GenX-Aztec Baby Quilt with Tutorial

Happy Friday everyone!  As promised, today I am sharing the tutorial for the GenX-Aztec baby quilt.  This baby boy quilt finished at 41" square.  Change up the colour scheme and you have yourself a gender neutral or baby girl quilt.

Introducing My Own Quilt Labels by Ikaprint.  This was my first opportunity to use my new quilt labels!  I sewed the label in while applying the binding to the back of the quilt.

I designed my labels to have a message on the front and on the back.  In this picture, I used my acrylic ruler to hold the label up so I could get a good shot of the back.  I am in LOVE with these new labels!!!

Every purchase made from the My Own Quilt Labels store earns me $1.88, which is greatly appreciated.  Every little bit helps!  If you are interested in designing your own quilt labels, please click on the link or check out the button on my sidebar, beneath my profile picture.

Please do scroll down to the end of the tutorial to see more close up pictures of the GenX-Aztec quilt.  I blogged about the making of this quilt previously here.  When designing the GenX-Aztec baby quilt, my block size was determined according to the backing fabric width. I wanted to get the best use of the backing fabric without having to add a seam to make the fabric wider.  So the backing fabric is about 44" wide.

Had I used 8" blocks with 2" sashing, the width of the top would be (8x4) + (2x5) = 42"
But since I wanted to add borders to the layout, I went with a 7" block size.

Block sizes:

7" finished size block requires 1.75" finished size sashing (7 divided by 4 = 1.75)

8" finished size block requires 2" finished size sashing (8 divided by 4 = 2)

9" finished size block requires 2.25" finished size sashing (9 divided by 4 = 2.25)

10" finished size block requires 2.5" finished size sashing (10 divided by 4 = 2.5)

12" finished size block requires 3" finished size sashing (12 divided by 4 = 3)


For this tutorial, I will be giving the measurements used in the 7" block size.  The names of the Kona Cotton Solids I used are given and their colours are shown in brackets.  When designing the GenX-Aztec baby quilt, the solid colours chosen were determined according to the colours in the backing fabric.

• Fabric requirements based on a 42" Width of Fabric (WOF).
• Sew using a 1/4" seam.
• Press all seams as you go.
• Press all seams open unless stated otherwise.

Fabric Requirements:

4 fat quarters, one of each colour...
     Cyan (Dark Blue), Azure (Light Blue), Grass (Dark Green) and Peapod (Light Green)
1 fat quarter of Coal (Dark Grey)
1 yard of Snow (White)
1/2 yard of Black (Black)
1/3 yard of Medium Grey (Medium Grey)




You will also need:

Backing to cover 48” x 48”
Batting to cover 48” x 48”

Cutting:

Dark Blue – Cyan :
Cut 2 strips at 2.25” x 21” and crosscut into (16) 2.25” squares.
Cut 3 strips at 2.75” x 21” and crosscut into (16) 2.75” squares.

Light Blue – Azure :
Cut 5 strips at 2.25” x 21”
  and crosscut into (12) 2.25” x 5.75” rectangles and (12) 2.25” squares.

Dark Green – Grass :
Cut 5 strips at 2.25” x 21”
  and crosscut into (16) 2.25” x 4” rectangles and (16) 2.25” squares.

Light Green – Peapod :
Cut 7 strips at 2.25” x 21”
  and crosscut into (16) 2.25” x 5.75” rectangles and (28) 2.25” squares.

Dark Grey – Coal :
Cut 2 strips at 2.25” x 21” and crosscut into (12) 2.25” squares.

White – Snow :
Cut 4 strips at 1” x WOF (Width of Fabric) for borders.
Cut 4 strips at 1.5” x WOF for borders.
Cut 4 strips at 2.25” x WOF
  and crosscut into (16) 2.25” x 5.75” rectangles and (16) 2.25” squares.
Cut 2 strips at 2.75” x WOF and crosscut into (16) 2.75” squares.
Cut 2 strips at 4.5” x WOF and crosscut into (16) 4.5” squares.

Medium Grey – Medium Grey : 
(I used Medium Grey, but would have preferred Kona Ash or Shadow)
Cut 7 strips at 2.25” x WOF and crosscut into (16) 2.25” squares.
Cut 2 strips at 4.5” x WOF and crosscut into (16) 4.5” squares.

Black :
Cut 2 strips at 2.25” x WOF and crosscut into (13) 2.25” squares.
Cut 4 strips at 1.5” x WOF for borders.
Cut 4 strips at 2.25” x WOF for binding.

Constructing the Quilt:

Step 1:

• Sew the 16 Medium Grey 2.25" squares to the 16 Grass 2.25" squares.

• Sew the 16 Peapod 2.25" squares to the 16 Snow 2.25" x 5.75" rectangles.

• Sew the 12 Azure 2.25" squares to the 12 Peapod 2.25" x 5.75" rectangles.

• Sew the 12 Peapod 2.25" squares to the 12 Azure 2.25" x 5.75" rectangles.

Step 2:

• Use the 16 Medium Grey and 16 Snow 4.5" squares to make HST units using this tutorial and trimming your 32 HST's to 4" square.

• Use the 16 Cyan and 16 Snow 2.75" squares to make HST units using this tutorial and trimming your 32 HST's to 2.25" square.

Step 3:

• Sew the 16 Medium Grey and Grass units to the 16 Grass 2.25" x 4" rectangles.  8 will be facing left and 8 will be facing right.

• Sew the 32 Cyan/Snow HST units to the 16 Cyan 2.25" squares and the 16 Snow 2.25" squares.

 

• Sew 5 Black 2.25" squares to blue end of 5 Cyan/Peapod units.

• Sew 4 Black 2.25" squares to the green end of 4 Peapod/Cyan units.

• Sew 4 Black 2.25" squares to the green end of 4 Peapod/Snow units.

• Then sew 6 Coal 2.25" squares to the green end of the 5 Cyan/Peapod units and one more Cyan/Peapod unit.

• Then sew 6 Coal 2.25" squares to the white end of the 4 Peapod/Snow units and two more Peapod/Snow units.

• Sew these units into the sashing rows as shown in the photo below.

Step 4:

• Sew the 16 pieces of Cyan/Snow HST and Snow units to the 16 pieces of Cyan/Snow HST and Cyan units.
  

This photo show the pieces needed to make the 16 blocks.

Step 5:

• Arrange these pieces to make 8 blocks facing left and 8 blocks facing right.

Step 6:

• Arrange these blocks and remaining sashing units to make the Row 1 and sew the pieces into the row.  Do the same for the remaining 3 Rows.

Step 7:

• Arrange the sashing strips made in Step 3 and sew them to the tops of Row 1, 2, and 3.  And to the top and bottom of Row 4.

Step 8:

• Sew the sashed rows together.
  

Step 9:

• Sew the border strips together.  First sew the Black 1.5” x WOF strips to the Snow 1” x WOF strips.  Press seams toward the Black.  Sew the Snow 1.5” x WOF strips to the other side of the Black strips.  Press seams toward the Black.

Step 10:

• Fold each of these completed border units in half and crease to mark the centers on the White 1” side. Do the same for the side edges of the quilt top. Matching the crease marks, pin 2 of the borders to the top and bottom of the quilt top. Start sewing ¼” from the edge of the quilt top, backstitching to lock the beginning of the seam and sew the borders onto the quilt top, stopping ¼” from the end of the quilt top and backstitching to lock the seam.  Press seams open.

• Matching the crease marks, pin the 2 remaining borders to the sides of the quilt top. Sew the borders onto the quilt top. DO NOT sew across the top and bottom border pieces. Only attach the side borders to the quilt top, backstitching at the beginning and end of each seam.  Press seams open.

• Now sew the four mitered corners of the borders using this tutorial.

Finished size approx. 42" x 42"

Layer your quilt backing, batting and quilt top. Baste and quilt as desired.  I used Echo quilting to emphasize the illusion of the On Point blocks and to highlight the squareness of the green Greek Cross blocks and the pointed corners of the Farmer's Daughter blocks.

Lastly, I quilted in the ditch on each side of the black line in the borders.

 

• Use the 4 Black 2.25" x WOF strips to bind your quilt.... And enjoy!!! Take lots of pics.

This tutorial will be available on my Tutorials Page found underneath my blog header!

I would love it if you shared the pictures with the Sew Fresh Quilts Flickr group.  Or sent me a picture by email at sewfreshquilts (at) gmail (dot) com.

The GenX-Aztec baby quilt is now for sale in my Etsy shop!

Linking up to Finish it up Friday with Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts and TGIFF! hosted this week with Heather at QA Creations.

AND Be sure to enter the generous GIVEAWAY sponsored by The Intrepid Thread.  Going on NOW!  Up for grabs is a yummy fat quarter bundle of Jungle Avenue by Sara Lawson!

Good Luck in the Contest
AND
Keep On Quilting On!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.