Wednesday, August 23, 2017

My Little Sunshine Blog Hop With A Sleepy Monkey Baby Quilt

Today is another day of the Benartex "My Little Sunshine" Blog Hop and it's my turn to 
show you my "Sleepy Monkey Baby" quilt using new fabrics by Cherry Blossoms Quilting.
I've enjoyed Cherry's creations for years and have watched her "blossom" into an
amazing designer. Way to go, Cherry...you rock as a designer!


Cherry Guidry designed the cutest fabric line called "My Little Sunshine" and the fabric 
includes monkeys! As some of you already know, I love monkeys. Well...actually the
real "Monkey Boys", but these fabrics are totally my kind of thing. I was so excited!
Thanks Benartex and Cherry for such a sweet treat!

Those faces and those colors...I love them!


The "My Little Sunshine" fabrics I used: My Little Monkeys Light Lime, Sweetheart 
White/Turquoise, Words Light Turquoise, Words Light Grey

My "Sleepy Monkey Baby" quilt was such a pleasure to sew. 
It measures 40" x 44" and is perfect for a really good monkey snuggle.


The sleepy monkey baby in the middle is surrounded by playful fabric with monkeys and
sweet words that totally remind us of babies and the sweetness they bring.


This guy looks pretty comfy, but it won't be long before he'll be up and playing with the big monkeys.


Fabric cutting instructions:

Cut 1 – 12½” x 16½” – center block
Cut 2 – 1½” x 16½” – left and right, Border A
Cut 2 – 1½” x 14½” – top and bottom, Border A
Cut 2 – 3½” x 18½” – left and right, Border B
Cut 2 – 3½” x 20½” – top and bottom, Border B
Cut 4 – 2½” x 43” - white fabric strips, Border C
Cut 4 – 2½” x 43” - print fabric strips, Border C
Cut 2 – 2½” x 32½” - left and right, Border D
Cut 2 – 2½” x 32½” - top and bottom, Border D
Cut 2 – 1½” x 36½” – left and right, Border E
Cut 2 – 1½” x 34½” – top and bottom, Border E
Cut 2 – 3½” x 38½” – left and right, Border F
Cut 2 – 3½” x 40½” – top and bottom, Border F
Cut 5 – 2½” x 43” binding strips
Cut backing to fit 40” x 44” quilt

Step 1:
The monkey is appliqued to the center block using iron-on adhesive.
I love using Heat n Bond EZ Print Lite sheets because it eliminates tracing.
Just run the patterns through your inkjet printer and they're ready to be ironed to your fabric.
Easy!


 Step 2:
Sew around edges of applique pieces using a straight, zig-zag, or blanket stitch. 


Tip: Adding a light weight regular or fusible interfacing to the back of fabric helps stabilize the
 fabric when sewing on applique pieces, keeps threads from showing through, and helps maintain
 fabric size. *Yes, I did clip away some of those threads that are waving in the air.


Step 3: 
Sew Border A strips to left and right of Center Block. Press seams towards borders.

Step 4: 
Sew Border A strips to top and bottom of Center Block. Press seams towards borders.

Step 5: 
Sew Border B strips to left and right of Border A. Press seams towards borders.

Step 6: 
Sew Border B strips to top and bottom of Border A. Press seams towards borders.

Step 7: 
For Border C, sew one white and one print strip together. 
Repeat to make four white and print strips. Press seams towards print side. 


Step 8: 
Cut each strip into 2½” x 4½” strips.


Step 9: 
Sew blocks together alternating white and print fabric; nest and match seams. 
Press toward print fabric. Make 52 block sets.


Step 10: 
Sew 12 block sets together; nest and match seams. Press seams down. Repeat to make two rows
 of 12 block sets. Sew to left and right sides of Border B. Press seams towards Border C.


Step 11: 
Sew 14 block sets together; nest and match seams. Press seams down. 
Repeat to make two rows of 14 block sets. Sew to top and bottom of Border B. 
Match seams from left and right border. Press seams towards Border C.



Step 12: 
Sew Border D strips to left and right of Border C. Press seams towards borders.

Step 13: 
Sew Border D strips to top and bottom of Border C. Press seams towards borders.

Step 14: 
Sew Border E strips to left and right of Border D. Press seams towards borders.

Step 15: 
Sew Border E strips to top and bottom of Border D. Press seams towards borders.

Step 16: 
Sew Border F strips to left and right of Border E. Press seams towards borders.

Step 17: 
Sew Border F strips to top and bottom of Border E. Press seams towards borders.

Step 18: 
Quilt using your favorite method or the method shown below. Add binding to finish.


Protect the area where you will be working by placing an old sheet or paper under and
 around the area you’ll be spraying. Place the fleece/batting on your working surface. 
Using the Spray N Bond Adhesive, spray about 6-8 inches across the top portion of the 
fleece/batting from one edge to the other. Place the wrong side of quilt backing face down 
over the sprayed surface of fleece/batting. Smooth fabric to ensure it adheres to the sprayed fabric. 
Continue this method of spraying and smoothing just 6-8 inches at a time until you reach
 the bottom of the quilt back. Check for creases or folds.


With backing fabric right side down and batting face up, add quilt front right side up to 
quilt back using the same spray and smooth method as the backing. 


Once all areas are sprayed and adhered, trim, quilt and bind as desired.



Having a Monkey Boy help take photos of the quilt is a big help!


To get the PDF pattern and applique templates, visit my Craftsy store HERE:


Be sure to visit Benartex's blog, Sew In Love With Fabric, to see the other beautiful
projects made by amazing designers. There's a giveaway of Cherry's patterns on there, too!
Go to Sew In Love With Fabric HERE...hurry to enter!

Friday: free patterns @ Sew in Love with Fabric

MondayElaine @ Summer Crafter
Tuesday: Annie @ Annie Smith

But wait, I have a giveaway on my blog, too!

Benartex is giving away a Fat Quarter Bundle of My Little Sunshine every day of the blog hop.
Wow! How awesome is that! You can see the whole collection HERE.

Is this the cutest bib panel...yes!


Just leave a sweet comment and one lucky winner will be receiving
that Fat Quarter Bundle. Hey, it might be you!
The giveaway ends on August 26, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. MST.

Congratulations Linda!



70 comments:

  1. Thanks for your tutorial. These are such cute prints--they would make darling gifts to welcome any baby.

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  2. An appropriate theme for you! Darling quilt!

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  3. Great quilt, and I am sure the monkey fabric was an instant hit.

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  4. Perfect fabric for you my friend :) You made such a cute quilt with it!

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  5. I am in love with the monkey quilt! So sweet and good work!

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  6. Such a cute quilt. Love the colors too. Definitely a sweet looking Monkey Boy helper you have there!

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  7. Oh this is so cute, I love the colors and the design of the quilt.

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  8. Your quilt is sooo adorable Carol. I really love these fabrics. Thank you for the chance to win them.

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  9. Really cute design, Carol. It turned out wonderful, yeah, sweet;
    Your monkeys are getting bigger!

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  10. I love it! They checkerboard boarded is the perfect frame 🎂

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  11. Cutest baby quilt ever and the cutest little helper to!

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  12. The colors in this bundle are so fresh and those monkeys! Adorable quilt. The Monkey Boy holding it is adorable, too!

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  13. That quilt is just precious. I kept thinking about you and the monkey fabric for your little monkeys. I think Cherry designed that one just for you!!!

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  14. What a great idea for a baby quilt. It's perfect for today's nurseries. Thank you so much for the detailed pictures of your process. Thanks to you and Benartex for the chance to win the fabric bundle, too! dezertsuz at gmail

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  15. Cute baby quilt! Thanks for the spray batting idea!!

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  16. Cool tuturiol. Cute quilt! Awesome giveaway! Have a great day!! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom

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  17. very nice detailed instruction. What a cute quilt.

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  18. Hi Carol! What a darling project>thanks for sharing! Love your Blog+Giveaway!
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  19. Love those bibs and this fabric line is AWESOME! My daughter had our first grandchild, a girl at the end of April. All of her friends have young babies and the latest "reveal" is a gal that works at the Oakland Zoo with the elephants, so this fabric fits right in.

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  20. I love making quilts for expectant moms - and those bibs are sweet too!

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  21. Love your quilt and the monkey you designed. Such a playful quilt for the new grandson. And they really do love having something to snuggle.

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  22. A monkey for your monkey boys .. perfect. I love it. Thanks, Carol.

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  23. This is such an adorable baby quilt! The fabrics are so perfect, I think they are so wonderful. Thank you for sharing this great quilt and great tutorial! Plus, the chance to win a bundle of these fabulous fabrics! Have a great day!

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  24. oh your quilt is wonderful. I love those monkeys. and the colors are perfect.
    quilting dash lady at Comcast dot net

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  25. Oh my goodness your baby quilt design is soooo sweet!!! This fabric collection is adorable💗

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  26. Perfect quilt for any sweet baby.

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  27. I love monkeys too-how sweet is this pattern! Thank you for sharing, Susan

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  28. Such an adorable baby quilt and great fabric line. It looks easy to follow along in the pattern. Thanks! Millie Baello

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  29. Such a sweet collection. Love your monkey and the surrounding adorable borders. Thanks!

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  30. I love to make baby quilts, and this is a wonderful line. Thanks for showing how you used it.

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  31. This quilt is adorable
    and I love the monkey
    in the middle!
    Carla from Utah

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  32. Your monkey quilt is adorable. This fabric line is too sweet. Thanks for sharing.

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  33. Love the fabric line. I can't wait until it's in stores. I have a baby quilt that needs making on the horizon and this fabric is perfect!

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  34. I think my great-grandson would love those monkeys. Thanks for sharing your tutorial!

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  35. My Little Sunshine fabric bundle is just perfect for your sweet monkey quilt! Thank you for the free pattern! I have not used the Heat N Bond EZ Print Lite sheets, but I need to do it soon! It looks like it would make the process so much easier. Your Little Monkey Man is adorable, too!

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  36. What a sweet little boy quilt. It is difficult to find fabrics for boys. Thank you so much for the tutorial. I love the sleeping monkey!

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  37. Such a perfect collection for baby quilts! Love the monkey boy helping with the monkey boy quilt :)

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  38. I love your monkey quilt, perfect for a little wild boy! That bib panel is super cute too.

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  39. I love blog hops they give a person so many ideas....Makes you want to run into your tote of kids prints and dream up your own quilt....tytyty happyness04431@yahoo.com

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  40. This is adorable, Carol! Monkey Boy is a picture perfect helper. Thanks for sharing your pattern and how-to ... and for the chance to win ... :-) Pat

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  41. This is a wonderful quilt. The fabrics are perfect. And the photo assistant is the greatest.

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  42. Ah...sweet,sweet, sweet...and lucky you with all those boys! Enjoy them while you can...they grow up fast!

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  43. Such a cute baby quilt and is perfect for a little boy. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  44. I'd love to win - I have my first grandson coming in 2 months!

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  45. Your quilt is so sweet! Thanks for the tutorial! The fabric is really cute.
    nikilsend(at)outlook(dot)com

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  46. What a cute quit. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  47. Too sweet. I like how you did the border. Excellent!

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  48. LOVE, LOVE THIS QUILT!! Having a new gbaby in Dec. Just might have to make him this quilt. :)
    craftyccain@gmail.com

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  49. THis is so adorable! It really shows off those monkeys, well done!

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  50. That is such a sweet quilt! I love the fabric line-so fun!

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  51. Love Love Love the Monkey's!!! Such an AWESOME Quilt!! You did SUPER job!! Thank you too for the Tutorial & all...and for chance to win some of this Adorable fabric too!! :D

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  52. Hi Carol,
    What a cute little monkey . . . and the fabric too! ~smile~ This is a really cute quilt. My niece is expecting any day now but we don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Maybe we'll have our own little monkey that needs this quilt soon. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  53. Your monkey quilt is adorable. Well almost as cute as the monkey posing with the quilt!

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  54. The bib panel would help make some quick gifts-your monkey quilt is so cute!
    barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

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  55. What an adorable baby quilt! Thanks for the great tutorial.

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  56. Carol, thank you so much for sharing the whole applique process...it still scares me but your very sweet and easy to follow tutorial will give me the comfort and advice i need to prevail. Cute model too:)

    schimmel(dot)db(at)gmail(dot)com

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  57. Beautiful shades of blue and green, they work really well together. The little monkey help is simply adorable too!

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  58. The monkey quilt is really cute, but I find that bib panel irresistible. I will have my eye out for that. swalker287(at)aol(dot)come

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  59. Thank you for the great post featuring this adorable collection. I'd love to use this for some nursery items. The ducks are so cute!

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  60. OMGoodness! I love your monkey quilt! The fabrics are so beautiful, and the quilt turned out really nice.

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  61. The monkey quilt and the monkey boy go great together.

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  62. Oh your quilt IS adorable and the little monkey helper even cuter! This new line is so perfect for babies...I'm already swooning over the Animal Forest Blue and the Sweetheart white and pink fabrics. :) :)

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  63. Cute quilt! Thank you for sharing your tutorial. Really like the panel with the bibs. Makes it so much easier than searching for a bib pattern in my mess of things.lol

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  64. I like this pattern it really looks like the quilt will together fairly fast. Thanks.

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  65. Carol this adorable fabric line is just perfect for your newest Baby Monkey Boy. You have created a really cute quilt and the centerfold sleepy Monkey is super cute. Happy Hopping...<3

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  66. Such a sweet quilt and what fun fabric!

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  67. I am loving this row-along! Thank you for participating!

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