Welcome back to another fun week of making beautiful bodacious blossom blocks! This is Week #4 of the ModBlossom QuiltAlong and this week is all about making the Flower Block! I think you’ll find this week’s block goes together much faster than its counterpart: the Leaf Block from Week #3!
Here’s this week’s companion video. You’ll also want to follow along with the diagrams and steps in the ModBlossom pattern – you’ll find those on pages 8-12.
GATHER THE FLOWER BLOCK PIECES:
To make just (1) FLOWER BLOCK you will need the following units:
• (4) Template A (2 cut from each of your (2) coordinating fat quarters);
• (4) Background Fabric Template B Shapes;
• (2) 6″ squares (1 cut from each of your (2) coordinating fat quarters);
• (2) Background Fabric 6″ squares;
• (4) 3″ squares & (4) 1-1/2″ Flower Center squares;
• (4) 3-1/2″ Flower Cornerstone Squares (2 cut from each of your (2) coordinating cornerstone fabrics);
• (4) Background Fabric 2-3/4″ squares;
• (4) Background Fabric 2-3/4″ x 5″ strips
STEP ONE – Make Half Square Triangles:
We’ll be making half square triangle units (HST) from our 6″ squares and our 3-1/2″ Cornerstone squares.
1. Start by pairing up (1) 6″ Background Square to (1) 6″ colored square – make 2 pairs. Also pair up the 3-1/2″ Flower Cornerstone squares with one fabric color to the other in each pair – create (2) pairs.
2. Draw a diagonal line down the Wrong side of the lighter square in each pair.
3. Matching the pairs Right Sides Together, stitch a 1/4″ seam down both sides of that drawn diagonal line.
4. Cut each pair of squares apart on the line and press to the darker fabric.
5. Trim down and square up the HST units as follows:
— Flower 6″ HST – trim down to 5″ – make a total of (4);
— Cornerstone HST – trim down to 2-3/4″ – make a total of (4)
STEP TWO – Make the Cornerstone Units:
1. Gather the (4) 2-3/4″ HST Cornerstone units created above, the (4) Background 2-3/4″ squares and the (4) Background 2-3/4″ x 5″ strips.
2. Following the instructions and diagrams in the pattern on page 9, stitch the 2-3/4″ Flower Cornerstone HST to one 2-3/4″ Background square.
3. To complete the unit, stitch the 2-3/4″ x 5″ Background strips to the top edge. The unit should now measure 5″ x 5″. Make (4) units EXACTLY ALIKE taking note of the orientation of the Cornerstone HST. Trim and square the units if necessary.
STEP THREE – Stitch Template A to Template B:
1. Gather the (4) Template A and the (4) Background Template B.
2. Following the instructions and diagrams in the pattern on page 10, line up the notched ends of template B even to the edges of template A – pin in place – and stitch down the diagonal edge.
3. The unit should now measure 9-1/2″ x 5″. Make (4) units EXACTLY ALIKE. Trim and square the units if necessary.
STEP FOUR – Create the Flower Block & Snowball the Center:
1. Following the diagrams in the pattern on page 11, lay out the (4) template A/B units, (4) HST units and (4) 5″ Cornerstone units.
2. Sew each quadrant together .
3. The quadrant should now measure 9-1/2″ x 9-1/2″. Make (4) units. Trim and square the units if necessary.
4. Select the (4) 3″ Flower Center Squares and draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each square. Do the same to the (4) 1-1/2″ squares for the inner Flower Center squares.
3. Following the diagram on page 11-12 pin a 3″ Flower center square in the center corner of each Flower Unit. Make sure the diagonal line is orientated the right way – refer to the pattern.
4. To ‘snowball the corner’ – stitch on that line – BUT HERE’S A TIP: I like to stitch just a hair to the right side of that line. That way when you flip and press that corner over to center, the tip will match the center corner exactly. If you stitch right on the line, you’ll find that thread and the fabric folding over take up precious seam allowance and the tip of the 3″ square will never meet or match the center corner of the Flower unit. By stitching just a hair over to the right of that drawn line, you’ll ensure that it will.
5. Once you have pressed the 3″ square over to meet the center edge of the Flower Unit, trim away excess fabric layers below leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance. Repeat the above on all (4) Flower units.
6. Repeat the above steps with the 1-1/2″ Flower Center Inner squares – snowballing each to the center corner of the Flower Units. Repress the snowballed seams of (2) opposing Flower blocks in the opposite direction so the center seams will nest nicely.
7. To finish your block stitch the units together to form 2 rows and then stitch the rows together to create the block. When complete the block should measure 18-1/2″ x 18-1/2″.
That’s it for Week 4 and wow! we are almost complete! Next week is our last week – in Week 5, we’ll put it all together ! So go forth and make more Leaf and Flower Blocks!
Feel free to ask questions, share your progress and of course, post pictures over in the Colourwerx QuiltAlong Facebook Group – here’s the link just in case:
COLOURWERX QUILTALONG FACEBOOK GROUP HERE
Until our final week together, happy #colouricious quilting!
xxoo Linda & Carl
Colourwerx 