Spring?

"The earth laughs in flowers." - e. e. cummings

So many bloggers are showing their wonderful flowers starting to appear. I am so jealous! We won't expect to see Spring and sprouts for another 3-4 weeks.

So when given lemons, make lemonade. I decided to have a little FUN sewing and make my own flower.




SQUARED UP

SUPPLIES:
5 background charms (silly me I only show 4 in the photo)
4 'flower' charms
2 charms - one for stem and one for leaves
1 charm for vase

Flower unit: Take one background charm and cut into quarters - four 2.5" squares.

Draw a line diagonal and pin right sides together to corner of flower charms as shown in photo.

Now sew on your drawn line - you can quickly chain sew these units.

Trim off the excess corner and press out to the corner. Square up if needed.

Lay out your 4 'petals' and sew together. I pressed all seams open to eliminate bulk. Just like making a 4-patch unit! These blocks make quick little flowers for a quilt, too. Just add a yo-yo center and you have a blooming baby quilt.

The stem unit: I cut a 1.5" strip from one charm for stem, but you could use a piece of scrap for this. Sew to one background charm and then repeat to the other charm . The leaf was made by cutting the other charm diagonally. Then I pressed in half and zig-zaged the edges. Remember this was for FUN - no fussing.

I simply overlapped the leaves and zig-zagged across the bottoms of the leaves to attach - giving a 3-D effect. Trim stem/leaf unit 9.5". Have fun - try big rick rack for stem and wool applique leaves for texture.

Vase unit: Take your vase charm and fold in half - wrong sides together. Pin 5" raw edges to right side of one background charm. Take your second background charm and lay face down on this matching edges - pin and sew seam. See photo.

First press seam open from back, turn over and press 'vase' piece centered - another 3-D element.

Sew all your units together. I used a scrap piece of batt and scrap backing to sandwich out my flower and just some simple quilting. You could add a sashing around entire piece if you like. I like to hand stitch binding, so I used a scrap piece of binding. Or you could use the method of turning your backing to the front for a faux binding. Which ever finishing you prefer. This is to be FUN. Add some fun embellishments - I love buttons -

When I have a small, light weight wallhanging that I am using binding sewn to the back, I like to use this method of a hanger. Just take a square of fabric - these were 3.5" square, fold diagonally and stitch across bias fold. THen baste stitch to top corners. They will get caught in with the binding finishing to the back. Then I can slide a dowel in and hang from a nail or tack.

Feel free to share with your friends, make any design changes, express with embellishments. Have FUN. I would love to know if you make a SPRING FLOWER of your own. Wouldn't it be fun to see these sprout up around the net?


Sewingly Yours,
Sharon