Bountiful Bouquet Month Four

Happy New Year!  I'll be posting a little more about resolutions and the like later on this week, but for today, here is your next instalment of Bountiful Bouquet.

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Are you ready for the next step?

I'm aware this is the worst possible time to find a spare five minutes to sew, so I've made this month's tasks easy ones.  Just a couple of blocks to make and then you can relax!

I apologise for the picture heavy post, but I think it makes it easier. 

Please note *** and this is important!!*** The picture below is a little different from my actual design.  I've been trying to fix the diagram but it's a little complicated for my tired self right now.  I tried my little pants off to fix the diagram, but somewhere between when I did the diagram and now, I got stupid.  Or I need sleep.   I will in due time amend the diagram but for now, just follow my written instructions and photographs and don't rely too much on the picture below.  Just use it as a basic guide.

First of all, we will make a long border of flying geese.  You can either make them from random colours or you can do as I have done and make them all the same.

Cut five 4.5" x 2.5" rectangles from one fabric.

Cut ten 2.5" squares from another fabric.

Draw a pencil line across the diagonal on the wrong side of the 2.5" squares.

Lay one square right sides together over 4.5" x 2.5" rectangle. 

Stitch on line.

Press back in place.

Lay other 2.5" square over rectangle.

Stitch on line

Press back in place

From another colour, cut four 4.5" x 2.5" rectangles and two 3.5" x 2.5" rectangles.

Stitch into a row.  I have stitched a plain 4.5" rectangle in between the five flying geese, and then stitched a 3.5" rectangle on either end.  Make sure you press nicely, and this row should now measure 42.5" x 2.5".  See photo at the end of the post for details.

Put aside for now.

Now, because that was so easy peasy, we'll just do another quick row.

For this step, we will be making snowballs and hourglasses.   Make as random as you wish, or copy me and make them all the same.

Snowball block - make five

From assorted cream fabrics, cut five 4.5" squares.  From assorted colour fabrics, cut twenty 2.5" squares

On the wrong side of all the 2.5" squares, draw a light pencil line across the diagonals as shown.

 

Lay one of these squares right sides together as shown over a 4.5" square.

Stitch on line as shown.

Press back into place.

Repeat this step with the remaining sides of large square, being sure to press each small square back as you go.

Hourglass blocks - make six

We will be using two separate colours for this step or you can choose to make random hourglasses.

From each fabric, cut three 5.5" squares.

Draw a light pencil line across the diagonal on wrong side of one colour.

Lay this block over other coloured 4.5" square.  Stitch 1/4" from either side of the drawn line.

Cut on pencil line.

Press open, being sure that you press towards the darker side.

Draw a diagonal line across the seam on the wrong side of one half square triangle as shown

Lay half square triangles right sides together, with seams matching.  It's a bit hard to explain this step, but you want the opposite sides touching. 

I found this website very handy in this step - if you're stuck, they do a much better job than me at explaining.

Stitch a 1/4" away from both sides of pencil line.

Cut apart on traced line

Press each square open.

Trim each block to measure 4.5" square.

Stitch the hourglass blocks to the snowball blocks, alternating them.  Your row should start and finish with an snowball block.  When complete, this should measure 36.5" x 4.5".

From another fabric, cut (2) 3.5" x 4.5" rectangles.  Stitch to either end of your row.  I used the purple from the hour glass blocks.

When complete, this row should measure 4.5" x 42.5".  As always, adjust if necessary.  See photo below for details.

And that's it!  We'll see you next month!  Please email me if you have queries.

Suzie