the ditch to the next row. Repeat until all horizontal rows have been quilted with wavy lines. Quilt the vertical rows using the same wavy-line technique.

11. When you’ve finished quilting horizontally and vertically, stitch in the ditch around all edges of the pieced center.

12. Stitch a wavy line on each of the light solid borders to create a picture-frame effect. On the border made of pieced strips, stitch a line 1/4 inch (6mm) in from each edge all the way around. On the outer border, stitch back and forth from the outer and inner edges to quilt a large zigzag pattern.

13. Bind the edges. Trim the batting and backing flush to the edges of the pieced top. Lay the short end of one binding strip on another at a 90° angle with right sides facing. Then sew them together on a 45° angle. Continue in this way until you have one long strip. Trim the angles, being careful to avoid cutting the stitches. Press the seams open. Fold the binding strip in half, wrong sides together and long edges aligned, pressing the fold as you go.

14. Pin the binding to the quilt with right sides facing and raw edges aligned. Sew the binding to the quilt, mitering the corners as you go. Turn the binding over the raw edges and hand stitch to the quilt, turning the raw edge of the binding under as you sew.

Put on Those Walking Feet

Use a walking foot when machine quilting. Its design allows the foot to grip the fabric which prevents the fabric from shifting, giving you ultimate control of the stitches. Most feet have attachable bars that smooth the fabric as you go—a real plus when working with multiple layers of fabric.