Forest Friends Quilt

This month I am super excited to introduce the Forest Friends Quilt! I had so much fun creating this pattern to share with you. Can you believe that all the animals are made using the GO! Owl die?

This Quilt is perfect for a cot or a wall hanging! The felt adds a beautiful textural element, which kids will love.

Can you guess which AccuQuilt die is used to create the mushrooms... it is the GO! Small Houses by Reiko Kato die. I hope you enjoy making my Forest Friends Quilt, I had heaps of fun designing it for you!

Always Mandy :)

Materials:

1x Felt Square in colours:	Fabrics:	AccuQuilt Dies
Red Dark Red Black Light Pink White Dark Grey Light Grey Beige Fawn Light Brown Brown Dark Brown Mustard Orange Lime Emerald Green Forest Green	30cm Forest Green Cotton 50cm Light Blue Cotton 30cm Lime Green Chevron Cotton 30cm Leaf Green Cotton 50cm Bark/Wood Cotton 2m White Tone on Tone 50cm Orange Cotton 50cm Brown Cotton 50cm Heat & Bond	AQ55333 GO! Owl AQ55387 GO! Small Houses by Reiko Kato AQ55007 GO! Round Flower AQ55137 GO! Cutting Mat 6” x 6”

Additional Items Required:

• 110cm Wadding
• Co-ordinating threads
• Black and White DMC Threads 
• Tearaway
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Needle
• Iron, Board & Silicone Ironing Mat
• Rotary Cutter & Mat

Cutting Instructions for Animals

1. AQ55333 GO! Owl die
2. Iron Heat & Bond onto the back of the felt prior to cutting. Cut one layer of fused felt at a time.
3. Download the Animal Cutting Instructions

Cutting instructions for Mushrooms

1. AQ55333 GO! Owl Die
2. AQ55387 GO! Small Houses by Reiko Kato
3. Iron Heat & Bond onto the back of the felt prior to cutting. Cut one layer of fused felt at a time.
4. Download the Mushroom Cutting Instructions

Cutting Instructions for Leaves

1. AQ55333 GO! Owl Die
2. AQ55007 GO! Round Flower
3. Iron Heat & Bond onto the back of the felt prior to cutting. Cut one layer of fused felt at a time.

Instructions – Background, Tree & Branches

1. Print off the pattern pieces for the tree & branches and trace onto the paper side of the Heat & Bond. Iron the Heat & Bond onto the wrong side of the bark fabric and cut out the pattern pieces.
2. Download the Branch Pattern Pieces

Tip: I used the raw edge appliqué technique, however you could also satin stitch or blanket stitch around the shapes!

Note: All blocks are Portrait

Block 1: Owl

• Lime green chevon fabric cut: 10” x 11 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 1

1. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 1 and position on the right hand side of the background block, 3” from the bottom. Iron into place.
2. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the branch with brown thread.
3. Iron on the Owl and leaves as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
4. Using white DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 2: Squirrel

• Light blue fabric cut: 10” x 11 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 2

1. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 2 and position on the right hand side of the background block, 3” from the bottom. Iron into place.
2. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the branch with brown thread.
3. Iron on the Squirrel and leaves as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
4. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 3: Mouse

• Leaf green fabric cut: 10” x 11 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 3

1. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 3 and position in the centre of the block. Iron into place.
2. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the tree with brown thread.
3. Iron on the Mouse as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
4. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye and long stitch the whiskers and mouth.

Block 4: Raccoon

•  Light Blue Fabric cut: 10” x 11 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 4

1. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 2 and position on the right hand side of the background block, 3” from the bottom. Iron into place.
2. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the branch with brown thread.
3. Iron on the Raccoon and leaves as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
4. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 5: Fox

•  Forest green fabric cut: 10” x 11 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 5

1. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 5 and position in the centre of the background block, approximately 3” from the bottom. Iron into place.
2. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the branch with brown thread.
3. Iron on the Fox as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
4. Using white DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 6: Bear

• Light blue fabric cut: 10” x 11 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 6

1. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 6 and position in the centre of the block. Iron into place.
2. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the tree with brown thread.
3. Iron on the Bear as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
4. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 7: Deer

• Leaf green fabric cut: 7 ½” x 9 ½”
• Forest green fabric cut: 4” x 9 ½”

1. Match up the 9 ½” sides of the leaf green and forest green fabrics. Pin and sew with a ¼” seam allowance to join and create the background block.
2. Iron on the Deer and mushroom as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
3. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 8: Porcupine

• Light blue fabric cut: 7 ½” x 9 ½”
• Forest green fabric cut: 4” x 9 ½
• Branch pattern piece 7

1. Match up the 9 ½” sides of the light blue and forest green fabrics. Pin and sew with a ¼” seam allowance to join and create the background block.
2. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 7 and position on the right hand side of the background block, 2” from the top. Iron into place.
3. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the branch with brown thread.
4. Iron on the Porcupine, leaves and mushroom as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
5. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye.

Block 9: Bunny

• Leaf Green Fabric cut: 7 ½” x 9 ½”
• Forest Green Fabric cut: 4” x 9 ½”
• Branch pattern piece 8

1. Match up the 9 ½” sides of the leaf green and forest green fabrics. Pin and sew with a ¼” seam allowance to join and create the background block.
2. Remove paper backing from pattern piece 8 and position in the top right hand corner of the background block. Iron into place.
3. Using a 2mm straight stitch, raw edge appliqué around the branch with brown thread.
4. Iron on the Bunny and mushroom as per the diagram and then raw edge appliqué around the felt shapes.
5. Using black DMC thread, hand sew a French knot for each eye and long stitch the mouth. Using white DMC thread, long stitch the whiskers.

Instructions – Sashing, Borders & Binding

Cutting Preparation

1. Trim back all blocks to 9 ½” x 11”
2. Cut White Tone on Tone Sashing Fabric:
   
   • Cut 6: 2” x 11”
   • Cut 2: 2” x 30 ½”
   • Cut 2: 2” x 35”
   • Cut 2: 2” x 33.5”
3. Brown Border Fabric:
   
   • Cut 2: 4” x 38”
   • Cut 2: 4” x 40 ½”
4. Orange Binding Fabric:
• Cut 5: 2 ½” Strips for Binding or use AQ55017 2 ½” Strip Cutter.

Sewing It Together!

Please note that all seam allowances are ¼”

1. Sew the following into three rows and press seams towards the sashing.
   
   • Row 1: Owl Block – 2” x 11” Sashing – Squirrel Block – 2” x 11” Sashing – Mouse Block
   • Row 2: Raccoon Block – 2” x 11” Sashing – Fox Block – 2” x 11” Sashing – Bear Block
   • Row 3: Deer Block – 2” x 11” Sashing – Porcupine – 2” x 11” Sashing – Bunny Block
2. Sew each row together in the following order and press seams towards the sashing:
   
   • Row 1 – 2” x 30 ½” Sashing
   • Row 2 – 2” x 30 ½” Sashing
   • Row 3 - 2” x 30 ½” Sashing
3. Next step is to sew the outside sashing. Pin and sew the 2” x 35” sashing to the left and right side of your quilt top.
4. Now attach the 2” x 33 ½” sashing strips to the top and bottom of your quilt top.
5. Pin and sew the 4” x 38” borders onto the left and right side of your quilt top, followed by the 4” x 40 ½” borders to the top and bottom.

Binding and Quilting

1. Lay wadding between the quilt top and backing fabric and then pin or baste together.
2. Quilt as desired. I stitched in the ditch and also around the appliqués.
3. Trim and straighten quilt and then attach the orange binding.

Congratulations on finishing your Forest Friends Quilt!