Day 5: Flower Favorites Blog Hop

Hello! We're back with Day 5 of our Flower Favorites blog hop. We're featuring blocks made with flower fabrics and/or blocks that are themselves flower-themed. We're excited to share these tutorials with you, and hope they'll inspire 

your next quilt, wall hanging, or table runner! 

Today our Benartex Blog Design Team is working with Venezia, a Contempo line by Michele D'Amore. Shades of blue and beige with a watercolor feel...these prints are gorgeous! 
The block we're sharing uses two different techniques--paper piecing and applique. If you're not an expert at either technique--no worries--don't click away--this will be fun! Not only will we help you out, we've also included a couple easy fixes that will cover (literally!) any imperfections. 
Let's get started!

Here are the four Venezia fabrics we used.

You'll need to download this paper piecing template and this applique template. While regular printer paper will work just fine for the paper piecing template, special foundation paper makes things even easier. You'll want to print out 2 copies of the paper piecing template. One copy of the applique template, printed on regular printer paper, will be just fine. 

You'll Need:

• 1/2 yard beige print
• 1 fat quarter wavy blue print
• 1 fat quarter stripe
• 1 fat quarter blue floral
• Fusible web
• Foundation paper

Cutting:
(Note: the pieces marked with an * are for paper piecing. These are cut generously to allow for problems. If you are an experienced paper piecer, you may prefer to cut smaller pieces.
From the beige print:
Two 6" x 7" pieces* and four 5" x 7" pieces*
Two 2" x 9-1/2" strips and two 2" x 12-1/2" strips
From the wavy blue print:
Four 4" x 9" pieces (oriented so wavy stripes run the short way)*

Here's a photo of the template you'll be working with (except the pdf has numbers on it). We'll walk you through the a short tutorial paper piecing, but if you're new to this technique, you may want to supplement our instructions with a more comprehensive online tutorial or video. You'll sew on the the side you see here--with the lines printed on it, but your fabric will be on the opposite side, with wrong sides touching the back of the foundation paper. 

1. Layer the 6" x 7" beige piece face down and position the paper on top, with printed side facing up. Make sure the paper covers all of the space for the large middle triangle, plus 1/4" past the edge lines, including the dotted seam allowance. Lay the 4" x 9" wavy blue piece on top, right sides together, holding the paper and fabrics up to a window to make sure that the blue overlaps the #1/#2 line. Flip over so the paper side is facing up and stitch on the line between 1 and 2. 

2. Fold the paper back on the line and trim excess fabric 1/4" past the paper fold to remove beige excess by the seam.

Press open. If you like, fold paper on #2/#3 line and trim excess blue fabric--this will make it easier to place the next beige piece. 

Here's what your piece will look like after the first seam and trimming:

3. Add a 4" x 6" beige piece to #3. Each time, before you sew, check that your piece will cover the entire area plus 1/4" past the lines for a seam allowance, and most importantly, the line you'll be stitching on. Here's the beige piece stitched in place:

And pressed open:

4. Add pieces 4 and 5 in the same manner, trimming as you go. Here's a half block before trimming:

And after trimming on the dotted line:

5. Make a second half block. Remove the paper from the back and sew the 2 half blocks together. Don't worry if your points don't meet exactly and/or if there's a lot of bulk at the center of the block--we'll take care of both of these issues shortly!

6. Sew 2" x 9-1/2" beige strips to the sides of the block. Sew 2" x 12-1/2" beige strips to the top and bottom. 

Now it's time to applique! 

(Note: If you prefer needle turn applique, simply add a 1/4" seam allowance to the templates and do your thing!)

7. Trace the wedge shape onto the paper side of fusible web four times. Cut out each shape loosely around the drawn lines and position on the blue stripe fabric. Note how the stripes run horizontal in each wedge. Fuse in place and cut out on drawn lines.

Your wedges should look something like this:

8. Trace the hexagon shape onto fusible web. Cut out the center of the hexagon, leaving roughly 1/2" inside the drawn line (like a donut, but a hexagon shaped donut). Fuse onto the blue floral fabric. Note: We purposely centered a flower on ours.

Cut out on the drawn line. 

9. Remove papers from the back of applique shapes and position on the block. Refer to the close-up photos and instructions below as you adjust placement, and then fuse in place. 

10. Fold the block in quarters and finger press outer edges to find centers. Align the wedges so the point rests on the finger pressed line and the two side points rest on the seam line as shown. The tips of the wedges may overlap in the center of the block--don't worry--we'll take care of those!

11. After the wedges have been fused in place, position and fuse the hexagon in the center.

12. Flip the block over, gently pull the block back away from the center of the hexagon, and use a small, sharp scissors to cut away the bulk in the center where the paper pieced points meet. Be very careful not to cut through your hexagon applique on the front. (But if you do, you can always make another!) This will allow your block to lay flat without the bulk from the fabric points coming together. 

And there's your block! Use a zig zag or other decorative stitch to secure the appliques in place.

Just for fun, we've mocked up some designs showing what you can do with our flower block. Enjoy!

Table runners with two different border treatments:

A square table topper or wall hanging:

A lap quilt:

For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of Venezia, leave a comment letting us know that you follow our blog (you can sign up via email or a blog reader in the right hand sidebar). For a second chance, follow us on Facebook and let us know that you do. Also, let us know what your favorite two color combination is. Giveaway is open through Wednesday, May 7 at 11:59 PM EST. 

Be sure to visit Sew in Love with Fabric each day this week for another inspiring 

flower block tutorial.

Don't miss the other tutorials featured in our Flower Favorites Blog Hop!

Day 1: Debby Kratovil from Debby Kratovil Quilts featuring Fossil Ferns and Palm Springs

Day 2: Erica from Kitchen Table Quilting featuring Palm Springs

Day 3: Benartex Blog Design Team featuring Palazzo

Day 4: Jackie Robinson from Animas Quilts featuring He Still Loves Me