Welcome to the Blackbirds & Blossoms Oh-La-La Quilt-Along! I’ve got pleasure of delivering the first step: the center block decorated with a flower wreath. In my crafty past, I’ve been known to weave a wreath or two or three. In fact, I’ve even made a dimensional appliqué wreath based on the floral art of Pierre Joseph Redouté. Luckily, this Quilt-Along version builds quickly and much more easily!
Slightly cropped view of the center wreath block. This image shows some of the preliminary stitching around the pattern pieces.
My blogging sisters and I elected to follow an improvisational approach to our collective project, although we did agree to a few parameters to keep the look consistent throughout the design process.
As I was the first, I downscaled my flowers and greenery in the center block, while they used larger sizes in the outer blocks. We also agreed to employ a raw-edged, fused appliqué method simply because it was much easier and faster for our mother-of-the-bride (and for the rest of us too). Choose your preferred appliqué method because the quilt is designed to flatter all techniques.
I’ve outlined my process below, but don’t worry about copying all those details. Click the Patterns tab for the instructions for building the center block and the circle and leaf template pattern sheet.
Rough draft of wreath layout–notice the stay stitching around the perimeter of the linen background block. (Yes, the wreath base is not centered on the background fabric–it’s an audition!)
Notice the flowers that I didn’t use? Turns out, less is more in this layout.
I’ve made a short video to demonstrate how to make a split leaf. Click here for my directorial debut!
So, as I was finalizing the layout of the center block, I realized I needed a pop of something to jazz up the design. I’ve noticed that polka dots often add that jolt fun that makes a quilt happy.
Oh! Something dotty is just the ticket!
There ya go, quilting peeps: The first block of the Blackbirds & Blossoms Oh-La-La! Quilt-Along. Get crackin’!
p.s. Jennifer’s lessons: less is more and layering is lovely.
p.p.s. See the sneak peek of the next blocks (in process) below.
Once my block was done, we auditioned the setting triangles for the wreath block and the next set of blocks.