Elephant Parade - Week 5 - Bird

Welcome to week 5 of the Elephant Parade!  I will be showing a block each week and would like to encourage you to quilt along.  You can try out as many or as few blocks as you like.  Make a quilt or make a mini.  Make a cushion.  Make whatever your imagination leads you to make!

The original post about the inspiration for this baby quilt design can be found here.  I have also added a Elephant Parade quilt along page that includes all the information you will need and a weekly schedule.  As each post is published the live links will be added to the schedule.  The Elephant Parade page tab is found just below the blog header.

Happily, Northcott Fabrics is as excited to see this come to life as I am, and will be sponsoring this project.  Follow along and watch as these bright solids from their ColorWorks Premium Solids quilting cottons collection become shaped into these adorable animals!

It is not necessary to purchase the pattern in order to participate.  But if you are wanting to make the complete quilt, as pictured above, and would prefer the convenience of using a printable pdf pattern,  Elephant Parade is available for purchase and includes complete cutting instructions and a detailed guide to finishing the entire quilt.  The pattern is available in my pattern store here.





For one bird block, as pictured below, you will need:

Snow 9000-10 (off white)
1 @ 4.5" square, 1 @ 3.5” x 5.5” rectangle, 1 @ 3.5" x 4.5” rectangle, 2 @ 2.5” squares, 1 @ 1.5" x 4.5" rectangle and 2 @ 1.5" squares

Cardinal 9000-241 (red)
1 @ 3.5” x 4.5” rectangle and 1 @ 3.5” square

Canary 9000-540 (yellow)
1 @ 1.5” x 3.5" rectangle

Press all seams open and press seams as you go.

Step 1:  Take the 2.5" white squares, 3.5” red square, 1.5” x 3.5” yellow rectangle, and 1.5" white squares.  Sew the red square on the left side of the yellow rectangle.  Press the seam open.  Draw a diagonal line across the 2.5” and 1.5" white squares.  Place the 2.5” white square on the top left corner of the red square and the 1.5” white square on the top right corner of the yellow rectangle and sew along the diagonal lines, as shown in red.  Trim a 1/4" seam.  Press the seams open.  Place the other 2.5” white square on the bottom right corner and the other 1.5” white square on the bottom left and sew along the diagonal lines, as shown in red.  Trim a 1/4" seam.  Press the seams open.

Step 2:  Take the 3.5" x 4.5” white rectangle, the 3.5” x 4.5” red rectangle and the 3.5" x 5.5” white rectangle.  Flip the 3.5" x 4.5” white rectangle to the wrong side of fabric then measure and mark these points:  left side ¼” down from top and right side down 2 ¼” from the top.  For the purpose of this diagram, the wrong side of fabric has been shown in black and the measure marks are shown as red dots.  Draw a diagonal line across the 3.5" rectangle, joining the dots.  On the 3.5” x 4.5” red rectangle, on the right side of fabric, measure and mark these points:  left side 2 ¼” down from top and right side ¼” down from top.  Place the 3.5" x 4.5” rectangle on top of the red rectangle and sew along the diagonal line, as shown in red.  Trim a 1/4" seam.  Press the seams open.  Draw a diagonal line across the 3.5" x 5.5” white rectangle.  Place the 3.5" x 5.5” white rectangle on the bottom of the red rectangle and sew along the diagonal lines, as shown in red.  Trim a 1/4" seam. Press the seams open.  Reverse markings for opposite facing bird.

Step 3: Take the 4.5” white square, the 1.5” x 4.5" white rectangle and the units made in Step 1 and Step 2.  Arrange them in order, as shown.  Sew the 4.5” white square on top of the unit from Step 1.  Press the seam open.  Sew the 1.5” x 4.5" white rectangle onto the bottom.  Press the seam open.  Sew the unit from Step 2 on the left side.  Press the seam open.  Sew a button for the eye or embroider the eye and legs on the completed block.   I used iron on stabilizer to back the portion of the block where the eye was embroidered.  I do not recommend using buttons on items intended for use by young children or babies.

Completed block will measure 8.5" tall by 7.5" wide including seam allowances

Join the Elephant Parade!

<div align="center">
<a href="https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com" title="Sew Fresh Quilts" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYDX0A3LTbOSQB2RLeMIwUSOE1XiCvHjcEKIL7dWSe-wYl1x0RSR6HC-7-1XnYhX6946_wg7WnYigywUGawd9zdp1Mkxw3SSgb7gxEpIo00bXI5hHnE3nLRfTh-V-N10F3_A9sHOmUXnv/s1600/Elephant+button.jpg" alt="Sew Fresh Quilts" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

A quilt along button has been added to the right sidebar.  If you are interested in quilting along, please add the button to your blog and help to spread the word.  It's never to late to join in and quilt along!

Please feel free to share via social media!  And add the hashtag #elephantparadeqal

I have also added a new page tab Elephant Parade under the blog header.  Here you will find all the details of the quilt along and a schedule.  Links will be added to this schedule as each post is published.

Keep On Quilting On!

To follow Sew Fresh Quilts by email....

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner