FANCY FLORA

Channel the botanical trend with layers of Flying Geese units featuring lush floral prints

NOTES

Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted. Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed. FPP = Foundation Paper Piecing. RST = right sides together. WOF = width of fabric. WST = wrong sides together. Fabric provided by Ella Blue Fabrics (ellabluefabrics.com) For templates, see p89.

FABRICS USED

Feature print fabrics are from the Outback Wife collection by Gertrude Made for Ella Blue Fabrics. Background print fabrics are from the Blueberry Park collection by Karen Lewis for Robert Kaufman. PREPARATION 1 Trace the Section 1 and Section 4 Triangle templates onto card or template plastic and cut them out. CUTTING OUT 2 From each of the feature print fabrics cut four (4) 4in x WOF strips and four (4) 3in x WOF strips. 3 Take one 3in x WOF feature print strip and place it wrong side up. Place the Section 1 Triangle template on top and draw around it, then rotate the template and draw around it again (Fig 1). Repeat to the end of the strip, then cut them out. You should get seven (7) from each strip.

USE A VARIETY OF PRINTS FOR YOUR BACKGROUND FABRICS TO GIVE A SCRAPPY FINISH

4 Repeat step 3 with the remaining 3in x WOF feature print strips to cut a total of the following: Twenty-five (25) blue feature print Section 1 triangles. Twenty-three (23) pink feature print Section 1 triangles. Twenty-two (22) yellow feature print Section 1 triangles. 5 Repeat step 3 with the 4in x WOF feature print strips and the Section 4 Triangle template to cut the following: Twenty-five (25) blue feature print Section 4 triangles. Twenty-three (23) pink feature print Section 4 triangles. Twenty-two (22) yellow feature print Section 4 triangles. 6 From the blue background print fabrics cut five (5) 4½in x WOF strips and five (5) 3½in x WOF strips. 7 From both of the pink background print fabrics and the yellow background print fabrics cut four (4) 4½in x WOF strips and four (4) 3½in x WOF strips.

8 Take one 3½in x WOF background print strip and mark 7in rectangles along its length. Mark a diagonal line from the top left corner to bottom right corner (Section 2) on half of the rectangles and then mark a diagonal line from the bottom left corner to the top right corner (Section 3) on the remaining rectangles (Fig 2). Cut along all the marked lines to cut a total of six (6) Section 2 triangles and six (6) Section 3 triangles. 9 Repeat step 8 with the remaining 3½in x WOF background print strips to cut a total of the following: Twenty-five (25) blue background print Section 2 triangles. Twenty-five (25) blue background print Section 3 triangles. Twenty-three (23) pink background print Section 2 triangles. Twenty-three (23) pink background print Section 3 triangles. Twenty-two (22) yellow background print Section 2 triangles. Twenty-two (22) yellow background print Section 3 triangles. 10 Repeat step 8 with the 4½in x WOF background print strips to cut the following: Twenty-five (25) blue background print Section 5 triangles. Twenty-five (25) blue background print Section 6 triangles. Twenty-three (23) pink background print Section 5 triangles. Twenty-three (23) pink background print Section 6 triangles. Twenty-two (22) yellow background print Section 5 triangles. Twenty-two (22) yellow background print Section 6 triangles. 11 From binding fabric cut seven (7) 2½in x WOF strips. PIECING THE BLOCKS 12 Take one FPP template and one each of blue print triangles Sections 1– 6. If you’ve used multiple prints, make sure that the feature fabric triangles match and that the background fabric triangles match. 13 To piece the template, place the Section 1 triangle right side up against Section 1 on the unprinted side of the template, making sure that the edges of the fabric extend at least ¼in all around the marked lines of Section 1. Pin in place. 14 Place the Section 2 triangle right side down on the Section 1 triangle, matching up the raw edges where Sections 1 and 2 will be joined. Check that when flipped over at the seam line the new fabric will cover Section 2 plus at least ¼in all around. 15 Turn the template over and stitch on the marked line between Sections 1 and 2, extending it by a few stitches at each end of the seam. Fold the template back and trim the seam allowance to ¼in. Flip the Section 2 triangle open and press. 16 Repeat steps 12–15 to add the remaining sections in numerical order. Press and then trim the block on the outer dashed line of the template. Remove the template to complete one block. 17 Repeat steps 12–16 to make a total of the following: Twenty-five (25) blue blocks. Twenty-three (23) pink blocks. Twenty-two (22) yellow blocks. ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP 18 Arrange the blocks into five vertical columns of fourteen blocks each, referring to the photo for orientation. Join the blocks into columns, then join the columns to complete the quilt top. QUILTING AND FINISHING 19 Cut the backing fabric in half across the width. Remove the selvedges and re-join the pieces with a ½in seam. 20 Press the quilt top and backing well. Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then the quilt top centrally and right side up. Baste the layers together using your preferred method. 21 Quilt as desired. Karen quilted straight horizontal lines at varying intervals. 22 Trim off the excess batting and backing fabric and square up the quilt. 23 Join the binding strips together end-to-end using diagonal seams. Press the seams open then fold in half lengthwise, WST, and press. 24 Sew the binding to the front of the quilt, folding a mitre at each corner, then fold it over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish.