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