Calico Garden Sew Along - Week One!!

"CONEFLOWER BLOCKS"

Welcome to week one of the 

"CALICO GARDEN"

Sew Along!

Join me here each week 

when I will be doing tutorials

 on the blocks for the quilt.

Of course because we are all sewing 

from all around the world  

we all have different time zones...

But I will be posting each Monday 

right here on my blog 

and you can follow my tutorials 

any time each week that 

 is convenient for you.

We are making the 

Calico Garden Quilt

90" x 90"

 

I've been prepping like crazy

so that I will be all ready

when it's time to begin...

and now that time is here!!

The quilt is made with my latest fabric

 collection called Calico...

I hope that you all have all 

received your 

fabric kits by now...

 and that we are all ready to begin!!

If you still need one ...

just do a quick google search for 

"Calico Garden Quilt Kit"

to find shops who still have some left.

We are also using the

Calico Garden

Sew Simple Shapes

I have already posted the

"BEE PREPARED"

 post which details all of the supplies

 for the sew along and how it works.

I have also given the link there 

for the free PDF Download 

of the Sew Along Guide

CLICK HERE

to download the sew along guide

if you have not downloaded yet.

As per the sew along guide 

cutting instructions

 you should have everything for your

  Coneflower Blocks 

 all cut and ready to go!

*A note about fabric prep before cutting:

Of course this is all personal preference

 but I often get asked the same 

two questions

 so I thought I would answer them

 here again for you.

1. Do you pre-wash your fabrics?

Answer - No...I don't.

I used to years ago 

(I have been sewing for a long time lol)

but these days we have such 

good quality fabrics available to us 

that I don't find it necessary

 to pre-wash and I've never had any

 problems by not doing so.

2. How do you starch your fabric?

Answer - I lightly starch my fabrics

before I cut them for 

piecing or for applique.

I use Mary Ellens Best Press

and mix it with a little water in my 

spray bottle and spray my fabric 

right before I iron it flat to cut it. 

So in other words all of my starching

 takes place during my ironing process

 right before cutting.

And yes...

I always use vintage irons.

If you would like to know why and

 how I find them and use them...

CLICK HERE

to watch my YouTube Video

where I tell you all about it!

As per usual for week one in my 

Sew Simple Shape Sew Alongs

 the FIRST week tutorial is a video.

Because I now have my own  

YouTube Channel

 I have posted the 

 Blue Coneflower Block

Tutorial there.

CLICK HERE

to visit my channel and watch the 

tutorial and I hope that you love it!

Pretty please leave me a comment

over there and let me know:)

If you like what you see 

and my other videos there...

click on subscribe and click on the bell

 to be notified whenever

 I post another tutorial:)

Here's my Blue Coneflower Block 

that I showed you 

how to make in my video:)

It's all ready for applique!!!

The Purple Coneflower Block 

is almost identical to the Blue 

and so I'll show you how I made mine

 and give the necessary particulars!

Here is my Purple Coneflower Kit

 Everything is all cut...

all traced and ready to go!

Here is a list of the

  Calico Garden 

Sew Simple Shapes 

needed for this block:

1 - O-44

2 - O-58

2 - O-64

1 - O-85

1 - O-86

You will also need to cut

and prepare 1/4"

straight bias strip for the stem: 

1 - 5" long 

Cut your background  

10" x 10"

as it says in the guide

and press it in half for 

centering the flower and stem 

when pinning and glue basting:)

*Take note that on shape O-85

 that this mound will be the short one

 so that it fits on the block...

so just trace the top curve of the shape

 down to the line and then across

 like I showed you with the pot shape 

in the video for the Blue Coneflower.

All of the shapes were sewn...

trimmed...turned and shaped

just like I showed in my video.

Don't forget to clip the cleavage areas

 in the flower before turning.

Okay!

Now I'll show you all of the 

measurements for this block 

after I glue basted and pinned it:)

7 1/4" - 7 1/2" tall

Large leaves are 7 1/2" wide...

And small leaves are 5" wide.

 

Purple Coneflower Block 

all ready for applique:)

Afterwards I will 

press from the back and then 

I will use my 8 1/2" Trim-It Ruler

to trim down the block before 

I sew it into the quilt.

I just love these rulers!

One reason is that I love to use 

during layout to make sure 

everything is centered:)

A few days ago I posted the tutorial

on how to make the

CALICO STAR FLOWER BLOCK

CLICK HERE

to read my blog post 

for those instructions:)
 

Thanks so much for sewing with me today

 and for joining me 

 for the very first week of 

Calico Garden

 

Congratulations on 

making your first blocks:)

YaY You!

I'll meet you right back here

on my blog next week for the 

Morning Glory Block tutorial...

xx

Lori

Other Places to find me:

@Beelori1 Instagram

Lori Holt/YouTube

Bee in my Bonnet Company