Monday, February 27, 2023

Calico Garden Sew Along - Week Five!!





"FORGET ME NOT BLOCK"


Welcome to Week Five 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"




The quilt is made with my latest fabric
 collection called Calico...

I hope that you all have all 
received your templates and 
fabric kits by now...
 and that we are all ready to begin!!


If you still need them ...
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 posted the
 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

to download the sew along guide.


As per the sew along guide 
cutting instructions
 you should have everything for your
  Forget me Not Block 
 all cut and ready to go!

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 
 I have posted the 
 Blue Coneflower Block
Tutorial there.
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:)


for the tutorial on my
PURPLE CONEFLOWER BLOCK



to go to my tutorial for the
CALICO STAR FLOWER BLOCK

to go to my tutorial for the
Morning Glory Blocks


to go to my tutorial for the 
PRIMROSE BLOCKS


to go to my tutorial for the 
RED ROSES and MUMS BLOCK


This week we will be making the 
Forget Me Not Block

This blocks is very similar
to the previous blocks that 
we have made except it's taller! 



Here is my Forget Me Not 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:
5 - O-2
1 - O-18
5 - O-41
6 - O-62
1 - O-87
1 - O-88


You will also need to cut
and prepare 1/4"
straight bias strip for the stems: 
1 - 11 1/2" long 
4 - 2 1/2" long

Cut your background  
10" x 19"
as it says in the guide
and press it in half for 
centering the flowers and stem 
when pinning and glue basting:)

***NOTE***
I'm sure ya'll already know this
but I think it's worth mentioning...
I'm sure that you are cutting 
this directional background fabric as 
straight as you can as you are cutting.
(light starch before pressing 
as you cut really helps!)
 
When you press your background in half
bee sure to press it straight 
with the lines on the background fabric
as well because it is a directional print.

That way you are starting out
with your background fabric straight
 and you can line up the shapes as you are pinning them using the many straight
lines and designs that there are on
 the directional print.
Your block will look nicer and
it will be easier to trim 
your background fabric straight 
with the shapes at the same time!
I hope this makes sense and helps
with all of your blocks done on a
 directional print background
 such as this one:)

Okay...
let's plant some 
Forget Me Nots!! 



This is what they 
look like all sewn and shaped!
Clip the cleavage on each side
towards the bottom of the vase...



And you will have five cleavage 
to clip in the flowers before turning:)
Because these are deep ones
be sure to use the seam roller
in these areas like I talked about
in the week one video.
Also keep in mind that the
 bottom cleavage will be covered 
by the center circle so if it frays
a bit...no worries!!


Okay...
now we are over at the worktable
and I'll show you how I laid out my block
and give you more helpful tips
and measurements for laying out yours:)


First let's talk about the handles.
Glue these two shapes together 
like this and let them dry.


Cut them in half
and you have two handles!


Glue them onto the back of the vase
 about 1/4" down from the top.
It should measure about 6 1/2" wide.


This is what the back looks like:)
 

It will also be handy for you to 
glue the centers onto the flowers
like this before pinning them 
onto the design board.
Easy Peasy!!



All of my Trim-It Rulers 
are square but that does not mean
 that they don't come in handy 
when laying out a rectangle block!
I just use 2 different sizes 
stacked because those lines
are invaluable for centering.
*NOTE*
When trimming my block after
applique I'll press it from the back
 and then still use the 
8 1/2" Trim-It Ruler...
center it and trim each side
as I work my way down
the tall block.
The height of the block will
 need to be trimmed 17 1/2" tall.
Just to clarify...
after applique trim your block
8 1/2" wide x 17 1/2" tall
to fit inside the pieced border:)


Now let's continue on 
with the layout math:)

This flower is 16" tall 
from the top of the flower to 
the bottom of the 
cute two handled vase.

*Also take note that again...
you will need to
 trim the inside ends of each of the
  side stems on an angle so that 
they can be tucked underneath
the center stem....
and don't glue the center stem 
down until sides stems are 
glued into place:)


Both two sets of flowers 
measure about  7" across.


The bottom two side stems begin
 about 2" up from the top of the vase.


The space between the 
two side stems is about 4"


The space between the top side stems 
and the bottom of the circle 
on the top flower is about 3 1/4".


There are 3 sets of 
matching leaves in this block.
They CAN all measure the same width...
however the bottom two sets
 of mine measure about 5 1/4"...


And the top set measures 4 3/4" wide.
When placing my leaves I just centered
 them between the flowers with the
 bottom points touching the center stem.


Okie Dokie...
I hope these tips and measurements 
will be very helpful to you
 as you pin and glue your 
own Forget Me Not Block...
and I hope that you enjoy 
growing it in your Calico Garden!








Thanks so much for sewing with me 
and Miss Dolly
 (my yellow vintage featherweight) 
 and for joining me for the 
Calico Garden Sew Along
I'll meet you right back here
on my blog next week for more 
 block sewing and applique prep!! 

Chat with you later...
xx
Lori

Monday, February 20, 2023

Calico Garden Sew Along - Week Four!!





"RED ROSES and MUMS BLOCKS"


Welcome to Week Four 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"




The quilt is made with my latest fabric
 collection called Calico...

I hope that you all have all 
received your templates and 
fabric kits by now...
 and that we are all ready to begin!!


If you still need them ...
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 posted the
 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

to download the sew along guide.


As per the sew along guide 
cutting instructions
 you should have everything for your
  Red Roses and Mums Blocks 
 all cut and ready to go!

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 
 I have posted the 
 Blue Coneflower Block
Tutorial there.
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:)


for the tutorial on my
PURPLE CONEFLOWER BLOCK



to go to my tutorial for the
CALICO STAR FLOWER BLOCK

to go to my tutorial for the
Morning Glory Blocks


to go to my tutorial for the 
PRIMROSE BLOCKS


This week we will be making the 
Red Roses and Mums Blocks

Of course you know what prints they are
 from the cutting section in the guide.
These blocks are very similar
to the previous blocks that 
we have made as far as layout 
so you should know the drill by now!

I'm going to show you the
 Red Roses Block 
and then I'll show you the 
Mums Block



Here is my Red Roses 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:
5 - O-2
1 - O-21
2 - O-64
2 - O-66


You will also need to cut
and prepare 1/4"
straight bias strip for the stems: 
1 - 4 1/2" long 
4 - 2 1/2" long
You will need a 1/2" prepared bias strip
to measure 4 1/2" long AFTER 
both ends are pressed under.

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:)


*Remember when I showed you how
 to trace the top section of 
O-21 Sew Simple Shape
 for the Blue Coneflower Block 
in my week one video?
Well this pot is exactly the same
so trace accordingly!


All are sewn and shaped!

There are no inner curves
 or cleavage areas to clip
 in these shapes before turning:)

Okay...now for the helpful measurements
 when laying out your block.  



This flower is also  7 1/2" tall 
from the top of the rose to 
the bottom of the pot.
*Also take note that you will need to
 trim the inside ends of each of the
 top side stems on an angle so that 
they can be tucked underneath
the center stem.


Bottom two roses from 
side to side measure 7" wide.


Center roses measure 6" across.


The space between the top rose 
and second roses is 1"


The space between the second row 
and third row of roses is 1/2"


The space between the corner of pot
 and bottom row of roses is also 1/2"

After placing all of your roses
your side stems are easily placed
because they are just centered 
in the roses tucked underneath
 and then the other end is tucked
underneath the center stem. 

After all your stems are 
Sue Glued...place the leaves
 in-between the stems and centered...


Like this!

*Again...it's important to
 always use the Trim-It Rulers 
when laying out your blocks...
especially if they are symmetrical
like these flower blocks are.





Red Roses 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.


Now for the Mums Kit!
 Everything is all cut...
all traced and ready to go!
Calico Garden 
Sew Simple Shapes 
needed for this block:
3 - O-2
3 - O-43
2 - O-56
2 - O-62
1 - O-86
You will also need to cut
and prepare 1/4"
straight bias strip for the stems: 
1 - 5 1/2" long 
2 - 3" 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:)



You will ned to clip the 
two cleavage areas in each of 
the three flowers before turning:)

Now for a few helpful measuring tips!


The Mums are also 7 1/2" tall.


The large leaves are 7" wide


The small leaves are 4 1/2" wide


The space between my
 flowers is about 1 3/8"
 

The side stems begin at about
 1 3/4" up from the top of the mound.


The space between the two leaves
 measures 1 1/2"


Okie Dokie...
I hope these measurements will
 help as you pin and glue your block!!





Mums 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 hope that you enjoy 
growing this week's flowers!


And now we have planted eight flowers
to live in our Calico Garden:)



YaY!
I am seriously loving this!

Thanks so much for sewing with me again
 and for joining me for the 
Calico Garden Sew Along



I'll meet you right back here
on my blog next week for the 
Forget Me Not Block tutorial.

I have already made mine 
but you already know that 
because I showed it to you!
 
But I'll sew up the shapes again
so that I can give you all of the 
tips and important measurements
that I used when making my block!!

Happy Sewing...
xx
Lori