Safari Toddler Quilt

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.
I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 48" x 52"

(click on photos to enlarge)

✫FINISHED QUILT:✫

 Front piecing:  I saw a pattern called "Tumbling Charms". I decided to draft up my own version using their photo as inspiration. I fussy cut 56 blocks from various safari-themed fabrics, including "African Savanah" by David Textiles for Four Seasons. Much of the dominant color in the safari fabric is in the brown family...so I added an ombre effect with staggered steps of bright yellows and greens. I strategically placed half the safari fabric squares facing one end of the quilt, and the other half facing the other end, so that the quilt is never completely upside down, no matter which way it is laying.

Border: The outer 4" border fabric is an absolutely stunning batik called "Oceanna-Batik EART-D" by Michael Miller Fabrics. 

  

Back: The backing is a continuation of "Oceanna-Batik EART-D" by Michael Miller Fabrics. This batik's colors are amazing, earthy and bold and just full of movement. I also chose to make some log cabin blocks (from the same safari fabrics and colors used on the front) to run vertically through the center of the backing.

 To quilt, "Bone" (So Fine 50 #452) thread is used on the front, and "Fern" (So Fine 50 #445) on the back. 
To compliment the safari theme, repeat edge-to-edge "Loopy Plain Leaves" is stitched. 

The quilt's label is embroidered right onto the binding. This has become my favorite way to label a quilt.

After being machine washed twice with dye trapping sheets (I like to use either Color Catchers or Color Grabbers), the quilt is soft and wonderfully wrinkled, ready to be used!

✫PROGRESS PHOTOS:✫

To build this quilt, I decided to fussy cut 5" squares of animal fabric from safari prints, most from a fabric called "African Savanah" by David Textiles for Four Seasons.

I immediately pulled yellow and green fabrics from my stash to counter-balance the browns in the safari prints. With my printed "Tumbling Charms" layout for reference, I began planning the ombre effect for the staggered steps to sash between the animal squares.

I laid out each "staircase" of color with its corresponding animal blocks on my design wall, so that I would carefully build both horizontal and vertical rows correctly. And I like to make progression collages; once a quilt's design is final, it's always fun for me to look back and see the growth of a quilt's layout.

The backing and batting are loaded, and the top is floating on my Janome QMP18 long arm.

This March I will have had my long arm for exactly 2 years, and this finish makes quilt #50! Woo hoo!

I stitched the quilt in a repeat edge-to-edge "Loopy Plain Leaves" pattern, which is a combination of leaves and vines, and it really accentuates the safari theme. The front of the quilt is stitched in "Bone" colored thread, the back in "Fern" dark green.

Beginning stitching the first row, and completion with the final row.

Using my Brother PE700 embroidery machine to embroider the quilt's label onto the binding fabric strips. The binding fabric is again the "Oceanna-Batik EART-D" by Michael Miller Fabrics.

Finishing the machine attachment of the binding after wrapping it around from the back to the quilt front.

When attaching the binding on the front, I always switch to my blind hem foot on my domestic machine (Bernina 240) to get a close and precise stitch.

After two washings, the dye trapping sheets removed lots of the fabric dyes, hoping to prevent any color bleeding in future washings! (I like to use either Color Catchers or Color Grabbers).

✫QUILT RECIPIENT:✫

This safari quilt was made for big brother Finn.

Click here to see baby brother Lang's Cactus Quilt.

✫QUILT SUMMARY:✫

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.
I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 48" x 52"

Front piecing: My own version of "Tumbling Charms" layout, using brightly colored yellows and greens for an ombre effect of staggered steps sashed between animal squares.

Back: Fantastic "Oceanna-Batik EART-D" by Michael Miller Fabrics, with a central vertical section of pieced blocks from the front fabrics.

Binding: Machine sewn and attached, again using "Oceanna-Batik EART-D" by Michael Miller Fabrics.
Label: I embroidered the label directly onto the quilt's binding. This has become my preferred method of labeling a quilt.

Quilting: Stitched repeat edge-to-edge "Loopy Plain Leaves". I used So Fine 50 (#452) "Bone" thread on the front, and So Fine 50 (#445) "Fern" thread on the back.

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