INCORPORATE SMALL PRINT SCRAPS FROM YOUR STASH TO BRING THE FPP TO LIFE

YOU WILL NEED

■ Assorted print fabric scraps for bird and watermelon (see cutting out instructions)

■ Background fabric: 1yd

■ Batting: 18in square

■ Backing fabric: 18in square

■ Binding fabric: ¼yd

■ Peach and blue embroidery thread (for eye and stars)

■ Template (Sections A– G): one (1) copy each

FINISHED SIZE

■ 15½in square

NOTES

■ Seam allowances are ¼in throughout, unless otherwise noted.

■ Press seams to the side, unless otherwise instructed.

■ Shorten your stitch length to 1.5 for Foundation Paper Piecing.

■ FPP = Foundation Paper Piecing.

■ WOF = width of fabric.

■ Templates include seam allowance around the outer edges only.

■ For templates, see p79.

■ Find a full FPP tutorial online (lovepatchworkandquilting.com)

■ Fabric supplied by Fat Quarter Shop (fatquartershop.com)

CUTTING OUT

1 Using the template as a guide, cut the fabric pieces for each section of the FPP template, making sure the pieces will be at least ¼in larger than the section they will cover, all the way around.

2 From the binding fabric cut:

■ Two (2) 2½in x WOF strips.

PIECING THE MINI QUILT TOP

3 Foundation Paper Piece one each of Sections A–G, sewing the fabrics in place in numerical order (Sections 1A–4A, 1B–8B, 1C–5C, 1D–7D, 1E–5E, 1F–6F and 1G–17G).

4 Arrange Sections A and B right sides together, matching along the appropriate edge. Pin together carefully, matching the block edges and intersecting parts of the hummingbird design.

5 Return your machine stitch length to normal for piecing, and sew Sections A and B together. Remove the FPP papers from the seam allowance only, then press the seam open.

6 Repeat to join the sections as follows:

■ Sew Section C to Sections AB.

■ Sew Section D to Sections ABC.

■ Sew Section E to Section F.

■ Sew Section G to Sections EF.

■ Sew Sections ABCD to Sections EFG.

7 Remove the paper templates from the back to complete the mini quilt top. Trim to 15 in square.

8 Embroider a single French Knot, referring to the photo for placement, for the hummingbird’s eye. Embroider small ‘X’s around the hummingbird, referring to the photo for placement.

QUILTING AND FINISHING

9 Press the mini quilt top and backing fabric well. Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then place the mini quilt top centrally and right side up, making sure there are no wrinkles in the layers. The batting and backing fabric will be bigger than the quilt top. Baste the layers together using your preferred method.

10 Quilt as desired. Susi has quilted around the hummingbird and watermelon slice in a coordinating thread. Trim off the excess batting and backing fabric and square up the mini quilt.

11 Sew the binding strips together end-to-end using diagonal or straight seams. As well as the solid green, Susi also included some scrap print pieces using straight seams to echo the watermelon design. Press the seams open. Fold in half lengthways, wrong sides together, and press.

12 Sew the binding to the right side of the quilt, creating a neat mitre at each corner. If you’ve included scrap prints, position these carefully to one side of the quilt top. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish.