BLOOM Sew Along - Week Two - Block Two!!

Good morning cute people!

Welcome to the second week of the 

BLOOM Sew Along:)

I'm so excited to be sewing the 

BLOOM quilt with you:)

CLICK HERE 

to download my free pattern

Grab your 

BLOOM set of my Sew Simple Shapes

 HERE 

and let's get started...

On block number two!

For this block we will be using

A-1   A-16   A-18

from the Bloom Sew Simple Shapes

You will need to cut BOTH from fabric and Pellon;

 1 - 2" square for circle

4 - 2" x 3" for red petals

4 - 2 1/2" x 3" for blue tulips

1 - 5/8" x 15" strip for stems

(you will need 2- 6 1/2" long stems prepared)

Cut your background 9" square

(trim down to 8 1/2" later)

Trace around the shapes onto your Pellon.

Just a reminder...

I use SEW-IN light to medium weight.

You can find it online

 HERE

or at your local fabric and craft store

Pin your Pellen with tracing side up to your fabric that is also right side up.

***TIP*** For smooth lines...

go slowly and lift your foot often 

to pivet when you are sewing on curves:)

Trim about 1/4" past stitching lines...

Clip the X's in the Pellon...

Turn and press.

Press your background fabric in half both ways like this.

Prepare your your stems 

just like I showed you in the 

BLOCK ONE VIDEO

Now you are ready to layout for basting.

Start with one of your 6 1/2" long prepared stem strips

 and center it on the diagonal line of your background block.

That means it will go 3 1/4" above and below your pressed line...

Like this. 

Use your favorite basting method...

I like to use basting glue on mine...but take note that I use it sparingly.

Just one tiny dot in the place of where I would normally place a pin.

Repeat for the other stem.

Now to place the red petals.

Place them so that the points just touch the stems.

Use your pressed lines to make sure that the petals are centered.

Now for the circle.

I found it helpful to measure 2" from the 

outside edge of each red petal to center the circle.

Now place the blue tulips by measuring 1 1/2" from the circle like this.

Use the diagonal lines to make sure your tulips are centered.

Now for the appliqué...

it's your choice to do it by hand or by machine:)

When appliqué is complete...

press on the back only.

I sprayed a little light starch on the back

before pressing to help get the pressed lines out of the background.

After pressing...

trim up your block to 8 1/2" square 

just like I showed you in my

 BLOCK ONE TUTORIAL

Lay out your 

block border strips and squares...

And sew it together:)

YaY!

Block Two is complete:)

Be sure to use 

#BloomBlockTwo

when you post it so we can all see!

I hope you are enjoying making my BLOOM blocks...

Be sure to visit 

Riley Blake Blog 

and see what they are doing 

for the sew along!

Join me next week for block three:)

"BLOOM"

Where you're Planted!

xx

Lori

BLOOM Sew Along - Week One - Block One!!

Welcome to the 

first week of the

 BLOOM Sew Along!

Isn't this banner cute?

Feel free to use it when you are 

posting your blocks! 

Here's a smaller version

 for you to add onto

 the sidebar of your blog

 like I did:)

Because this is the first week there is

 a lot of information.

Bee prepared to click on a few links 

to my recent blog posts

that I did earlier 

in preparation for today!

I'm super excited to be sewing my 

BLOOM QUILT with you:)

If you are 

sewing with us too...

YaY!

 All you need to do is grab your supplies and 

tune in here every Monday.

 I will be doing a step by step tutorial

for each block right here on my blog:)

A few weeks ago...

 I posted about the supplies needed to make the quilt. If you missed that...

CLICK HERE to catch up!

You will find all of the fabric requirements

 and of course cutting instructions 

for the quilt block and borders in the pattern.

Basically we will be using a fat eighth of all of the prints as well as all 3 of the fat eighth panels for lots of variety...plus yardage for background and borders.

CLICK HERE

to download the free pattern

if you are just getting started:)

I will be using my 

latest fabric collection 

Calico Days

(check with your favorite quilt shops

 to see who has kits for the BLOOM QUILT)

And for all of the flowers and leaves

 we will be using my new

BLOOM 

 Sew Simple Shapes

If you don't have them yet...

CLICK HERE

Today we are doing block one!

All of the blocks are numbered

 in the pattern so that you will 

always know which block 

we will be doing 

each and every week.

Grab your fabric...your pattern and 

your templates

and let's get started!

You will need to cut a 9" square 

from the background fabric

for every block in this quilt:)

Today we will be using 

Sew Simple Shapes

 A-3  A-17  A-21 

to make the appliqué pieces for block one.

 You will need to cut from 

*BOTH fabric and Pellon;

1- 4" square for circle

2- 2" x 2 1/2" for leaves

5- 3" squares for petals

Also cut 1- 5/8" x 5" strip

 just from the fabric for the stem.

So guess what?

I did a video tutorial for block one!

Cindy invited me to join her at 

Riley Blake Designs

  to talk about the sew along 

and to show how I use my Sew Simple Shapes 

to prepare the pieces for appliqué. 

Isn't Cindy adorable?

She will be posting her finished blocks

 on the 

Riley Blake blog 

today and every Monday as well.

CLICK HERE

to see the video tutorial:)

Follow my instructions on the video

 to prepare your pieces and then baste them 

onto your background.

You can use pins or basting glue or even 

baste by hand with needle and thread.

CLICK HERE

to see my blog post about basting 

appliqué pieces.

This is mine...

right before appliqué:)

When your pieces are

 ready for appliqué...it's your choice 

on whether to machine appliqué 

or to hand appliqué.

Check out my blog post

 about both appliqué methods

by clicking HERE

After your appliqué is complete 

and you have pressed your block... 

(from the back only)

It's time to square up your block

 with an 8 1/2" square ruler.

Find the center markings

 on the ruler.

On this one you can sew the orange lines

in the center both ways.

Lay the center line 

 across the middle 

of your stem like this.

Make sure that there is about

 1/4" of the block outside all four 

 edges of the ruler.

***TIP***

 Make sure that your rotary blade is sharp!

 When trimming a block...

you don't want to 

"saw back and forth" for uneven edges... 

 you want to make one nice clean cut:) 

 I like to trim the right side and the 

top edge first...

Then turn my block upside down

 and trim the remaining 

two edges in the same way.

Of course if you are

 left handed you will do the opposite:)

Now for the 

outside borders on the block.

Again...

cutting measurements are in your pattern.

Lay your pieces out 

on your design board and take it to your 

machine for stitching.

Your seam allowances need

 to be an accurate 1/4".

I like to use my 

Seams Sew Easy 

To see my 

blog post about it...

CLICK HERE

First stitch the pieces together

 into 3 sections like this ...

And then join the 

top and bottom sections 

to the center section.

It should measure 12 1/2" square 

at this point:)

I like to press my seams open

 on these blocks to 

keep them nice and flat.

Press from the back.

In all of the years that

 I have been doing appliqué 

I have found that my 

appliqué pieces look nicer

 if can avoid pressing directly 

on top of them.

***TIP*** 

I like to use fork pins

 (by CLOVER) 

to help my seams line up exactly.

They are thin and you

 can sew right over them!

They are awesome because 

each side of the seam is 

secured with a pin and 

that means no shifting 

when its under the feed dogs

of your sewing machine.

See? 

Nice and flat:)

YaY!

Block one is complete:)

I hung mine on the wall in my bedroom 

to take this photo and I love the way 

that it looks there so...

I might just have to

 keep there for a while:)

I can't wait to 

see your block one!

When you post it...be sure to use 

#BloomBlockOne

 so that we all can see it!

I'll be posting mine on my

Instagram

and I hope you do the same!

It's always so fun and inspiring

 to see what other members

 of our sew along are doing.

My guest blogger 

for today is Kimberly...

Click Here

 to visit her and see

 what she has done!

Tune in next week for block two.

Until then...

"BLOOM" 

Where You're Planted!

xx

Lori