How to sew a patchwork baby ball

Welcome a newborn into the world with this sweet gift idea, designed by Jessica Entwistle, sewn in super-soft flannel or knit fabrics. Read on for our free tutorial…

You will need

• Four fabrics: 36x36cm (15x15in) of each, knit or flannel
• Polyester fibrefill
• Matching sewing thread
• Erasable fabric pen
• Basic sewing kit

Fabrics used

We’ve used fabrics from Field Day by Elizabeth Olwen for Cloud9 Fabrics.

Notes

• This project uses our patchwork ball template from our Simply Sewing Templates from issue 39
• Use a 5mm (¹⁄₄in) seam allowance.

Cutting out

Step one: Download our templates (you’ll need the patchwork ball shape on page 11).

Step two: Cut out 12 pentagons using the template. We cut three pentagons each from four fabrics.

Piecing the pentagons

Step three: Mark on the wrong side (WS) of each pentagon the 5mm (¹⁄₄in) seam allowance inside the raw edges as this makes it easier to sew them together.

Step four: Decide on the pattern for your ball and lay out the pentagons accordingly.

Step five: Take two pentagons and place them right sides (RS) together.

Step six: Sew together along one of the marked lines from where the lines cross so you are starting and finishing 5mm (¹⁄₄in) from each end. Backstitch at either end of the seam to secure the stitching.

Step seven: Add another pentagon to the two pentagons you’ve just stitched to join them up and create a slightly curved trio. Make sure you don’t stitch into the previous seam but just up to it for a flat finish.

Step eight: Continue adding pentagons around the central pentagon until you have six sewn pentagons and a bowl shape.

Step nine: Repeat this with the other six pentagons to create two fabric ‘bowl’ shapes.

Assembling the ball

Step ten: Sew the two fabric ‘bowls’ together, making sure the seams line up and the pentagons match, to make a ball.

Step eleven: Leave one unsewn seam to use for a turning gap.

Step twelve: Turn the ball RS out through the turning gap and stuff firmly.

Step thirteen: Slipstitch the turning gap closed to finish. It’s worth stitching this twice to make it extra secure and prevent the filling escaping.

Make playtime extra special

This patchwork baby ball is a delightful, handmade toy that’s perfect for little hands and hours of entertainment.

Make a cuddly rabbit comforter

Follow our free pattern to sew a soft, snuggly rabbit comforter perfect for little ones.

Jessica Entwistle

Jess is a fabric crafts designer who’s work is regularly published in Simply Sewing and Love Patchwork & Quilting magazines. She shares her work on her website http://www.jellybgood.com. She inherited her love of fabric, colour and sewing from her mother and specializes in creating easy-to-sew, accessible designs with a fresh modern style, making her projects popular with magazine readers and crafters online alike. She’s got a thing for neon threads and a serious love of fabric. She runs her own craft business creating everything from hair slides and brooches to bunting and quilts. She has previously appeared as a guest designer on Sewing Quarter TV and shares her work on Instagram @jessjelllybgood

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