I am not sure exactly what it is about the gingerbread man, but around Christmas it is one of my favorite motifs. This adorable gingerbread cookie cutter cutout quilt block is a festive way to incorporate that look into your decor.

I think these little guys appeal to my sentimental side. They take me back to my childhood where they would be found in the Christmas books and movies that I was so fond of. These days they seem to be everywhere. I figured that I would join in the fun and make my own version.

Remember Making Snowflakes?

Remember making paper snowflakes when you were a kid? This technique for turning it into a quilt block, which is based on Anita Shackleford’s folded cutwork method, is a lot like that process.

Here is a video showing how to make this block

Supplies Needed

With just a few supplies, you can make your own charming block. It is fairly simple to make, and if you don’t want to use the gingerbread man shape, you can use another one.

So gather up your supplies and get ready to have some holiday fun!

Fabric – 100% Cotton

• For the background – 10 ½ inch by 10 ½ inch square
• For the cutout – 10 ½ inch by 10 ½ inch square

Other Supplies

• Paper-backed fusible web for appliqué
• Gingerbread man cookie cutter – measuring approximately 3 ½ inches high by 3 inches wide
• Sharp scissors
• Marking pen

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Fabric Preparation

Begin with washed and pressed fabric. Cut a 10 ½ inch by 10 ½ inch square out of the background fabric. Set aside.

Next, cut a 10 ½ inch by 10 ½ inch square out of the fabric for the cutout.

Prepare the Iron-On Adhesive

First, cut a 10 inch by 10 inch square out of the paper-backed fusible web.

Next, fold the webbing to prepare for marking.

1. Fold the square in half, with the paper side on the outside.
2. Fold in half again
3. Lay flat on a table, then fold one corner to the opposite corner.
4. Flip over and repeat on the other side. It will look a bit like the front of a paper airplane.

Tracing the Cookie Cutter Shape

To make the gingerbread cookie cutter cutout work, part of the cookie cutter should be touching the long side that has folds, as well as the short side that has folds.

Position your gingerbread man cookie cutter so that the long folded side is running halfway down the center, essentially splitting the shape in half.

Watch the Tracing

Additionally, the foot has to be touching the short folded side. You may have to adjust the shape a bit to get it right.

Take your pen and trace around the outside of the cookie cutter.

Once done tracing, and using the mark as your guide, cut out the shape.

Preparing the Fabric Cutout

Place the paper cutout shape on the back side of the square of fabric you are using. Position the paper where you would like it to go.

Follow the manufacturer’s directions to adhere the fusible web to the fabric. Don’t remove the paper yet.

Once cooled, and with the paper backing still on, carefully cut out around the shape.

Once you are finished cutting, remove the paper backing.

Applying the Cutout to the Background Block

You will need to find the center of your background fabric square. To do this, lightly finger press the block in half once, and then once again.

Take your gingerbread cutout and position it in the center of the right side of block, using the pressed lines as your guide.

Following the manufacturer’s guidelines, adhere the shape to the background fabric square.

Set aside the block to cool.

Finishing Your Gingerbread Cookie Cutter Cutout Quilt Block

You have a few options to finish up your block. You can leave it as is. However, I have found that over time and use, the appliqué shape can start peeling away or fray around the edge. To avoid this, I like to secure the shape with a decorative stitch.

The Block in a Quilt

In the quilt that is pictured, I hand stitched around the edges using metallic thread and the blanket stitch. I’ll be honest, hand sewing through two layers of fabric and the fusible web was not easy, and I would probably not do that again.

If you have a sewing machine that does various things, you can add a decorative stitch to finish it off.

Final Thoughts

You will find that there is a bit of waste when doing this. An easy way to solve this problem is to make some simple cutout shapes with the fusible web and fabric you may have left over.

Don’t forget, this technique is not just limited to a gingerbread man. Using it, I was able to make the festive Christmas trees, candy canes and stars in my quilt.

Do you know what the best part of these gingerbread people are? They are calorie-free, and they last as long as you want them to.

Happy Quilting!

My Cookie Cutter Cutout Quilt