Hourglass Baby Quilt for Baby Butler

I've always loved the hourglass block and the way it looks when assembled by alternating the direction of the block.  When I decided to make a baby quilt as a gift for a co-worker, this was the perfect opportunity to put it to use.

To make this quilt, which is about 36 x 36 inches, I collected the following:

• fat quarters of eight different prints - this is actually more fabric than you will need, but I always enjoy leftover fabric
• 1 yard of white fabric
• 1 1/4 yard of backing fabric (I actually got a 1 1/2 yards of the backing fabric and used the extra 1/4 yard as one of the eight prints above)
• 1 baby blanket package of batting
• all purpose thread (I used white)
• machine quilting thread (I used white)

To start you will need to cut 6 inch squares, 32 from the prints and 32 from the white fabric.  Then pair each print square with a white square, placing them right sides together.  Draw a line diagonally on the wrong side of each white square.

Using this hourglass tutorial, make the blocks from these pairs of squares.  To help with eliminating bulk, be sure to cut off all of those little tails as you go; you'll be glad you did once you start quilting.

You will end up with 64 hourglass blocks about 5 inches square (4 1/2 inches finished).  Arrange your blocks so that they alternate direction and the prints are dispersed somewhat.  Then take a picture so you have something to refer to when you start sewing them together.  Also, remember that you are always sewing a print edge to a white edge and that will help make sure you keep the alternating directions in order.

Hourglass Block Baby Quilt

Start by sewing the blocks into rows, then sew the rows to each other.  Iron your seams well.

Cut your backing fabric into a square about 42 inches.  It isn't important this size is exact, just so it is at least 39 or 40 inches.  Layout your batting smooth and top it with your quilt top.  This is your quilt sandwich.  Spend as much time as you need smoothing and adjusting until everything is even.  I use the bent safety pins (quilt basting pins) to hold it together at this point, place pins about every 12 inches, starting in the middle and working out to the edges.  Make sure you don't have folds in the backing or batting as you go.

For a fairly quick and easy quilting stitch, using your sewing machine's walking foot, sew straight lines through the center of each hourglass block in both directions.  If you wish to do something more fancy, go for it!

I love this tutorial for using the backing fabric as the binding.  If you prefer to bind with bias binding, there are a lot of great tutorials for doing that, as well.  This binding method is good for smaller projects and keeps this quilt project something you might complete in a weekend.

Hourglass Block Baby Quilt

Remember to add a label!

Hourglass Block Baby Quilt - Label