Ruffled Crib Quilt from Down Under

Every grandmother counts it a blessing when another child comes into her life.  Each set of tiny hands and feet hold a special place in her heart forever.  When the newest addition made his appearance to the Jenkins family it was just what Leanne needed to inspire her to expand her embroidery talents.  It’s such a sweet quilt and certain to be his favorite with all those teddy bears to love.

Leanne is from Australia, and she calls this a "cot quilt", but I remember from being in Australia that what is called a cot there is what we in the North America call a crib, so I've changed it in the post title but not in Leanne's text below. For a bigger picture, click here.

Leanne's Description

I recently decided to shout myself (with a lot of help from my partner) an Embroidery Machine for my birthday in October last year.  This cot quilt was my first real attempt at something other than tea towels and oven-mitts. Our newest addition to the Grandchildren was born in February this year and I decided to make the quilt for him. All the teddy bear designs were downloaded from Ann The Gran free designs archive and I would like to say that they sew out beautifully as you can see even when they are converted to ‘jef' Format.

Step-by-step description

Quilt Materials List (finished size approximately 1m x 1m (cot size)

  • Quilt Front Sashes, Ruffle and Backing Fabric 1.7m x 90cm
  • Contrasting Fabric for Embroidery
  • Batting 1m x 90cm
  • Cut six strips for inside vertical sashing to join three embroidery panels per row
  • Cut two longer strips for inside horizontal sashing to join all nine embroidery panels together
  • Cut four strips for outside border
  • Cut nine 9 x 9inch squares for blocks
  • Embroider nine panels and trim to 8inch squares
  • Join embroidered blocks x 3 using two of the six inside vertical sashing strips per row, then join each row of 3 embroidered panels together using the two longer strips of horizontal sashing
  • Finally, using the four remaining strips as a border attach to the outside of completed front cot panel
  • Make Ruffle (width can be varied to personal choice) using 11/2 x the diameter of the quilt, join strips together and over-lock and turn under one long edge, then gather the other long edge to make ruffle, I used my over-locker to gather the edge as well
  • Spray wrong side of the front panel with quilters spray adhesive and gently spread the front panel over the batting.
  • Using a walking foot attachment I then stitched around each embroidered panel using "stitch in ditch" technique
  • Attach ruffle to the front panel right sides together with the outer edge of ruffle towards the centre of the panel (I find it easier to attach ruffle first then attach the backing fabric last
  • Attach the backing fabric to the quilt right sides together leaving enough of an opening to turn the quilt right side out then slip stitch to close the opening to complete.

What makes this project special

I always try to make something for any new additions to the Grandchildren when they arrive, as I enjoy doing it and no matter what it is, it is always appreciated and commented on as it is used. I would rather make something myself than buy it because I think it makes the gift special and I love and enjoy my sewing and the time I spend doing so.

Skill level

In my opinion anyone could make this project with any skill level

Products

Cutting Board

Rotary Cutter

Quilters adhesive spray

Sewing Machine / Overlocker

Walking foot attachment

Embroidery Machine / Embroidery Designs

Time Investment

As I still work full-time I find it hard to give an estimate, but the teddy designs I have used in this project take between 30 minutes to 60 minutes so I guess about 10 hours max.

Why I love this project

One reason would be the fact that I have made this for my newest grandson and another would be that this is my first project that I have tackled that is a little more involved than the simpler projects I have done since I got my embroidery machine.

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What Would You Do?

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Comments (15) -

How absolutely beautiful!!!  I too have made quilts similar to this and find they are very well received for shower and new baby gifts.  Keep up the good work Leanne, and know you are now an accomplished embroiderer.  Lynda Treen


This is such a great idea & so pretty.   I am going to to something similiar for my granddaughter.


I would love to be able to print these ideas so I can save them - however no luck.   Is there a way these projects could be posted as a PDF file?


Thanks, lschieber. This is a great idea. I will check with our tech team to see if we can do something like this.


How adorable!  Thank you sharing your quilt with everyone!  I am a beginner at Embroidery, but have been sewing for over 25 years.  Your project has inspired me to try something like this!


Thanks again!!


You did a great job Leanne! Such a beautiful. I am too a new beginner with e


macine embroidery, you have inspired me to try something as cute and cuddly as these Teddy Bears. Keep up the great work you are doing.


I'm a new quilter.  I'm not sure the length and width of the 6 vertical strips for sashing and the 2 longer strips and the 4 outside strips for border.  This is for the downunder baby quilt.  I would love to make this quilt.


euginamorin 4/3/2008 12:20:28 PM

What a lovely "COT" quilt for the newcomer!!


tacomama01 4/3/2008 8:12:52 PM

HELP!  The quilt is just beautiful and I have a new grandson and this would be fabulous to make for him.  However, I need the U.S. measurements for the length and width of the vertical strips for sashing and the other strips.  Thanks.  


In reply to Ischeiber about printing the instructions I just right clicked on my mouse, select all, then right clicked again, clicked on copy, opened up Microsoft Word , right click again on paste and I was able to print the pages I required.  Hope this helps.


Beautiful quilt, I am going to try something like it for the two grandbabies that we are expecting this year. Thankyou for your inspiration.


This is BEAUTIFUL thanks for sharing


But I have a ?? .. I am with you on the consturction all the way till you turn it .but how do you quilt or secure the back to the batting. Please advise...


I have 6 of my squares done now.. you sure have inspired me on this one..


Thanks again


Hi Leanne I'm in Oz  too so cot it is!!!! Thanks for inspiration I am going to make it my winter project!!! no spring cleaning for us yet, more time to sew. I too am expecting a new grandchild later in the year.


Hi I am not sure how this works but, in answering the questions that some of you had on the "Ruffled Crib Quilt from Down Under" as to the lengths for the sashings, I have tried to no avail to get hold of the quilt so I can measure them up for you all.  Anyway over here in Australia you can purchase what we call a "Cot Panel" which I think measures approximately 391/2 inches by 311/2 inches. Once I decided what size my finished embroidery panels were going to be and how many in each row eg. 3 x 8 inch embroidered panels across and 3 x 8 inch embroidered panels down I simply calculated how many of both,horizontal and vertical sashes would be required and cut them to a size that would give the finished size of 391/2 inches x 311/2inches. Hope this helps and does not just confuse you more


I am wondering how you download the patterns from the computer to a floppy disk , have tried this and my floppy disk was empty when I put it into my ellageo, bablylock machine.


I simply Love the "cot" (also called that in South Africa) quilt. Maybe next year I'll try to make time for something like that! I enrolled for monthly  classes last year August - We are making the fabulous Latte Quilt, and when I couldn't decide between two colours, I decided to make both ! Oh me oh my! As I was fairly new with Machine Embroidery AND Quilting then, you can imagine what I got myself into! Thats why I say maybe next year................................


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