BABY BUGS GALORE
Finished quilt 50 by 60 inches
"Baby Bugs Galore" is a fun, but a bit more challenging then my other quilts. There are seven different bug patterns that you will be making. The setting of the blocks is also a little different. However, if you take it step by step it is not that difficult and a lot of fun to make. One of the key elements to this quilt is using the soft chenille fabric.
MATERIALS FOR BABY BUGS GALORE: 1 1/2 yards of white fabric A variety of scraps for the bugs, including red for the ladybug and yellow for the bees. 1/4 yard (or fat quarters) of a variety of bug fabric 1/4 yard each of different chenille fabrics - I used blue and green minky dot chenille and yellow plush chenille, but any fabric with a soft texture will work. 1 3/4 to 2 yards (you need 60 inches in length if you don't want to piece your border)of chenille fabric 2 yards of chenille fabric for the back of the quilt 2 yards of batting a square of black and white felt black embroidery floss 1/2 yard fusible webbing white thread and colored thread to match the applique WORM BLOCK IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": * Cut 10 squares 12" each. Fold in fourths and finger press. These are the squares you will be appliquing your bugs on. 1. Make two copies of the worm pattern. Cut one apart to use for tracing, leave the other whole to use for placement. 2. Trace the worm pattern on fusible webbing. Roughly cut out. 3. Pin pattern on fabric of choice. Roughly cut out. 4. Sew on traced line using a running stitch. 5. Cut out, leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance. 6. Cut a slit in the webbing and turn right side out. Clip seams as needed to make it lay flat. 7. Cut eyes from white felt and pupils from black. With fabric glue, glue pupil to eye, and eye to worm. Use pattern for placement. Stitch mouth with embroidery floss. 8. Center worm on square. Using a complimentary thread, stitch in place with a blind stitch. 9. Set aside. BUTTERFLY BLOCK IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Make two copies of the butterfly pattern. Cut one apart to use for tracing, leave the other whole, to use for placement. 2. Trace the butterfly pattern pieces(except the head)on fusible webbing. Roughly cut out. 3. Pin to desired fabrics. Roughly cut out. 4. Sew on traced line using a running stitch. Cut,leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance. 5. Cut a slit in the webbing and turn right side out. Clip seams as needed. 6. Make a circle for the head. I show how to make applique circles on my "hand applique" page. 7. With black embroidery floss, back stitch mouth and apply eyes with French knots. 8. Center butterfly applique on white square (see pattern for placement). Applique in place LADYBUG BLOCK IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Trace the body and the head of the ladybug on fusible webbing. Roughly cut apart. 2. Pin the head on black fabric and the body on a red fabric. Roughly cut apart. 3. Stitch on the traced lines using a running stitch. Leave the bottom of the head unstitched. 4. Cut out leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance. 5. Cut a slit in the back of the body, turn right side out. Turn head right side out using the opening. 6. Cut the eyes from white felt, the pupil, spots and strip from black felt. Glue in place with fabric glue. 7. Stitch head to body using a blind stitch. The body should be about a 1/4 inch over the head. 8. Center on white square, applique in place. Download ladybug picture
Download ladybug pattern
BEE BLOCK IN "BABY BUGS GALORE QUILT": 1. Trace the head, body and wings on fusible webbing. Cut roughly apart. 2. Pin head and body on yellow fabric. Pin wings on fabric you choose. Roughly cut apart. 3. Sew along the traced line using a running stitch. Leave the top of the bee's body unstitched for ease in turning. Cut apart leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance 4. Cut the remaining pattern pieces out of black felt. Glue eyes, nose, and stripe on bee with fabric glue. 5. Stitch on mouth with embroidery floss. 6. Stitch head to body, overlapping bee's body by 1/4 inch. 7. Stitch wings to bee. 8. Center the bee on the white square. Tack on antenna and tail. Using yellow and white thread attach bee with a blind stitch. Glue down antenna and tail. Download bee picture
Download bee pattern
ANT BLOCK IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Trace the head, thorax, and body on fusible webbing. Cut roughly apart 2. Pin on fabrics. Cut roughly apart. 3. Sew with a running stitch on the traced lines. Cut apart leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance. 4. Cut a slit in the webbing and turn right side out. Clip seams to help lay flat. 5. Cut eye from white felt, pupil and legs from black felt. 6. First glue pupil on eye then eye on head. Stitch mouth with embroidery floss. Tack antenna to head. 7. Stitch head to thorax and body to thorax; overlap 1/4 inch. Stitch or glue legs on ant (use picture for placement.) 8. Center ant on white square, stitch in place. Either stitch or glue legs and antenna Download ant picture
Download ant pattern
CATERPILLAR BLOCK IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Trace the five caterpillar pieces on fusible webbing,using the solid black lines. Cut roughly apart. 2. Pin to fabric. Cut roughly apart. 3. Stitch with a running stitch, leaving dash lines open. Cut apart leaving a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Turn right side out. 4. Cut eye out of white felt. Glue onto head. Attach the eye with a French knot embroidery stitch. Using a backstitch sew the mouth and the accents around the eyes. 5. Sew the five pieces together, each piece overlapping the other. See picture for placement. 6. Center caterpillar on white square. Using a blind stitch and complimentary thread, attach the caterpillar Download caterpillar picture
Download caterpillar pattern
ALTERNATE BLOCKS IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Cut 6 blocks 4 1/2 inches by 16 1/2 inches. Do a combination of bug fabric and chenille fabric on all the different block. I used 4 bug fabrics and 2 minky dot chenille fabrics, but what you use is your choice. 2. Cut 9 blocks 6 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches. 3. Cut 2 blocks 10 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches. I cut these two square out of yellow plush chenille, but the choice is yours. 4. Cut 3 blocks 2 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches. SETTING THE BLOCKS IN "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Use the quilt pattern(at the bottom of this section) for help in setting blocks. 2. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch alternate block to the right of a bug block. (I use my sewing machine to sew the rest of my quilt.) Press seam toward alternate block. 3. Sew a 16 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch block to the bottom of the above block. Press seam toward 16 by 4 inch block. Set aside. You have just finished block 1-A 4. Sew a 2 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the top and bottom of a bug block. Press seam toward alternate blocks. Set aside. You have just finished block 1-B 5. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the right of the bug block. Press seams toward alternate block. 6. Sew a 16 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch block to the bottom of block you just made. Press seams toward alternate block. Set aside. You have just finished 1-C 7. Sew block 1-A to 1-B to 1-C. Press seams toward block 1-B. Set aside, you are finished with row 1. 8. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block on the left side of a bug block. 9. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block on the right side of a bug block. Press the seams of both block toward the alternate fabric. 10. Sew a bug block to both sides of a 10 by 10 inch chenille block (You could use bug fabric.) Press toward alternate block. Set aside. You have just finished row 2 11. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the right side of a bug block. Press toward alternate fabric. 12. Sew a 16 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch block to the top and bottom of the above block. Press seams. You have just finished block 3-A 13. Sew a 2 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the top of a bug block. 14. Sew a 10 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch block to the bottom of the same bug block. Press seams of both blocks. You have finished block 3-B 15. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the left side of a bug block. Press 16. Sew a 16 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch block to the bottom of the above block. Press. You have finished block 3-C. 17. Sew block 3-A to 3-B to 3-C. Press toward away from bug block. Set aside. You have finished row 3 18. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the left side of a bug block. 19. Sew a 6 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block to the right side of a bug block. Press both blocks. You have just finished blocks 4-A and 4-C 20. Sew 4-A on the right side of a 10 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch chenille block(4-B), then sew 4-C to the left side. Press. Set aside 2l. Sew row 1 to row 2 and row 3 to row 4. Butt up edges to get nice seams. Press 22. Sew rows 1&2 to rows 3&4. Press. ADDING BORDERS TO "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Measure the width of the quilt. Cut a strip of border fabric (I used minky dot chenille fabric) 4 1/2 inches by the width of the quilt. 2. Sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press toward border. 3. Measure the length of the quilt including border. Cut a strip 4 1/2 inches by the length of the quilt. 4. Sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press toward border. LAYERING "BABY BUGS GALORE" QUILT: 1. Lay backing fabric right side down on a large flat surface. (I use the floor.) Smooth flat and pin or tape to keep smooth. 2. Lay batting on top of backing fabric. Smooth flat. 3. Lay quilt top on top of batting. Smooth flat. Pin with quilter safety pins or baste with contrasting thread the three layers together. 4. Quilt "Baby Bugs Galore". BINDING "BABY BUGS GALORE": 1. Trim your batting and backing evenly with your quilt top. 2. Measure the width of your quilt, add 1 inch 3. Cut 2 strips 2 inches by the width of your quilt. Repeat the the length. Fold the four strips in half and press. 4. Pin your binding to the top and bottom of your quilt top with right sides together and raw edges together. Machine quilt with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Repeat for remaining 2 sides. 5. Fold binding to the back of the quilt and stitch in place using a slanted hem stitch. Press binding flat. 6. Remove quilting pins or thread.
I hope you enjoyed making "Baby Bugs Galore".
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