Sew a mini patchwork quilt with nautical cross-stitch and fabrics - it's perfect for your little one's dolls and toys!

What you need...

• Fabric: plain, white; red; printed, red; white; blue
  Waste canvas, 14 count
  Aida, white, 14 count
  Thread, embroidery, DMC
  Fusible webbing
  Wadding
  Button, striped, blue
  Bakers twine
  Pins, curved, tacking

instructions

1. Cut ten 3.25” squares from white cotton and ten 3.25” squares from a variety of red, white and blue printed fabrics. Lay all the squares out in rows of four until you are happy with the arrangement, then
   sew the patches together, row by row. Press the seams, ensuring each row is pressed the opposite way to the previous row so the seams will nest together.

2. Cut 14 count waste canvas to the size of a square and tack to a white one, making sure it aligns with the edges. Follow the boat chart and stitch over one block of waste canvas. Use two strands of
   cotton and cross-stitch. When complete, dampen the waste canvas and carefully draw out the threads one by one. Repeat on another square.

3. Iron fusible webbing onto the back of red fabric and trace eight stars onto it. Cut them out carefully and place onto the remaining white squares. Peel off the paper backing and iron in place. Sew around the edges using red embroidery thread and blanket stitch.

4. Trim the edges of the quilt to neaten. Place backing fabric, 12.5” x 15.5”, wrong side up. Lay wadding on top, followed by the quilt top facing upwards. Pin the layers together with curved tacking pins. Quilt by stitching along the seams in a simple grid and around the stars. Quilt a circle behind the boat cross-stitch motifs.

5. When complete, make binding by cutting 2.5” strips of fabric. Join them together until you have enough to fit around the quilt edge with 3” extra. Fold the binding in half and press, then pin to the edge of the quilt, sewing it in place and making a neat join. Turn the binding over and hand stitch it down on the back of the quilt. Add a blue striped button to the quilt to finish.