MIX AND MATCH FABRICS IN THREE DIFFERENT STYLES OF FLOWER BLOCK
YOU WILL NEED
■ Pink, red and purple scraps
for flowers: approx ½yd total
■ Green scraps for leaves and
stems: approx ½yd total
■ Background fabric scraps:
approx 4yds total
■ Backing fabric: 3½yds
■ Binding fabric: ½yd
■ Batting: 60in square
■ Three (3) copies each of Flower
1 and Flower 2 Sections A– C
■ Two (2) copies each of
Echinacea Sections A–H
FINISHED SIZE
■ 48in x 50in
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are ¼in
unless otherwise stated.
■ Press seams open, unless
otherwise instructed.
■ WOF = width of fabric.
■ RST= right sides together.
■ FPP = Foundation Paper Piecing.
■ FPP templates include seam allowance
around the outer edge only.
■ For FPP, set your stitch length to 1.5.
■ The Layout Diagrams for the FPP blocks are a reverse image of the completed blocks, to match the printed templates.
FABRICS USED
Fabrics are all scraps from Jo’s stash.
CUTTING OUT
From the binding fabric cut: 1
■ Six (6) 2½in x WOF.
PIECING FLOWER 1 AND 2 BLOCKS
When piecing your templates, refer to 2
the Block Layout Diagrams for fabric colours for each section. You can cut the fabric pieces as you go, making sure that each piece will cover its section plus at least ¼in all the way around. If you’re new to FPP, you may want to leave a larger allowance of fabric for each section.
Take one copy of the Flower 1 Section A 3
template. Place the fabric for Section 1A on the unprinted side of the template, with the wrong side against the paper. Check it covers the entire section, plus ¼in (Fig A). Secure with a dab of washable glue.
Fold your template along the line
4
between Sections 1 and 2. Using a ruler, trim the edge of the fabric to ¼in beyond the folded paper, while being careful not to cut into the paper (Fig B).
Unfold the template and place your
5
fabric for Section 2A RST along the trimmed edge. Make sure that when sewn the fabric will cover the whole of Section 2A plus a ¼in seam allowance all the way around the edges (Fig C).
With the printed side of the template 6
facing up, sew along the line between Sections 1 and 2, starting and ending two or three stitches beyond the printed line (Fig D). Press the fabric open (Fig E).
Repeat the process in steps 4– 6 to
7
add fabric to each section, working in numerical order. Press well, then trim along the outer dashed line of the template to neaten up the edges (Fig F).
Repeat steps 2–7 to piece one copy
8
each of the Flower 1 template Sections B and C. Place the completed Sections A and B RST, aligning at the side to be joined (Fig G). Sew the sections together. Remove the paper from the seam allowance, and press the seam open.
Sew the completed Section C to
9
the top of the joined Sections A–B, removing the paper from the seam and pressing open as before. Press the block well, then remove the remaining paper from the back of the block.
Repeat steps 2–9 to make three of the 10
Flower 1 blocks. Use the same process to piece and join the Flower 2 templates.
PIECING THE ECHINACEA BLOCKS
Follow the process outlined in steps 11
2–7 again to piece each of the Echinacea template Sections A–H.
For each block, join Section B to 12
the side of Section A, followed by Section C. Then join Section D to the other side of A, followed by Section E.
Join Section G to the side of H,
13
then sew to the bottom of the joined sections from step 12. Join Section F to the top of the joined sections to complete the Echinacea blocks.
PREPARING THE BACKGROUND PIECES
Jo used scrappy pieced background 14
panels to join all of her blocks together, using low-volume prints to help the flower blocks stand out. Gather your chosen scraps and sew them together in groups, trimming them to the following sizes:
■ Four (4) 2½in x 14¾in.
■ Six (6) 6¼in x 12½in.
■ Three (3) 10in x 6½in.
■ Two (2) 5½in x 38½in.
■ Two (2) 50½in x 5½in.
ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP
Sew a 6¼in x 12½in panel to the left 15
edge of each Flower 1, and the right edge of each Flower 2.
Arrange all the blocks in columns, 16
referring to the photography. Join the Flower 1 and 2 blocks in columns, with a background 2½in x 14¾in piece between the blocks. Join together the Echinacea blocks in a column with background 6½in x 10in pieces at the top and bottom, and between the two blocks.
Join the three columns together. Sew 17
a 5½in x 38½in background strip to the top and bottom, pressing away from the centre. Then sew the 5½in x 50½in pieces to each side to complete the quilt top.
FINISHING THE QUILT
Press the quilt top and backing well. 18
Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then place the quilt top centrally and right side up. Baste all the layers together using your preferred method.
Quilt as desired. Jo quilted a diagonal 19
cross-hatch design using a light coloured thread. Trim off any of the excess batting and backing fabric to square up the quilt.
Sew all of the binding strips together 20
end-to-end using diagonal seams. Press the seams open. Then carefully fold them in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.
Sew the binding to the right side of 21
the quilt, creating a neat mitre at each corner. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand or machine stitch in place around the edge to finish.