Monday, January 18, 2016

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.

to download the free pattern
if you are just getting started:)




I will be using my 
latest fabric collection 
(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...


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 
  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 
today and every Monday as well.

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.
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 

To see my 
blog post about it...




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
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...
 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





15 comments:

Little Quiltsong said...

This Sew Along is exciting. Great Video! Thank you for all the clear instructions on your blog and I love seeing the blocks from all the others sewing along!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Lori. Thanks for all you do for us quilters. I follow you here and on Instagram and enjoy all your work. I haven't made anything yet but have read Farm Girl Vintage cover to cover.
A while back, there was a photo of your sewing table that included a glimpse of a pincushion, made of pentagons (paper pieced?) in an individual tin jelly ,old. I have just been given my mom's jelly tins. Could you tell me the measurement of the pentagon shape and any helpful hints you might have?
Christine from Ontario

Carolknits said...

My heart skipped a beat when I finally saw that we were beginning. It's so pretty. I can't wait to get started. I treated myself to lots of your fabric and I'm going to mix them all up in the quilt because the colors all blend beautifully. Thank you for all your work!
Carol

mary gontjes said...

This quilt is gong to be so much fun my friend..Thank you again for keeping us busy with all your super cute designs..
Happy Sewing to you..

Sue said...

Oh I love how detailed you are in your post.. thank you for that. It makes following along such a joy. Your block is beautiful!!

Www.hoosierstitcher.blogspot.com

Naomi said...

Love the video tutorial! Excellent and I am so excites to get started!! I use those Clover fork pins to block my knitting but that is a genius way to use them for quilting - to separate seam allowances while sewing!!

You are always full of great tips!

As always, thank you for your hard work and creative happiness! You make the world a better, happier place! :)

Linda Thompson said...

I am ready to get started. This pattern makes me Happy just to look at it. Yeah!!

Cathy Weber said...

I am so excited to try your appliqué method and LOVE your Bloom blocks. I am trying to picture the completed quilt and can not imagine how a quilt with so much appliqué would be quilted. Do you quilt over the appliqués...around the border of them, what?

I can't imagine not having some kind of idea of how to quilt it once you spend so much time making those gorgeous appliqué blocks. Please, can you tell us a rough idea of how a quilt like this can be quilted? I think that is the only hesitation I had when I considered making one. Thank you for so much wonderful weekly inspiration.

Judi Cabanaw said...

I am mad about this quilt and love the process. But I am having a little trouble getting my corners and point sharp....any suggestions?

liniecat said...

This looks so much fun and the tutorial was excellent!
Really impressed with your iron too, love that it rises and means it can be left on like that : )
Wonder if they are available in the UK?

✾Jamie Lee Cooley✾ said...

Love the video! Thanks for all the helpful tips. My bias maker hasn't arrived yet but I have all my shapes ready to go!

Val's Quilting Studio said...

THANK THANK for the complete lessons. You directions are sooo easy to follow and it's exciting to have my garden started!! Can you believe this is the very first time I used a bias maker for stems....LOVED IT!!!! See ya next week!

Carol said...

Worked on my first ever applique and I can tell I'm really liking this. My petals came out pretty good but I was wondering if you have any tips on how to get my points pointy. They look pretty good for my first try but I can see your petals have sharp points. Maybe I need to cut the corners sharper? Not real sure. Any tips would be great. Thanks for the sew along its making me get out of my comfort zone and trying something new.

John Whistler said...

Thanks for this! I've been looking for a something I can make for my grandmother's birthday. This is gonna knock her socks off.

Ramona said...

Finally bloom blocks are together. Side pieces going on today. I love this pattern!



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