Peek-a-Boo Surprise Quilt/Playmat

I machine pieced this quilt on my PFAFF Expression 710.

I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.


Finished size: 47" x 47"

(click on photos to enlarge)

🐒FINISHED QUILT:🐒

Front Piecing: Thirteen - 6½ inch "peek-a-boo blocks" in various shades of sage green and tan, based on Karen Patch Designs' pattern called "Surprise". The blocks are framed with Robert Kaufman's Artisan Batik in green and blue, set on point, and surrounded by Hoffman Fabric's bali batik (pattern: wood, color: papyrus).

Backing: The backing fabric is Michael Miller's "Brush with Nature" - brand new yardage that I purchased from an online estate sale. The quilt back also has a vertical center strip using the same batik as on the front.

Quilt Stitching, Pattern (background): 

I quilted the background surrounding the peek-a-boo squares with Wasatch Quilting's "Circle Fun 2".

Quilt Stitching, Pattern (inside peek-a-boo squares): 

I quilted the surprise novelty fabric squares with "Ribbon Candy", a stitch pattern by Linda V. Taylor, that is included in my Pro-Stitcher software.

Quilt Stitching, Thread: On the quilt's front, I used "Mushroom" (So Fine 50 #404) thread (both on the background as well as inside the peek-a-boo squares). On the back, I used "Cashew" (So Fine 50 #405).

Label: I embroidered a label right onto the binding, still one of my favorite ways to personalize a quilt's label.

🐒PROGRESS PHOTOS:🐒

Construction - Blocks:

I made several 6.5" blocks, referring to the following pattern and tutorials:

"Surprise" by Karen Patch Designs

Peek-a-Boo Quilt Workshop by Judy Whittaker

A Peek-a-Boo Quilt by Quilting Mama

Peekaboo Baby Quilt by Night Owl Quilting

I began arranging completed blocks onto my design wall, but wasn't satisfied with the overall look - until I turned them on point.

I first tried a couple different background fabrics, but wasn't quite happy with either choice.

Then I tried framing each block with a darker print, planning to use a light neutral as the background. I liked that! (Sweet note: this framing fabric, a green and blue Robert Kaufman Artisan Batik, is left from making a quilt for my first grandson, the big brother of this quilt's recipient)

Construction - Setting On Point:

I found this neutral batik at my local quilt store - love how it makes the blocks "pop" on the background.

I followed Quilt Fabrication's formula to calculate the size of the setting triangles.

I continued to fill in the setting triangles (both corners and sides) until the top piecing was finally finished.

Construction - Backing:

The backing fabric, Michael Miller's "Brush with Nature", is the standard 42" wide. The finished width of the quilt front was closer to 50" (before quilting and washing). So I knew I'd need to widen the back. I added a center vertical strip (7" wide) of the same neutral bali batik (pattern: wood, color: papyrus) that I used as the background on the front.

Quilting - Loading:

I loaded the backing, then added two layers of high-loft Quilters Dream Puff batting, since I hoped this quilt would be used as a floor playmat. I floated the quilt top as the final layer.

The quilt sandwich is then completely basted through all 3 layers, stitching down one side, across the belly bar, and back up the other side, advancing and repeating, before it is finally ready to be quilted. This pre-basting always leads to a more squared finish.

Quilting - Background:

To provide lots of cushion and texture, I quilted the background (outside of the peek-a-boo blocks) with Wasatch Quilting's "Circle Fun 2". 

This required me to use my ProStitcher software to crop out all of the peek-a-boo block areas.

Starting the first of 6 rows of background "Circle Fun 2".

I switched from straight pins to masking tape to hold the prairie points closed on the top of each "surprise" box while the background was stitched. I didn't want an accidental needle strike against a forgotten pin!

Finishing the final 6th row of background stitching. After this, I rolled the quilt back up to begin stitching each individual peek-a-boo block.

Quilting - Peek-a-Boo blocks:

When I completed stitching the entire quilt background, I rolled the quilt back up to the first row. Then I used the ProStitcher software to trace an area for every individual peek-a-boo block, setting up a separate workspace for each one. I then stitched the "Ribbon Candy" pattern inside each of the 13 blocks.

I pinned open the 4 prairie points so that I could get the stitching as close to the inside edges as possible.

Last row of stitching "Ribbon Candy" inside the blocks.

Trimming:

I used my 12.5" square Creative Grids ruler to make sure each corner was as close to 90° as possible while trimming off the excess batting and backing.

Binding:

I joined together several 2.5" strips of blue & green patterned batik, totaling about 230" of binding strips. Then I ironed them in half. (Sweet note: this binding fabric, a green and blue Robert Kaufman Artisan Batik, is left from making a quilt for my first grandson, the big brother of this quilt's recipient)

First I attached the binding strips to the back of the quilt, using my sewing machine and a 1/4" seam.

Then I wrapped the binding around and attached it to the front of the quilt. 

I used strong, long quilting pins to hold the binding in place and create clean miters at each corner.

Washing:

To remove excess fabric dyes, I machine washed the finished quilt (cold water, no bleach) using dye trapping sheets (I used Color Grabbers). 

After washing, the quilted playmat has a beautiful, puffy texture. It's soft, fun, and durable - perfect for my baby grandson's floor time!

🐒QUILT SUMMARY:🐒

I machine pieced this quilt on my PFAFF Expression 710.

I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 47" x 47"

Front piecing: Thirteen - 6½ inch "peek-a-boo blocks" in various shades of sage green and tan, based on Karen Patch Designs' pattern called "Surprise". The blocks are framed with Robert Kaufman's Artisan Batik in green and blue, set on point, and surrounded by a Hoffman Fabric's bali batik (pattern: wood, color: papyrus).

Back: Michael Miller's "Brush with Nature" with an added 7" vertical center strip using the same batik as the front. 

Binding: Machine sewn Robert Kaufman Artisan Batik in green & blue.

Quilting: Stitched with "Circle Fun 2" on the quilt top's background, "Ribbon Candy" inside the 13 individual surprise novelty squares. Thread on the front: "Mushroom" (So Fine 50 #404) thread (both on the background as well as inside the peek-a-boo squares). On the back: "Cashew" (So Fine 50 #405 thread.

Return to Home Page