Elephant Parade

Welcome to the Elephant Parade!  Beginning February 1st, 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 this 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 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 below, 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 Elephant Parade pattern is available in my pattern store here.




If you are wanting to make the complete quilt, as pictured above, you will need:

2 yards - Snow 9000-10 (off white)
0.75 yards - Slate 9000-93 (dark grey)
0.50 yards - Glacier 9000-910 (light grey)
fat quarter - Kelly 9000-72 (dark green)
fat quarter - Lime 9000-71 (light green)
fat quarter - Turquoise 9000-62 (blue)
fat quarter - Cardinal 9000-241 (red)
less than a fat quarter - Canary 9000-540 (yellow)

Piece of fusible web large enough to trace 5 eyes at 1.5” square, approximately 5" x 10"
Optional: Piece of fusible interfacing large enough to cover embroidery, approximately 5" x 10"

Backing to cover 54” x 61”

Batting to cover 54” x 61”

Press all seams open.  Press seams as you go.

Cutting Instructions

From the off white, cut (9) strips @ 3” for row sashing and borders and (5) strips @ 1.5” for block sashing. Set sashing and border strips aside for later.

ALSO cut (1) strip @ 4.5”, (3) strips @ 3.5”, (4) strips @ 2.5”, (1) strips @ 2.25” and (5) strips @ 1.5”

Crosscut the 4.5” strip into (1) 4.5” x 10.5” rectangle, (1) 4.5” x 7.5” rectangle, (2) 4.5” squares, (5) 2.5” x 4.5” rectangles and (1) 1.5” x 4.5” rectangle

Crosscut the 3.5” strips into (14) 3.5” x 7.5” rectangles, (2) 3.5” x 5.5” rectangles and (2) 3.5” x 4.5" rectangles

Crosscut the 2.5” strips into (5) 2.5” x 6.5” rectangles, (19) 2.5” x 3.5” rectangles and (30) 2.5” squares

Crosscut the 2.25” strip into (16) 2.25” squares

Crosscut the 1.5” strips into (91) 1.5” squares, (5) 1.5” x 4.5” rectangles, (16) 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles, (4) 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles and (6) 1” x 3.5” rectangles


From the dark grey, cut (2) strips @ 4.5” and (2) strips @ 1.5”

Crosscut one 4.5” strip into (5) 4.5” x 5.5” rectangles, (5) 2.5” x 3.5” rectangles and (5) 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles

Crosscut the other 4.5” strip into (5) 3.5” x 4.5” rectangles, (5) 2.5” x 4.5” rectangles and (5) 1.5” x 4.5” rectangles

Crosscut the 1.5” strips into (14) 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles and (23) 1.5” squares


From the light grey, cut (2) strips @ 3.5”, (2) strips @ 2.5” and (2) strips @ 1.5”

Crosscut the 3.5” strips into (12) 3.5” squares, (2) 3.5” squares and (14) 2.5” x 3.5” rectangles

Crosscut the 2.5” strips into (5) 2.5” x 4.5” rectangles, (13) 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles and (14) 2.5” squares

Crosscut the 1.5” strips into (15) 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles and (28) 1.5” squares


From the dark green, cut (1) 3.5” x 6.5” rectangle, (6) 2.25” x 4.5” rectangles, (2) 2.5” squares and (2) 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles

From the light green, cut (3) 1” x 4.5” rectangles, (1) 3.5” square, (1) 2.5” x 3.5” rectangle, (1) 1.5” x 2.5” rectangle and (10) 1.5” squares

From the blue, cut (4) 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles and (4) 1.5” squares

From the red, cut (2) 3.5” x 4.5” rectangles, (2) 3.5” squares, (2) 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles and (2) 1.5” squares

From the yellow, cut (2) 1.5” x 3.5” rectangles

From the Binding fabric, cut (5) WOF strips.  I use 2.25” Binding Strips and finish the binding by machine, but if finishing by hand stitching the binding down, cut 2.5” width of fabric strips.  Prepare your binding strips to make your binding and set aside for later.  Or to make the Little Bit binding as used in my sample please see this post.




Instructions for the Elephant Parade Quilt Along will be posted, and links will be added to this schedule, as they are published each week:

February 1 - Large Elephant
February 8 - Small Elephant
February 15 - Frog
February 22 - Turtle
March 1 - Bird
March 8 - Flowers
March 15 - Sashing, Borders & Backing
March 22 - Quilting & Binding
March 29 - "SHOW IT OFF" LINKY PARTY!

Afraid you may not finish in time for the linky party?  This linky party will be endless.  You can link up your finishes here at ANY TIME.  The linky will not end.

Join the Elephant Parade!

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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.


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

And add any progress pictures to the Sew Fresh Quilts Flickr group here!

Follow along to join in the Elephun!
Keep On Quilting On!

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