The winner is Robin! She said, “I love Going Coastal!”
Send an email to kelseyatvanillajoydotcom to claim your prize and congrats!
THE PRIZE
One reader will win a selection of the Lagoon/Guitar Michael Miller quilting fabric prints used in this project!
CRIB BUMPER TUTORIAL
I finally finished the crib bumper and am one step closer to having this room ready for a baby!
Again, I used all Michael Miller quilting fabrics (in the lagoon color story) for the bedding. (photo from trueup.net)
I love how Michael Miller separates their fabrics into color stories rather than just separate collections. The mixing/matching possibilities are endless, and I love how they do all the coordinating work for you. I LOVE all the new fabrics in the Citron Gray color story, don’t you?!?
Anyway, I learned some things with this bumper and made some improvements over my last crib bumper tutorial – I liked the bound edges but it was quite a bit more work.
The biggest difference between the two patterns is that I used actual crib bumper pads this time, which I absolutely recommend. They’re thicker and will hold up better over time. Piecing together thickish batting works, but it’s not as nice as the bumper pads.
***SUGGESTION: Before you purchase fabric or begin sewing, read the instructions all the way through. I give two different methods for cutting the interior and exterior panels, one of which will save you 1 1/3 yards of fabric but is a little more complicated. Honestly, just a little…
MATERIALS
- crib bumper pads ($15 with a 50% off coupon at JoAnn)
- 1 1/3 yards fabric for exterior panels
- 1 1/3 yards fabric for interior panels
- 1/3 yard for ties (or you should have enough scraps leftover)
CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS
- For interior panels
- cut 4, 11 3/4″ strips (across the width of the fabric. pieces will be 11 3/4″ x width of fabric)
- sew 4 panels together along the short ends to get one big long piece
- from that big long piece, cut 6 pieces 27 1/2″ long each
- sew 6 interior panels (27 1/2″ x 11 3/4″) together at the short ends using a 1/2″ seam
- press seams open
- Repeat above for exterior panels
- For ties
- Cut 12 strips, 2″ x 22″
- Cut 2 small strips, 2″ x 2 1/2″
***ALTERNATIVE CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS
This method requires the same materials except you’ll need 2 yards interior fabric and 2 yards exterior fabric.
- For exterior & interior panels
- cut 6 panels, 11 3/4″ x 27 1/2″
- For ties
- Cut 12 strips, 2″ x 22″
- Cut 2 short strips, 2″ x 2 1/2″
You’ll end up with the same thing, you’ll just use 1 1/3 yards more fabric with the second method.
At this point you should have 2 long panels of fabric that are exactly the same size.
Make the ties
To make the ties, press the short ends of all 14 strips (12 long and 2 short) each in 1/2″. Press in half lengthwise. Open strips and press the outer edges in half to the center line. Press in half again so that there are 4 layers of fabric.
OR use a bias taper maker for the first step and press the strip in half, again so that there are 4 layers of fabric and the unfinished edges are tucked in the inside.
Top stitch along the very edge of the ties to finish. Sew along one short end, the long end, and the opposite short end.
Put it all together:
1. Fold the short strips in half matching the short ends and baste about 1″ from the top and bottom edges of one interior panel.
2. Pin interior and exterior panels together matching seams and raw edges. (With the first cutting method you’ll end up with more seams, just make sure you match up the ones you create when sewing the 27 1/2″ panels together.)
3. Measure 8″ in either direction from each seam and mark. (You’ll have 5 seams to mark.)
4. Beginning 8″ in from the bottom edge of one corner (see photo 1) begin sewing toward the short edge with a 1/2″ seam. Sew to the corner, up the short edge (#2), back along the top long edge (#3) until you come to the next corner (#4). Turn the corner and go down the opposite short side (#5), turn the corner again and sew until you reach your 8″ mark (#6).
5. Along the bottom edge (I’ve turned it around so it looks like the top edge in the picture…sorry), begin sewing at each mark 8″ from the seam. Sew toward the seam until you reach your next mark, leaving 10″ between seams open. This is where you’ll insert the bumper pad.
6. Before turning right sides out, clip the corners by cutting off the tip of the corner about 1/8″ – 1/4″ from the stitching line. Blend the clip in from both sides to make turning the points easier and cleaner.
7. Turn right side out.
8. Press the edges flat. I also like to fold down the seam along the open portion and press to make hand sewing at the end much easier. Fold each edge in 1/2″ so it matches the rest of the bumper and press.
9. Match up the seams on the interior and exterior panels and stitch in the ditch to keep the bumper pads separated in their own little compartments.
Attach the ties
Find the center of each tie and match it with the seam separating the compartments for the bumper pads. Sew the ties to the interior side, backstitching at each end.
Insert bumper pads and slip stitch the 6 openings closed.
WHEW! Hopefully that all makes sense – it’s really pretty easy once you get all the pieces cut.
Please let me know if you have questions!
GIVEAWAY RULES
- Visit Michael Miller Fabrics
- Make a comment on this post telling me your favorite quilting fabric collection before midnight Sunday, July 24.
- A winner will be selected and announced in a new post on Monday.
- Only one comment per person unless you earn extra entries.
- Giveaway open only to residents of the continental United States…sorry.
- Winners must email me to claim their prize within 5 days.
EARN EXTRA ENTRIES
You may earn 1 extra entry each for doing the following (make a separate comment for each thing you do):
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GOOD LUCK and THANKS!
{These products were provided to Vanilla Joy for review purposes.}
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