Orange Peel (or Petal) Baby Quilt Tutorial
Learn how to make a simple appliquéd Orange Peel, or Petal, baby quilt in this tutorial. The petal shapes are raw edged appliquéd using Heat n Bond Lite interfacing. Easy, fast, and fun! Keep reading for all the details!
A couple of weeks ago, I got this beautiful fat quarter bundle in the mail. It is Bohemian Dreamin’ by my friend Emma Thomas-McGinnis for Midwest Textiles. It is a fun line of fabric full of rich colors and patterns. If you are interested in getting some of your own, I know that Kristen of Mashe Modern carries it.
I decided to use my bundle to make this baby quilt made of 8 1/2” appliquéd Orange Peel, or Petal, blocks. I love this block because it comes together quickly and looks really good.
Orange Peel Baby Quilt Tutorial
Materials Needed for a 32” x 40” Baby Quilt Top
5 fat quarters background fabric
1 1/4 yard total of various scraps and fat quarters for petals/peels
2 yards Heat n Bond Lite
Download the template and a PDF of the block instructions below.
1. Print out the petal template on card stock and cut out. (Find the template here.)
2. Trace the petal template onto the paper side of the fusible interfacing. Nest the petals to make the best use of space. For the baby quilt, trace 80 petals.
3. Rough cut around the petals and iron them onto the back of various fabrics. You can rough cut them in multiples and iron the whole group on at once, if desired.
4. Cut out all 80 petals on the traced lines.
5. Cut out the 8 1/2” background squares - four from each fat quarter - for a total of 20 squares. Mark the center of the 8 1/2” background squares by lightly drawing a line from corner to corner with a disappearing ink pen, or fold the background fabric in quarters from corner to corner and iron to make a crease.
6. Remove the paper from the backs of the petals. Lay four petals along the diagonals marked on the background squares so the points meet in the middle and the outer points are 1/4” away from the edge of the block. Iron in place.
7. Set the zig-zag stitch on your machine. I like a width of 4 and length of 1.5, but this is personal preference. Test this setting on a piece of scrap fabric and adjust as desired. Make sure you use a thread that blends with your fabrics. When stitching around the petals, one side of the stitch should just barely come off the petal and onto the background fabric. The rest of the stitch should be on the petal.
8. Zig-zag around the petals. Start stitching in one corner of the block and follow the arch of the petals across the block and to the adjacent corner. Continue the pattern all around the block. (See figures in the pdf)
9. Press the blocks with an iron to smooth.
10. Repeat to make 20 Quilt Blocks.
11. Arrange the quilt blocks in four rows of five. Sew together into rows. Press row seams in opposite directions. Match seams and sew rows together.
12. Baste, quilt, and bind.
I hope you enjoy making this quilt as much as I did. I liked it so much that I’m even thinking of making a larger one for myself!
