The Idea
Some years ago, when our first grandchild was born, I wanted to make him something special. I decided to design and make him a patchwork play quilt as something that he could use straight away. I hoped it could be shared and used by other grandchildren. And maybe even last into future generations!
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-3-1024x768.jpg)
Early play times on what was planned as the reverse of the quilt.
The Process
I decided to make the two sides different but with a linked theme (animals). I also wanted to include several different play ideas.
In a rare diversion for me at the time, I made this quilt with commercial fabrics as opposed to dyeing my own from scratch. I wanted it to be colourful with a lot of detailed interest, so this was the best option.
The quilt is about 1200mm square.
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-quilt-12-1024x1017.jpg)
For the “front” of the patchwork play quilt I made 4 log cabins from a jelly roll of farmyard patterns with 4 animal pictures cut from a different piece of fabric and pieced together in the centre of each log cabin.
I placed the animal pictures in four different directions so the quilt was more versatile as a play area.
I joined the log cabins with a border of yellow fabric.
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-6-1024x768.jpg)
With the left over pieces of fabric that I had used for the centres of the log cabins, I made 12 little soft shapes, each with a rattle, bell or squeaker inside and filled with wadding. Just the right size for little hands to grab, shake and squeeze.
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-9-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-4-972x1024.jpg)
For the “back” of the quilt, I cut some letters, numbers and animals from coloured cotton fabric and appliqued them onto the quilt with free machine stitching.
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-5-1024x768.jpg)
Again, I had plenty of the fabrics left over, so I made some additional animals. I used Decovil 1 to stiffen them and put a different coloured fabric on each side.
These then added a colour matching and shape matching element to the counting game provided on the stitched quilt
The finished quilt
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-1-1020x1024.jpg)
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-2-1024x1009.jpg)
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-7-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-11-1024x768.jpg)
![](https://www.clairewheatdesigns.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Play-Quilt-8-768x1024.jpg)