NEW!!! - Tutorial on Making Patchwork Flowers and Leaves with the Sew Simple Shapes Templates!

Today I wanted to show you 

how to make

 patchwork flowers and leaves

with my Sew Simple Shapes

A few weeks ago I did some tutorials

on how I prepare my pieces for

 appliqué using the 

BLOOM Sew Simple Shapes.

CLICK HERE 

to see those tutorials

 if you missed them:)

If you don't have your 

BLOOM Sew Simple Shapes yet...

CLICK HERE

And join the fun!

First up...

 I'll be using the 

A-23 Sew Simple Shape 

from the set.

This is what the flower

 looks like using one 

fabric for the entire flower

 and one fabric for the center .

I used A-2 Sew Simple Shape 

for the circle.

Today I want to show you

 how you can make the flower

by doing just a little bit 

of patchwork first:)

Choose 4 - 2 1/2" squares 

from your scrappy stash 

and sew them together 

into a four patch like this.

Use a scant 1/4" seam allowance.

Press the seams open 

and place the A - 23 template 

onto the wrong side...

 lining up the center marks

 on the template

 with the center of the 

seam allowances and 

trace around the template...

Like this.

This line is your stitching line:)

I  use a .05 mechanical pencil 

for a nice thin line.

Now cut a 5" square of the

 Lightweight Sew-In Pellon

Pin together with your 

marked lines facing up...

And stitch directly

 onto the lines...

all the way around.

Don't forget to backstitch 

when you stop and start:)

After stitching...

trim an approximate 

1/4" seam allowance

 all the way around 

like this.

*This step is important!

There are 4 "cleavage" areas 

in this A - 23 Sew Simple Shape. 

You will need to 

clip right up to the stitching

 (but not into or past the stitching)

just like this...

so that your flower will 

lay flat when you 

turn it inside out.

Clip all 4 cleavage areas of the flower.

Now pinch the Pellon 

away from the flower front 

and make a small clip 

in the Pellon only.

Cut an "X" like this 

for the opening to turn.

Turn right side out and 

use a smoothing tool to help

 push out the points and curves.

***Use this tool gently...

don't poke through the Pellon:)

Press it nice and flat 

from the front...not the back.

Cute right?

It looks complicated and 

somewhat like

 english paper piecing

but as you just saw...

it's machine sewn and easy peasy!

I chose to use

 A-2 Sew Simple Shape 

from the set to make 

the center circle for 

this cute patchwork flower.

I used a 3 1/2" square of fabric

 from my scrappy stash 

and a 3 1/2" square of Pellon.

I traced the sewing line

 onto the Pellon.

Pinned...

Stitched and trimmed...

Cut the"X"...

Turned and pressed.

You know the drill by now!

Now I have a cute patchwork flower

 ready for hand or machine appliqué:)

It's time for some leaves.

I cut a 3 1/2" x 4" 

piece of fabric 

and also Pellon...

and traced around the A-11 

twice onto the Pellon.

If you are making a set

 of matching leaves...

 it's easier to do them 

both on one piece of fabric:)

Two matching leaves done:)

Now for a 

fun and easy patchwork leaf!

I used 

Sew Simple Shape A-12 

for this set.

I cut each fabric strip 

1 1/2" x 4 1/2"

and sewed them together.

Lay the template onto 

the wrong side with the

 seams pressed open and 

trace the stitching lines 

like this.

Pin to a piece of Pellon...

 cut 2 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Stitch and trim...

Turn and press.

I love how these 

patchwork leaves look...

don't you?

Again...

it looks very complicated

 but is sew simple!

Next time...

 I'll show you how to

 make stems and even more 

patchwork flowers using 

different Sew Simple Shapes.

See you then!

xx

Lori