Giant, Giant Panda Quilt

Hi Fellow Quilters,

What is it about the giant panda that makes them so adorable?  Is it their sweet facial expressions?  Their gentle nature?  Their cuddly appearance?  I’m not sure, but I do know that I love adorable, sweet, gentle, and cuddly giant pandas! 

Our family took a summer vacation to Washington, DC, and the surrounding area several years ago.  It was a lot of fun to visit the famous buildings, museums, and memorials.  I’d love to visit again another time; so much to see and do!  We spent one day at the National Zoo and enjoyed observing some very special animals.  For me, the highlight of the zoo was their giant panda exhibit!

Today we’re going to have a look at our new “Giant Panda” nursery quilt.  I hope that you’ll love it as much as I do!

The giant panda applique was so much fun to make!  I used the traditional panda colors, adding a bit of whimsy with subtle pink polka dot fabric for her nose and foot pads.  She was easy to sew, since the pieces are big and the curves are gradual.  I think that a patient novice quilter would be able to make a wonderful giant panda with this pattern.  If you prefer a smaller panda applique, she is also available to fit into a 7″ square block, here.

I wanted the giant panda applique to be the star of this quilt design, so I decided to use simple “disappearing 4-patch” blocks for the quilt, with just two colors in each block.  It was quick and easy to put the pieced blocks together; just sew the 4-patch, cut into nine pieces, rotate the sections and sew them together again to make the blocks.   This design is perfect for a novice quilter, and will provide lots of practice with cutting precisely and matching seams while sewing.

I had every intention of creating a gender-neutral quilt when I began planning this project, but the pink fabric kept calling to me, saying “Use me!  I’d be perfect!”  Who am I to argue with the fabric, and in the end I agree that it was right.  The pink and yellow combination does look really pretty, and very feminine!  At any rate, your fabric choices will make this quilt appropriate for either gender.  Just let the fabric speak to you!

If you’d like to make your own “Giant Panda Nursery Quilt”, you can find it in our Etsy pattern shop or you can purchase it right here in Ms P’s Pattern Shop!

Thanks for visiting today!  We’d love to read your comments about giant pandas, quilts, fabric, or whatever you’d like to tell us.  Do you have a favorite Ms P Designs animal applique that you’d like to see as a larger applique on a nursery quilt?  Let us know!  We welcome suggestions too.

Happy quilting,

Sharon