Quilts for Kids to Make

Butterfly block
Materials:

fabric A cut into four, 4-1/2-inch squares
fabric A cut into two,three-inch squares
fabric B cut into two, 4-1/2" x 8-1/2" rectangles
fabric B cut into two, 4-1/2-inch squares
fabric C cut into one, 4-1/2-inch square
fabric C cut into one, 2-1/2-inch square

Steps:

1. On the wrong side of the 2-1/2 inch square of fabric C, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner (figure A).

2. Place fabric C square on the corner of a 4-1/2 -inch square of fabric B, right sides together. Align the corners and edges carefully.

3. Sew on diagonal line. To trim the corners, an adult could rotary cut through both layers of fabric, 1/4 inch from the stitching, or a child could do this with scissors (figure B).

4. Press seam toward fabric C (figure C).

5. Sew the just-completed section (which is the butterfly head) to one side of a 4-1/2-inch square of fabric A. Press towards A.

6. On the wrong side of a three-inch square of fabric A, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.

7. Place the fabric A square on one corner of the 4-1/2-inch square of fabric C . Align the corners and edges carefully.

8. Sew on diagonal line. Trim the corners and press towards C.

9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 to sew another three-inch square of fabric A to opposite corner of the four-inch square of fabric C. Trim and press towards C (figure D ).

10. Using the diagonally designed piece just completed, sew it to the edge of a 4-1/2-inch square of fabric A. Press towards A.

11. Sew sections together for form unit One--butterfly head and body.

12. On the wrong side of the two remaining 4-1/2-inch squares of fabric A, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner.

13. Sew a 4-1/2-inch square of fabric A to each rectangle of fabric B. Sew on diagonal line. Trim corners. Press towards A. These two rectangle and square arrangements are not the same, so arrange carefully. Unit 2A will be a tall rectangle with one triangle at the right bottom corner and unit 2B will be a long rectangle with a triangle at the top left corner.

14. Sew a 4-1/2-inch square of fabric B to one end of unit 1. Press towards B.

15. Assemble units to form a butterfly. Add an easy antenna with permanent marker (figure E).

House block
Materials:

fabric A cut into one, 4-1/2" x 12-1/2" rectangle
fabric A cut into one, 2-1 /2 " x 4-1/2" rectangle
fabric B cut into two, 4-1/2-inch squares
fabric C cut into two, 5-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles
fabric C cut into one, 2-1/2-inch square
fabric D cut into one, 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" rectangle

Steps:

1. On the wrong side of each 4-1/2-inch square of fabric B, draw a diagonal line (figure F).

2. Position a fabric B square on each end of the 4-1/2" x 12-1/2" rectangle of fabric A, placing right sides together.

3. Sew on diagonal line. Trim corners. Press towards A. This is the roof and unit 1 (figure G).

4. Create unit 2--sides and doorway to house (figure H).

5. Sew unit 1 to unit 2. Add strip of "grass" (fabric D rectangle) to bottom of house (figure I).

If you'd like, you could add a strip of "sky" instead of "grass" (figure J).

Indian Hatchet block
Materials:

fabric A cut into four, 4-inch squares
fabric B cut into four, 6-1/2-inch squares
fabric C cut into four, four-inch squares

Steps:

1. Draw a diagonal sewing line on the wrong side of each fabric A square and each of fabric C squares.

2. Position a fabric A square on the corner of fabric B square, placing the right sides together.

3. Sew on the diagonal. Trim corner. Press towards A.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to sew another fabric A square to the opposite corner of the fabric B square. Trim and press toward B (figure K).

5. Using the remaining two squares of fabric A and another square of B, repeat steps 2 through 4 to make another square like the first one.

6. Repeat steps 2 through 5, but this time, use the four squares of fabric C and the two remaining squares of B. Press towards C (figure L).

7. Assemble block.