Welcome back!
It’s Week #3 of our Splendor QuiltAlong and it’s time to start to work on that bold, beautiful large center flower block! And this week can also be a make up week – if you need it – to finish off the (12) small flower blocks from Week #2! For more on that in case you’re joining us, check out Week#2’s Splendor QuiltAlong Blog Post right here!
I hope you are enjoying this quiltalong as much as I am! Please don’t forget to post pictures of your projects over on the Facebook Colourwerx QuiltAlong page or send me your pics at colourwerx@yahoo.com!
Also, to view this week’s companion video tutorial , click on the link below! Be sure to “Like” it and also drop us a comment on YouTube to let us know how we’re doing!!
View Week #3’s Splendor Companion Video Tutorial
On to Week #3 of Splendor —
1. First arrange those (9) center squares and start to stitch them together to form a 9-patch. Stitch blocks together to form (3) rows.
Then stitch the (3) rows together, pinning and matching the seams that butt together. Refer to Page 1, Step 2 in the Splendor Pattern.
Prepare your Large Flower Petals and the Small Flower Insets Appliqué Shapes–
You’ll be cutting out (1) each of the large flower shapes which also includes the center of the large flower plus (1) each the small flower insets shapes.
1. First, gather the pattern page (included in the Splendor pattern) and following the directions on your adhesive fusible web, trace the larger and smaller flower inset shapes plus the center separately and apart from each other on the smooth side of the fusible web. Be sure to transfer all the numbers and markings from the Master Pattern Page. Use a #2 pencil for tracing.
Rough cut these shapes out at least 1/4″ beyond the drawn line.
Again, I like to use the adhesive fusible web Heat ‘n Bond Lite.
2. Next select your flower fabrics, and fuse the shapes onto the wrong side of each fabric.
Cut the shapes out neatly on the drawn line and be as exact as possible. Use a sharp pair of scissors for this step.
3. Continue on and cut out all the shapes.
4. Once you have all (9) large (this includes the center) and (8) small inset shapes fused onto your fabrics and cut out, you are ready to appliqué.
Just a note on the center of the large flower — Sometimes I like to “fussy cut” this center flower shape from a fabric that contains all the colors of my flowers so that it really pulls together the petals of the large center flower. You could also choose a fabric that resembles the look of a flower center like a dark brown or black fabric that has little dots that might resemble the center of a sunflower. Just a thought!
Fuse (or Iron) Your Small Flower Petal Insets to Your Larger Flower petals and Stitch —
Whenever I have smaller shapes that are fused onto larger shapes (such as these small inset flowers onto the larger flower petals), I like to set those pieces up first and then appliqué stitch around just the smaller shapes BEFORE fusing that larger piece onto my background fabric. That way I am only having to deal with the petal shape under my needle and not having to wrestle with the background fabric as well while appliqué stitching. My appliqué stitching is much neater this way and of course, that makes me much happier!
- So to begin – fuse the small flower insets onto their larger petal counterparts. Be sure to leave the release paper on the wrong side of the larger petals shapes when fusing the small shapes onto them.
- Next get ready to appliqué stitch around the small flower insets. Prepare your machine up for appliqué stitching by changing your presser foot to an open toe foot and choosing some fabulous matching thread. Set your machine to your desired appliqué stitch. Again, I usually choose the Zig Zag stitch (#2) and set my Bernina to stitch width 2.5-3.0 and stitch length to just below 1.0 .
Test, test test! If needed refer to my previous Wonky Piecing QAL video for the how to’s on appliqué stitching right here at Wonky Piecing and Easy Appliqué- Week #4 QuiltAlong here. - Appliqué stitch around each small flower inset shapes. VERY IMPORTANT TIP AGAIN – Be sure to still leave the release paper on the wrong side of the larger petals shapes when you stitch around the small flower insets. The release paper will act as a stabilizer for your stitching and once you are complete you will just peel it off.
Fuse (or Iron) the Large Flower Petals to the Center Background 9-Patch —
1. Referring to the Quilt Top Diagram on page 5, ‘eyeball’ and place the large petal shapes and the large flower center in place. If needed, I have found that that the petal edges at the top, bottom, right and left are about 5-5-1/2″ in from the outside edge of the background. Peel off the release paper from the wrong side of each shape and fuse (or iron) the shapes onto the background 9-patch.
2. Place a piece of stitching stabilizer (like Sulky Totally Stable Iron On Tear Away Stabilizer) on the WRONG side of each of the Larger Flower Petal Shapes or over the entire background block. The stabilizer will help to “stabilize” your stitching especially if you are using a zigzag, satin stitch or decorative titch around each of your shapes.
Test, test, test before you begin. Once satisfied, applique stitch around each of the larger petals and the center on your large center flower.
Once stitching is complete, be sure to tear away the stabilizer from the backside and lightly press the 9-patch Large Center Flower Block.
That’s it for Week #3!! Next week, our final week – Week #4: we’ll be stitching all of blocks together to complete our quilt top – woohoo!
Until then, please be sure to email us at colourwerx@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Or feel free to post questions or progress pictures on our Colourwerx QAL Facebook Group.
Until your next colour fix and next week’s QAL post ~ happy and bright quilting always! L&C xxoo
Colourwerx 
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