Baby Tumbling Blocks

Every child deserves a cuddly quilt to comfort them and keep them warm. This classic baby quilt design is taught by Helen Frost and Debbie Gordon, coauthors of Sweet Dreams: Heirloom Quilts for Babies.

Figure A

When selecting fabric for this pattern, look for small-scale prints and choose light medium and dark values for each block to get a three-dimensional effect. The blocks are three 60-degree diamonds that, when joined, form a hexagon (figure A).

This block can be hand pieced, machine pieced or paper pieced. The paper piece technique is popular among moms on the go.

Paper-Pieced Tumbling Block
1. Cut 2-1/3" strips from all fabrics. Cut an angle on the end of the strip using the 60-degree angle line on a hard plastic quilt ruler. Cut diamonds at 2-1/3" using the 60-degree angle line. Cut 143 light fabric diamonds, 143 medium fabric diamonds and 143 dark fabric diamonds.

2. Repeat the method to cut construction paper diamond shapes at 1-3/4".

Figure B

3. Position paper to the wrong side of the fabric diamond and thread baste it into place using contrasting color thread (figure B). When you reach the corner, fold the fabric once, then a second time so that the corner is pointy and turns fabric will fold up on the next side of the paper. Repeat for all corners. Repeat for all diamonds.

Figure E

4. To assemble blocks, stitch a medium-value diamond to a dark-value diamond using a whipstitch and neutral color thread (figure C). Attach one side of the light-value diamond to the medium-dark unit (figure D), then fold the unit across the paper template to stitch the remaining side (figure E). Make 143 of these completed blocks, keeping the light value on top, the dark value on the left and the medium value on the right.

5. Using the exact same stitches and methods as used in step 4, assemble the blocks into rows. You'll have 8 rows with 10 blocks in each and 7 rows with 9 blocks in each. When you set the baby quilt, alternate the rows so you have a 10 block row, followed by a 9-block row, followed by a 10-block row and so on. TIP: Use binder clips instead of straight pins to temporarily fasten the rows together for stitching.

6. Once the quilt top is stitched together, pull out basting stitches and remove paper .

Figure F

7. When quilting, choose a polyester batting for a soft and cuddly baby quilt. Quilt 1/4" in on each block (figure F).

Figure G

8. To finish the quilt, baste the edge of the quilt top down, trim the batting. Trim the backing then clip at the inside corners in order to ease in the corners. Blind hem stitch (or ladder stitch) the quilt top to the back (figure G).

Explore the possibliites of these additional Tumbling Block quilt designs courtesy of Helen Frost and Debbie Gordon.