Splendor QAL: Week #4 – Layout and Finish the Quilt Top

Whoop!  Whoop!  We are almost complete with our Splendor Quilt!  This is the final week of our quilt along and I do hope you all have been enjoying making these fab flower blocks!

This week – Week #4 – is all about laying out all the blocks and pieces and stitchin’ up that quilt top.  Relax and enjoy the process – it’s easy stitchin! 🙂

1. But first, just a reminder that all of your petals (large and small) should be appliqued stitched to their individual background blocks at this point. If you need reference, refer back to Week #2 & Week #3 of our Splendor QuiltAlong posts.

Read Splendor QAL Week #2 – Applique the Small Flower Blocks
Read Splendor QAL Week #3 – Applique the Large Flower Block

Also be sure to remove all of that stabilizer from the backside of your blocks.  I like to score mine with a straight pin and carefully tear away the stabilizer using tweezers if needed in the narrower sections between the petals. 

2. Next, following the Splendor Background Diagram on page 2 of the Splendor pattern, lay out all of your pieces on your design board or floor.  Take special note of which way some of the smaller flower blocks are orientated (look at the large petal on the small flower block – is it pointing  up, down to the right or to the left??  – these differences in orientation  give the circle of small flowers movement and rhythm around the large center flower block.

Once you are satisfied with your layout, stitch the background strips to each background corner block. Refer to the page 2 of the Splendor pattern again.

Next, stitch the single background  strip to its corresponding small flower block.

Not so hard right!?!

3.  And to finish your quilt top, refer to page 5 in the Splendor pattern and begin to stitch blocks together to form a row.  You’ll have a top row, a middle row (which will consist of the larger center flower block we created in Week #3) and a bottom row.

Watch the video below for how easy!!

Once all three rows are stitched together – your Splendor Quilt top is complete!

Great job and bravo! Now you’re ready to machine quilt some awesome designs in all of that negative space in the background or  send the top to your favorite machine quilter to do the same!

I’ll be sending this off to my favorite machine quilter, Teresa of Quilting is my Bliss who also machine quilted the first Splendor quilt! Below  are some up close photos of the fabulous quilting Teresa did on the first Splendor quilt!!  I’ll be sure to post the photos of the second Splendor quilt when she completes it!

This now concludes our Splendor QuiltAlong – send me your pictures so we can see your beautiful quilts!

Thank you so much for following along and for your continued support!  Look for more Colourwerx QuiltAlongs on our Colourwerx Facebook page or on our website under QuiltAlongs!

Until your next colour fix – happy quilting!  Linda & Carl xxoo

Splendor QAL: Week #3 – Appliqué the Large Center Flower Block

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!

1.  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.
2. 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.
3.  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

Splendor QAL: Week #2 – Appliqué the Small Flower Blocks

Welcome back!   It’s Week #2 of our Splendor QuiltAlong and it’s time to start appliquéing our small flower petal blocks!

But first — If you’re just joining us this week, be sure to review Week #1’s Blog Post to find out how to purchase the pattern and what fabrics and materials you’ll need to gather –

READ THE SPLENDOR QAL WEEK #1 POST BY CLICKING HERE

Also, just a friendly reminder!   If you want to join with other quilty friends and aren’t yet a member of our Facebook group, I invite you to join our free QAL Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your progress and of course, post pictures of your finished projects so everyone can share in the fun!  Also feel free to share this invite and any other QAL news with quilty buddies and invite them to join along in the fun!

You can also subscribe to our Colourwerx You Tube channel right here!

JOIN THE COLOURWERX QAL FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COLOURWERX YOU TUBE CHANNEL RIGHT HERE

On to Week #2 of Splendor!
I do love to do fusible machine appliqué – it is so fast and fun and you can use a variety of stitches like the zigzag, buttonhole (or also known as the blanket) or decorative stitches to embellish and texturize your shapes.  Remember there are no quilt police lurking so experiment and have fun!

Also, if you’d like a video – you can view Week #2’s companion video tutorial right here!

View Week #2’s Splendor Companion Video Tutorial

But first things first….
Arrange Your Background Blocks for Value and Pattern Placement —
1. You should have precut your background fabrics in Week #1 – if not, please find the cutting directions in page 1 of the Splendor pattern and do so before proceeding.

2. Assuming you are using (12) 1/3 yard cuts or a variety of scraps for your background, refer to Page 2  in the pattern for the diagram, and arrange the background units on your design board or floor making sure you have evenly balanced the value and pattern placement (if there are patterns in the fabrics) across the quilt top.  Do not stitch the units together yet.

Once satisfied, be sure to snap a photo of your arrangement for future use and then remove from your design board or floor the (12)  background blocks that will have the small flowers on them.  Here’s my background units arranged on my design board.

Prepare your Small Flower Petal Shapes —
You’ll be cutting out (12) sets of the small flower shapes.  (If you are following along and making the Mini Splendor pattern with us, you’ll make (6) sets of small flower shapes).

1.  First, gather the pattern page (included in the Splendor pattern) and following the directions on your adhesive fusible web, trace (12) complete sets of the small flower petal shapes on the smooth side of the fusible web. 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 small flower fabrics for your first block, and fuse the shapes onto the wrong side of those fabrics.

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 create (12) sets of small flower shapes.  (Again, if you are following along and making the Mini Splendor pattern with us, you’ll make (6) small flowers).

As a sidenote, if you own a desktop cutting machine like a Silhouette Cameo or Cricut, you can scan the applique patterns into your machine.  First back each of your fabric pieces with fusible web and then laser cut the shapes.  This will require extra fabric, a tacky cutting mat for your machine,  alot of patience and some time for experimentation to get your machine to work ‘just right’. 

4.  Once you have all (12) sets of small flower shapes cut out, you are ready to appliqué.

What did Linda do?
I want to share what I did on my Splendor quilt for the small flower blocks – I chose to use the new Tula Pink True Colors 10″ stack.

1. First I decided on (12) different colors for each of the smaller flowers and from there, I chose (3) 10″ squares to be grouped together to make each of the (12) colorways to create the flower petals. Here are the 10″ square fabrics I chose to use for my yellow/orange colored flower:

Now I’ll share my little formula below for which flower shapes I cut from each of the three fabrics to create variety and movement across ta single flower block.  I could have used just one fabric for each small flower block but sometimes that can make a quilt stagnate:  so the my motto is more fabrics = more movement and more texture which =’s  way more interesting quilt!

My Formula  — Notice on the master pattern page that each of the petals on the small flower are numbered #1-#8 plus the center so that really makes (9) pieces for each small flower block.  So again since I am using (3) fabrics for each small flower block, I’ll cut three petals from each fabric BUT I want to make sure that the fabrics are alternating from petal to petal so here is my formula – feel free to copy this if you’d like  🙂

Fabric #1 – Cut Small Flower Shapes #1, #4, #7
Fabric #2 – Cut Small Flower Shapes #2, #5, #8
Fabric #3 – Cut Small Flower Shapes #3, #6 & Center

You can really see the texture, value and movement you get across the quilt top by simply combining a few fabrics of the same colorway for each smaller flower block.

Fuse (or Iron) Your Small Flower Petals to Your Background Squares —
1. Before fusing your small flower petals to the background squares, create an overlay sheet to assist you in placing each of the (8) petals plus the center in exactly the right place before finally ironing them to the background block. Trace the small flower exactly as it appears on your pattern page including the numbers.

Although this is an easy pattern shape, without the overlay you might place the petal shapes slightly askew which will throw off the look of this little fab flower!   This can be simply a piece of tracing paper or a nonfusible dressmaking interfacing like Pattern-Ease.

2. Taking your first background block and first set of small flower shapes, peel the release paper off the backside of each shape and iron the shapes into place using your overlay sheet to assist you in the exact placement.

3.  Also place a piece of stitching stabilizer (like Sulky Totally Stable Iron On Tear Away Stabilizer) on the WRONG side of the Small Flower Petal 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.

Any digitized embroidery machine stabilizer will work for this purpose, but my favorite is the Sulky Totally Stable Iron On Tear Away Stabilizer pictured below.

Let the block cool after ironing and then get ready for some fun machine appliqué.

Machine Appliqué Around the Petal Shapes —
1. Set your machine up for appliqué stitching by changing your presser foot to an open toe foot and choosing some fabulous matching thread for your first flower fabrics.

2. Set your machine to your desired appliqué stitch.  I usually like to choose the Zig Zag and set my Bernina to stitch width 2.5-3.0 and stitch length to just below 1.0 .

Test, test, test before you begin.  Once satisfied, applique stitch around each of the petals and the center on your first small flower block. If you need additional reference for setting your machine up for appliqué and appliqué, please view my video from our Wonky Piecing and Easy Appliqué- Week #4 QuiltAlong here.

3. Repeat these steps above until you have created and appliquéd the (12) small flower blocks (you can also save some of these for Week #3  if you run out of time this week).   Once stitching is complete, be sure to tear away the stabilizer from the backside and lightly press each block.

That’s it for Week #2!!  Next week – Week #3: we’ll be appliquéing the Large Flower Shapes onto the Center background blocks – 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

Splendor QAL: Week #1 – Gather the Pattern and Materials plus Precut the Background

Hello!  And welcome to the ‘first week’ of our fifth Colourwerx QAL (quilt along) where we’ll be making our super beautiful and modern, Splendor!

First, I want to thank you so much for joining us here.   If you want to meet with other Colourwerx quilty friends and aren’t yet a member of our Facebook group, I  invite you to join our free QAL Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your progress and of course, post pictures of your finished projects so everyone can share in the fun!  Also feel free to share this invite and any other QAL news with quilty buddies and invite them to join along in the fun!

JOIN THE COLOURWERX QAL FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Each week of the quiltalong, also look for a companion video to be posted either on the ‘day’ or a few days later.   If you’d like to receive alerts to when the videos are posted and other neat tutorials and replays of our Fab Friday Live broadcasts, then subscribe to our Colourwerx UTube channel right here!

So this is Week#1 of the Splendor QAL –  First let’s review the 4-week schedule!

As you can see it’s an easy going  4-week QAL, perfect for summer stitchin’, but please know that you can take it at your own pace and join in anytime.  All of the videos and blog posts will remain here, as well as be posted on our website and on the social media pages throughout the year. 

GATHER YOUR PATTERN & MATERIALS —
Here’s what you’ll need to join in on the stitchin’ fun –
• The Splendor pattern by Colourwerx
•. You can also choose to use the Mini Splendor Pattern if you’re looking for a smaller project! (see below for Mini Splendor quilts).

And great news? – both the Splendor & Mini Splendor patterns are now 20% off!

Purchase the Splendor Paper Pattern here!
Purchase the Mini Splendor Paper Pattern here!

Purchase the Splendor PDF pattern here!
Purchase the Mini Splendor PDF Pattern here!

Fabrics —
This is a really scrap friendly/10″ stack friendly quilt pattern whether you have chosen to make the Large Splendor or the Mini Splendor version.  Make sure to refer to the back of the pattern for the exact yardage requirements, but since I’ll be stitchin’ along side of you and be making the Larger Splendor pattern – here’s what you will need for that:

For the Large Splendor:
— Neutral Background Fabrics:  (12) 3/8 yard cuts of each fabric or scraps totaling about 4 yards;
— Large & Small Flower Appliqués: (1) Layer Cake (10″ Square Stack) or scraps totaling about 2-1/4 yards;
— (Optional for the quiltalong) Binding – 1/2 yard and Backing 3-1/2 yards;
— 3 yards of Adhesive Fusible Web for the Flower Appliqués  (i.e.:  Heat n Bond Lite, Steam a Seam II Lite or Pellon Wonder Under
— Stitching Stabilizer (i.e.:  Sulky Iron On Totally Stable Tear Away Stabilizer or any type of machine embroidery stabilizer) – This will help stabilize your zigzag or buttonhole stitches when appliqué stitching around the flower shapes;

 

Here’s what I chose for my background fabrics and flower appliqués:  the background fabrics will be cut from these (9) 1/2 yard cuts of dark gray/black fabrics and the flower appliqués will all be cut from this assortment of 10″ squares from the new Tula Pink True Colors collection.   (I just purchased this 10″ square stack from my good friend Deb who owns the Elkhorn Quilt Company – she has a fabulous assosrtment of #colouricious goodness!)

I think its  going to be epic!

Also for Week #1  – Cut your Background Fabrics —
Follow the cutting directions and dimensions on page 1 of the Splendor pattern and cut your background fabrics accordingly.

UPDATE! There is a minor cutting error in the pattern (but you will have plenty of fabric if you gather the recommended materials listed on the back of the pattern cover).  Also be sure to cut the total number of units listed below and also make a note on your pattern for future use:

Page 1 – Cutting:  For the background – You will need a total of:
•  (25) 10-1/2″ x 10-1/2″ squares;
•  (16) 2-1/2″ x 10-1/2″ strips;
•  (4) 2-1/2″ x 12-1/4″ strips (not 12-1/2″ long as the pattern states)

That’s it for Week #1!!  Next week – Week #2: we’ll begin appliquéing the Small Flower Shapes onto the background fabrics – 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