Hello, this is Jennifer Long from Bee Sew Inspired and today is my first post as a new designer for the Therm O Web Education Team. I am a Modern Rag Doll Designer and Quilt Pattern Designer and I love to blend both these worlds together and design monthly mini quilts to accompany the dolls!  Today I am going to teach you how to sew together this Inspirational Mini Quilt!

However, mini-quilts are NOT just for dolls!  I love them so much because they can be made on a weekend, you can play with new fabrics or use up your scraps, they make great gifts from the heart, and they are a wonderful way to decorate and add color and style to your house at every season!

Believe It is Possible Unicorn Mini Quilt

So this month I am bringing to you a mini quilt to INSPIRE you!   At a very young age, I was fortunate enough to learn the power of positive thinking… that we can not control outcomes and other people’s words and actions, but that we can control our inner voice and what we believe we can accomplish. Growing up training in a professional ballet school taught me that if I was willing to put the work in and believe in myself, I could achieve the goals I set out to accomplish!  Now, as a mom of 4 pre-teens and teenagers, I work hard to teach my children that they can do and be whatever they imagine for themselves. There are no limits to imagination!  Isn’t that such an empowering thought?!

I wanted to design an inspirational mini quilt this month that would reflect, encourage and inspire those positive thoughts in all of us! Everyone has something amazing to offer and this mini quilt sums it up for me! “Believe it is Possible” is the name of this mini! It is made using my FAVORITE half-square rectangle method which I teach full detail in the mini quilt PDF pattern as well as give a FREE Video tutorial on how fun and simple they are to make.  I planned this mini quilt, so when you look at it, you feel like it goes on forever… Just like our imaginations!  Let’s get started!

What You Need:

Mini Quilt Cutting Instructions

There are two directions of HSRs (half-square rectangles) and both HSRs are used upright and rotated in this quilt.   Note: the raw edge applique instructions will follow after quilt assembly.

From Solid Black:

  • Cut 2 – 4 ½” x 24 ½” rectangles (Label as top & bottom border)
  • Cut 2 – 3” x 24 ½” rectangles (Label as side border)

From Scrappy Black Prints:

  • Cut 24 – 4” x 7” rectangles

From Scrappy Teal Prints:

  • Cut 24 – 4” x 7” rectangles

From Binding Fabric:

  • Cut 3 – 2 ½” x WOF strips

Sewing Instructions

  1. Take all 48 – 4″ x 7″ rectangles and generously spray them with Spray n Bond Fabric Stiffener. Press and let dry.  You will be happy you did this step when you are sewing and trimming these rectangles!  It truly makes them so easy to work with!
  2. Using one black and one teal rectangle for each block, draw a diagonal line, rotate and sew together 12 HSRs in each direction.  Watch the video tutorial in the FREE Educational Facebook Group – Inspired Quilting to see how EASY this method is!!!  Trim each HSR to 3″ x 6″.
  3. Next, layout, rotate, and arrange the HSRs using the diagram.  Sew each row together pressing each row’s seams in opposite directions.  Sew all 4 rows together to make the center of the quilt.
  4. Sew the two side borders on the mini quilt and press the seams out.  Then sew the 2 top borders on.  The mini quilt top is pieced!

Believe Mini Quilt Applique Instructions

Fusible Applique:

The fusible applique method is used on all the applique pieces in the pattern.  All the applique designs are already reversed so they will face the correct direction when ironed onto your mini quilt.  The applique shapes are overlapped as they are positioned in each project.  The cutting directions will tell you what fabric to use for what applique piece.

  • Trace all applique pieces of the design to the paper side of the Heat n Bond LITE sewable Iron-On Adhesive
  • Cut out the pieces leaving approximately ¼” around the shapes.
  • Take all the raw-edge applique shapes and finish preparing them for fusing by ironing the traced shapes to the wrong side of the pink fabrics. Trim carefully around all the details and edges.
  • Layout and arrange the applique words and shapes on the prepared Main Background.
  • Remove the paper backing off of each shape and fuse in place with your iron.
  • Finish the raw edges of each shape with a coordinating thread color by hand or with your sewing machine using a shortened straight stitch.

Finishing Your Mini Quilt

  • Layer your backing, batting, and quilt top. Quilt as desired.
  • Bind the edges with your favorite binding method.
  • For added fun… embellish your quilt with long stitch hand quilting, embroidery, or buttons.

Coupon Codes:

If you prefer to have a PDF, fully illustrated version of this mini quilt pattern, you can grab the Believe it is Possible Mini Quilt pattern in my shop HERE.  Use the code: “BELIEVEMINI” at checkout for a 50% discount on the pattern.  Or consider joining the Inspired Mini Quilts Club to get a Mini Quilt pattern every month, with tips, tricks, and inspiration – delivered right to your inbox for only $5 / month!

Or, grab the FREE “Believe it is Possible” Template page HERE and use the code “BELIEVE” at checkout.

Pattern and Tutorial Links:

Pattern:

Believe it is Possible Mini Quilt

use code “BELIEVEMINI” at checkout for 50% off the pattern

Believe it is Possible Templates ONLY 

use code: “BELIEVE” at checkout so they are FREE!!!

Julia Butterfly Doll

Spring Fling Dress

Heat and Bond:

Lite Sewable Iron-On Adhesive by Thermoweb

Spray and Bond Fabric Stiffener by Thermoweb

Fabric:

Unicorn Kingdom by Shawn Wallace of Doodlegirl Shawn for Riley Blake Designs

Felt Rainbow:

Benzie Design

Tutorial:

Half-Square Rectangle Video Tutorial

Raw-Edge Applique Video Tutorial

“Decide what you want… believe you can have it,

…believe you deserve it,.. believe it is possible for you!!”

-Rhonda Byrne

Hi Friends! I am so happy you are here. My name is Jennifer Long, and I am a Riley Blake Designs Fabric Designer, Quilt & Doll Pattern Writer, Machine Embroidery Digitizer, and online educator. I am also the founder of the Sew A Story Pattern Club and the Modern Rag Doll Membership. I am married and a mom to (4) pre-teens / teens and live on a little hobby farm in rural Prairie Canada. I grew up training to be a professional ballet dancer, and later studied Early Childhood Education. I taught ballet and ran my own dance studio all the while sewing and designing costumes for myself and many of my colleagues and students. I am passionate about all things FABRIC, imagination and design and am so blessed I can share this passion with others. This journey has inspired me to make a positive difference by designing dolls and quilt patterns and fabric for others to be EMPOWERED to sew themselves! I have designed dolls and quilts for individuals, organizations, companies, designers, authors of children’s books, and international companies for mass production. What I LOVE the most about creativity is finding INSPIRATION everywhere and, in turn, INSPIRING others to do the same! Thank you for joining me on this creative journey.
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