Tiny Hands, Big Design: An Appliqué Quilt Block Easy Enough for Toddlers

Hi Mamas! I'm Casey, and if you're like me, you are always looking for simple, meaningful ways to get your kids involved in your creative life—especially quilting. But let's be honest, tiny hands and sharp tools don't mix!

I wanted a project that my kids could feel like they designed and created, but wouldn’t require them to be near blades or needles. That's how I came up with this "Dot Day" Appliqué Quilt.

The beauty of this project is that all the more dangerous parts (the cutting and ironing) are done by Mama, while the fun, colorful design work is left entirely to the children. But don’t worry, the Mama jobs are easy breezy (“Mac-n-cheesy,” as my daughter adds).

The secret? The combination of one amazing tool plus a powerful fusible material that makes the whole process fast and fuss-free. (No hand-cutting circles with scissors!)

Ready to help your toddler (or bigger kid!) make their first quilt? Time to put our designer hats on and get to it!

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What is "Dot Day," Anyway?

Before I was a quilt pattern designer, I was an art teacher! Every September, schools celebrate "Dot Day"—a holiday based on the book "The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds. The story is all about a child who thinks she can't draw, until a teacher encourages her to just "make a mark." That simple nudge leads to an explosion of creativity.

Art teachers have dreamed up hundreds if not thousands of dot-inspired projects for students across the world. Even though I’m no longer teaching, I still get the bug to create a lesson every now and then. And my kids enjoy the benefits! This appliqué tutorial is my quilty Dot Day project, and it’s perfect for kids 2+. The resulting blocks, like the ones my daughter and son created, are bright, whimsical, and truly one-of-a-kind because the design is 100% theirs. Try this with your kids and watch the creativity start to spark!

🧵 Supplies You’ll Need

You can get everything you need from Sewing Parts Online, and it’s completely stash friendly! But, if you want, you can get matchy matchy with a pretty layer cake or other pre-cut which will provide coordinating variety.

• Wonder Under Fusible Web: The kids’ designs are no-sew since we are fusing them!

• Olfa Circle Rotary Cutter: This tool is a must-have for cutting dozens of perfect dots quickly.

• Fabric Scraps: Small-medium scraps of solid and patterned fabric for the dots.

• Dot Background Squares: (2) 12.5" x 12.5" squares of solid fabric for the base of the kids' blocks. (This is a suggestion, you can adjust the size to your liking.)

• Coordinating Prints: (2) 12.5" x 12.5" (or the same size you chose for your dot background squares) squares of printed fabric to create a 4-patch with the dot squares later. (See photo at the top.)

• Rotary Cutting Mat: I discovered that the circle cutter digs a bit deeper than regular rotary cutters, and my mat didn’t heal completely. Use an older one if you have it available, or consider getting a small one to reserve just for circle cutting.

• Iron and Ironing Board: For applying the Wonder Under and setting the final appliqués. My favs are the Oliso ProPlus Smart Iron and Oliso M3Pro Project Iron.

• Basic Sewing Supplies: Sewing machine, thread, needle. For piecing the final 4-patch quilt top.

The Appliqué Process: Little Hands, Big Designs

Before you begin, I highly recommend reading "The Dot" with your kids. In art classrooms, we call this a literature connection. It brings reading skills together with creativity which strengthens the growth in both areas at once. Tying a book to a hands-on activity is always a win!

Prep Work—Mom’s Jobs (The Grown-Ups Only Part)

Our job is to prepare the raw materials so the kids can focus on the fun part.

Step 1: Fuse the Wonder Under

Following the manufacturer's instructions, iron the Wonder Under to the back of all your colorful fabric scraps. This is what will fuse the dots to the background later. 

For my daughter's, I used a charm pack of 5” squares. To speed up the process, I laid the squares out, right side down, in a grid with their edges just touching or barely overlapping. Then I ironed a large sheet of Wonder Under to the back of multiple squares at once. It saved time and fuss.

I left my paper backing on as I cut circles in the next step, but I realized later, it would be much easier to peel the entire backing off before cutting. Wonder Under is not sticky to the touch, so you won’t get adhesive everywhere. Trust me, this will save you a lot of time later not having to peel tons of circles individually! Plus, it’ll save your rotary blade from having to cut the paper. 

Step 2: Cut the Perfect Dots

The Olfa Circle Rotary Cutter is the hero of this project! Using your (old) cutting mat, set your Olfa cutter to cut circles in varying sizes—it can cut between 1 7/8 inches all the way up to 8 1/2 inches diameter.

• Why Get a New Tool? Cutting circles by hand with scissors is tedious and never perfect. This specialized rotary cutter makes them fast, clean, and easy! You’ll find plenty of uses for it beyond this project, too.

Try cutting a large circle and then cutting a smaller circle out of it like a doughnut. These were my daughter’s favorite kind! (Seen in the bottom left of the photo below.) It creates a fun way to layer dots later with little peek-a-boo dots behind them. 

The Kids’ Job (The Kids-Only Part)

Now it’s time to hand the project over to your little designer!

Step 3: Design Time!

Give your child their background square and the pile of fabric dots.

• If you can, allow them to work on their design at your ironing table or pressing mat so that you don't have to move it when they're done. Remember, the Wonder Under is not sticky, so the dots won't be secure until fused with heat.

Let them arrange the dots however they like. Encourage them to experiment! Since the dots aren't fused yet, they can easily lift and rearrange them to their liking.

• Embrace the Mess: Encourage overlapping, clustering, and random placement. This is pure, unrestricted creativity!

Resist the urge to control the outcome. Make verbal suggestions to help them think through their options, but be as hands-off as possible so the finished project really feels like their own creation.

This can be hard for us creative mamas! Just remember, you’re teaching them to be creative, and no matter how it looks in the end, the process is the purpose.

Some things you may want to suggest:

• Overlapping: Younger kids, up to about 1st grade may not like to overlap their dots, or they may stack them all in one stack. Encourage them to overlap some, and spread out some.

• Seam-allowance: Make a rule to keep all circles at least a finger width away from the edges.

Don’t miss the opportunity to teach a little while your kids work on their designs. Here are a few art and design terms that you can talk about:

• Composition: Talk about planning an artwork and making adjustments before calling it done.

• Contrast: Dots of very different colors/prints will “pop” more near each other or overlapping.

• Balance: Consider the overall spread and size of the dots. For example, having all the dots in one corner feels different than having them spread out more like sprinkles on a cake. There’s no right or wrong, but just something to notice. A mix of larger dots and smaller dots also contribute to a feeling of balance.

• Repetition: You can create some fun with pattern and repetition! Many kindergarteners are learning about pattern, so they’ll be into this idea!

Back to Mama (Big Hands-Only Again)

It’s back to Mama now, but older kids may be trusted with the iron, at your discretion.

Step 4: Fuse the Dots

Following the fusible web instructions, carefully iron the dots onto the background fabric. Don’t push the iron over the surface, as edges may snag. Instead, lift and lower the iron in an up and down motion. Press firmly for 10-15 seconds and ensure all edges of every dot are fused securely.

The dot blocks are now permanent, washable, and ready for piecing! You can add additional quilting or other decorative stitching later, if you like.

Step 5: Finish the Quilt Top

To turn the kid-designed blocks into a quick, balanced quilt top (perfect for a mini-wall hanging or doll quilt), use a large, classic 4-patch.

1. Gather your child’s (2) finished 12.5” appliqué squares (A) and (2) 12.5” coordinating printed squares (B).

2. Sew (1) A square and (1) B square together, and then sew the other A and B squares together. Press seams open. You now have (2) rows of the 4-patch.

3. Sew the (2) rows together to complete the 4-patch, with (1) row positioned as A-B, and the other row as B-A. Press seam open.

Using two kid-designed blocks and two coordinating print blocks helps balance the design, making the finished piece look more unified and complete. Bonus points if your dot fabrics and B squares fabric coordinate!

Happy Quilting and Happy Dot Day!

This project is truly a joy because it merges art, creativity, and family time with sewing. The Olfa Circle Cutter and Wonder Under turn a pile of scraps into a perfect family activity. And the best part is that you end up with a little piece of quilty art that your child designed!

I'd love to see your little ones' designs! What are your favorite ways to involve toddlers in your sewing space? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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