Thursday, March 14, 2019

Vintage Block Along - Week 14 - Front Yard Flower Block!!




Good morning and welcome 
to episode 14 in the 
Vintage Block Along


I'm sharing another vintage 
block pattern from my 
grandma's pattern basket today!



I'm using Farm Girl Vintage Fabric 
and sewing many different blocks
 in several different sizes...
and then putting them all together
 at the end in one big amazing
 Vintage Block Along Sampler Quilt!


 I'm going to be 
showing you how to make this block...
that I am calling
 "Front Yard Flower"
And here is my explanation why!


I showed this photo of grandma's 
little farmhouse early on
 in this series.

What you can't see is that
 the color of the roof is pink.
Yes I said pink!
 ...not a super bright pink but almost
 the color of a vintage looking
 faded red brick.

Later after an addition to the house...
she added the same color of 
pink shudders to the windows.
Grandma loved a clean cut 
and pretty front yard flower garden.

When I was young I would 
often find her working in the
 flower beds and would stop and help.

As she got older and could not 
do it for herself we 
(all of us including my cousins 
and dad and uncles) 
would plant her front yard 
flower garden
 for her every spring.
We would weed it for her and
 "move the hose" 
several times a day 
to keep them watered:)

Grandma was very particular 
about what flowers she used.
She believed that annuals were a
 "front yard flower" 
because they were bright and showy 
all through spring, 
summer and into fall...
while perennials belonged in the 
side and back yard because 
even though they are beautiful 
they have a very short blooming time...
often only lasting 2-3 weeks.

Grandma most often planted red flowers ...
she liked the way that they looked
 against the white house and
 also complimented the
 pink roof and shutters.
For some reason she did not
 like to plant yellow flowers.

Every spring she would plan 
which kind of annual to plant
 and then plant that same one 
very heavily so that they really
 filled in nice and put on a good show!

Most of the time she planted petunias...
very popular for our region
 and easy to keep up.


Even though we only 
NEED ONE BLOCK for our quilt...
I made two blocks because
 I want to talk a little 
about fabric selection.

Because grandma liked "showy" red flowers
 for her front yard that's
 what I made first.
Then I made another just to
 mix it up a little.
In my workshops...
I often like to sew the same block 
with different colors and tones just to
 show what a difference that 
fabric selection can make 
to the feel and look of the block. 


I loved this little block 
and it was fun to re-draft it 
from templates to rotary cutting 
and machine piecing.



From the background fabric
 you will need to cut:
16 - 2 " squares


From this fabric cut:
8 - 2" x 3 1/2"


From this one cut:
2 - 1 1/4" x 2"
2 - 1 1/4" x 3 1/2"


For the flower center cut:
1 - 2" square


From this fabric cut:
4 - 2" squares


And finally...
from this one cut:
4 - 2" squares


Start by sewing the strips
 around the flower center...


Like this.
It should measure
 3 1/2" square at this point.


Now it's time for the
 Easy Corner Triangles.
Mark your lines from point to point
 onto each background square 
or use the 


Sew easy corner triangles 
onto the petals like this.
Take note that each set of four 
are going the opposite directions.
Trim and press...


And then sew the petals
 together like this.
Each segment should measure
 3 1/2" at this point.


Now sew the four patch sections together...


Like this!!!
They should also measure
 3 1/2" square.


Now it's time to sew
 the sections together:)
Sew three rows and then sew
 those rows together just like
 you do with a nine patch.


FRONT YARD FLOWER
It should measure 9 1/2" square 
BEFORE you sew it into your quilt.


I love how all of these fabrics
 and colors work together 
to make a very strong "showy" block.


I also love to mix up strong colors
 with medium to light colors
 for a super good contrast.


I chose a medium tone scaled print 
for the entire flower...
with strong colors surrounding 
it and in the center. 

Doing this always makes the pattern 
in the block really pop!


It's also fun to give one 
more of a scrappy look...
kind of like a wildflower...
while the other looks more uniform...
clean cut and showy.
That's just how grandma liked
 her front yard flower garden:)

I adore both versions...
and since
 "you are the boss of your own quilt"  
you get to decide what kind of 
FRONT YARD FLOWER
that you want to plant!


Thanks for sewing vintage with me today...
and studying about
 fabric selection and also learning 
a little bit more about my grandma.

I'll be back next week 
for another one of grandma's blocks!
xx
Lori



 P.S. If you are just joining us 
and want to sew vintage blocks with us...
click on each block 
that we have already sewn
 for the tutorial:

8. Humble




6 comments:

Little Quiltsong said...

Oh how I enjoyed the background story again, with this beautiful block! My dad too, always wanted red geraniums planted at the front of the house, after my mother suffered a stroke, and could not do the gardening anymore. I would often try to talk him into deep pink or light salmon color, or even purple, but no - just the regular deep red ones, he would say. How I miss those days! Thank you for another vintage block to remind us of those wonderful yester-years :)!

Kathryn Reeves said...

Thank you for these lovely blocks, Lori! I was later to the party but am caught up now, and I love how my spring colored quilt is developing!

Regina said...

Thanks again, Lori, for another pretty quilt block and sweet grandma story. I can't imagine a pink roof, but I know it was beautiful! Would love to see it with the shutters in color.
Blessings,
Regina

Martine said...

Oh Lori, I love reading all the little stories about your grandmother. Thank you for all those cute blocs! Sending you a warm hug from rainy and windy Belgium, Martine.

Patti Cardona said...

Thank you so much for this QAL. I love the trips down memory lane and I'm looking forward to the next block.

Peri O'Connell said...

Love this QAL! I am looking so forward to the next block. I love the stories about your Grandma. So many beautiful memories.

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