Hi! I’m Casey Chatham from Sew Worthy Mama. I make quilt patterns designed with motherhood in mind.
Is it just me, or do you ever find yourself still needing a gift the day or two before a baby shower? Or maybe a baby comes early, and you’re in a crunch to make a special handmade gift for the special little one while they’re still tiny? Or maybe you’re the one with a baby on the way, and it’s getting harder to sit and sew for long periods of time?
Well, I’ve got the perfect pattern and baby gifts to save you! I designed this jumbo sawtooth star block-turned-quilt pattern specifically to stitch up ultra-fast when you are in a pinch.
The Sawtooth Star Quilt Pattern in Two Colorways
There are two colorways: single-color star and rainbow star. Both are super quick, and the rainbow version has an extra trick up its sleeve. It’s not only fast, but it also makes spare blocks — enough for a second quilt!
So, with just a few extra background cuts, you can make one for now and save one for later (so you don’t find yourself in a rush again!). Or, if there are twins, you’re covered…and so are they!
The rainbow colorway also makes a great activity mat. Read about a fun color-matching activity with this quilt that my 3-year-old loves!
I can’t think of a cuter set of fabrics for this pattern than Tara Reed’s new collection, Happy at Home! The soft primary colors will work for all babies. Happy at Home has a beautiful gender-neutral palette!
The sweet little red, yellow, and blue birds make a fantastic feature print to build the rest of your quilt around.
I chose the birds on white for my background print.
Happy at Home has lots of coordinating options with dots, stripes, and plaids to mix and match depending on your style. You really can’t go wrong with any of these prints!
I chose the blue dot, red plaid, and yellow stripe for my star, binding, and backing, respectively. This way, I was able to coordinate with each color from the bird print and include a sampling of the various textures available in Happy at Home.
I timed myself making this quilt to see just how fast it was. I knew it would be a quick make, but even I was shocked that it only took 1 hour and 20 minutes from the first cut to the final press to make the top. Then to sandwich, quilt, and bind, it was another 2 hours and 55 minutes.
A total of 4 hours and 15 for an entire baby quilt make? Yes, please! Anyone can whip up this easy pattern for a last-minute baby gift…or two!
Time-Saving Tips
If you are in a really big hurry, here are a few tips to speed up your sewing even more:
- Use a long arm machine or a long-arming service to quilt it (but remember to account for the time to send it off and get it back).
- Quilt less densely. Many battings can accept stitching up to 10″ apart. Try a simple grid!
- Mark just one quilting line, and use a seam guide to echo quilting from your first line without marking every single line. (This is what I did. I set my guide to echo every 2 inches, but you can go wider to speed it up.)
- Use a pre-cut baby-size batting, so you don’t need to measure or cut to size until you’re ready to trim and bind.
- Use pre-made binding or make a facing by turning the backing over the edge to the front.
Mock-Ups and Color Inspiration
Here are a few single-color star mock-ups with Happy at Home and the Sawtooth Star pattern. You can take it in lots of directions! Go more green and yellow for a spring baby or red for a fall baby.
And here are a few more with rainbow stars. Remember, with the piecing method used in this colorway, you can easily make two quilts! Just grab some extra background fabric — the pattern covers how to easily adjust the yardage if you want to make 2 quilts.
The Perfect Gift – A Matching Quilt and Onesie Set
I guess I won’t be gifting this sweet quilt…my daughter, Pippa, claimed it for herself as soon as I finished it! It’s already earned an affectionate nickname: The Bird Quilt!
To turn your quilt into the ultimate baby shower gift…look no further than my matching sawtooth star onesies! They’re 100% organic cotton and come in two main designs: “Mama Makes a Good Point” and “New Kid on the Block,” each in various colors. Perfect for a quilty mama!
Happy at Home releases this month! Grab some yardage from your favorite quilt shop, and grab this free pattern. Sew your own, add a onesie, and wait for all the Oooos and Ahhhhs when your gift is opened at the baby shower! I mean, that just feels good, doesn’t it?!
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