Hive 6- August Tutorial- English Garden block for Vonnie

 Happy July! I hope you have all had a parade, fireworks, and some cold watermelon. July has been a great month for a break.

Here is a picture of the block for August. The pattern was published in 'Down the Garden Path' (2000) by Fiber Mosaic's. The block is called English Garden. I chose this pattern with plans to make a baby quilt for my first great granddaughter due in December. Thanks for your help in welcoming a sweet baby girl to our family.

Fabric Selection

I have chosen to request all medium gray cotton fabrics for the flower petals.  I hope you have gray cotton fabric with calico or small scale geometric patterns, small prints rather than large or bold prints. See samples below. The color tone can be lighter or darker than the color pictured so long as there is contrast between the petals and the white background and darker grays don't compete with the bottom black border. 

The background fabric choice is white on white cotton. I had fabric strips that were wide enough for me to cut the squares and strips for each block. I was able to match the same fabric within each block except for one of my samples, so either works, all matching or different white on white fabrics.

The center blocks will all be pink cotton fabric. Hopefully, you can find a pretty pink scrap to add to your block.

The black border strip should be a black cotton fabric, not a solid, but once again a black on black  or gray on black pattern or geometrical design. Nothing too flashy that will compete or overpower the flower. 

Cutting Instructions

1.  Gray fabric - petals - Cut 4 - 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" squares.

2.  White fabric - background - Cut 8 - 2 1/4" squares & 4 - 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" strips.

3.  Pink fabric - Cut 1 - 1 1/2" square.

4.  Black fabric (Not pictured) - bottom border - Cut 1 - 11 1/2" x 2 1/2" strip.

Total pieces cut - 18

Assembly 

1.  Draw a diagonal line from the top corner to the bottom corner on the wrong side of each of the 8 - 2 1/4" blocks. I use a fine tip mechanical pencil. I also line them up beforehand when there is a directional pattern on the fabric so once they are sewn onto the blocks the white on white pattern faces the same direction on all finished blocks. These blocks are facing down and there was not a directional pattern on this sample so I could just mark the corner to corner lines any which way. 

2.  Lay the four petal blocks in a square with the 2 1/4" blocks positioned in the correct corners. This allows for chain sewing with few mistakes. I begin sewing the inside top corner to the top left block, then work my way clockwise. I keep the small blocks in place so I know which corner the next round of blocks will be attached to. Once I sew the first four squares in place on each block, I continue to sew by attaching the bottom left square to the first block and work my way around clockwise again. At this point, all of the 2 1/4" blocks should be sewn to the gray blocks. I then sew my 1 1/2" pink square to the end of one 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" strips and leave that in my machine while I clip the threads between my block chain.

3. The 2 1/2" blocks are then trimmed leaving 1/4" to the outside of each square. The white fabric is then pressed out which results in a new two colored 5 1/2" square. These blocks should be squared up to 5 1/2" if the white fabric is not even with the gray fabric. The pink square can also be attached to the next 1 1/2" strip for the center of the block.

 

4. Lay the block in place and attach a 5 1/2" x 1 1/2" strip between the to left hand top right hand blocks. Repeat with the bottom blocks with the strip joining the two blocks.  At this point you should have two equal blocks for the top and bottom of the block and one narrow block to sew between the the top and bottom blocks. 

5. Once the block is completed sewn on the black strip - 11 1/2" x 2 1/2" - it is sewn to the bottom of the block. 

Finish Block

The finished block measures 11 1/2" x 13 1/2".  I am excited to see the blocks you create. I am excited to put it together and give it away to our new baby girl. I am planning to back it with pink minky to give it a soft touch. Let me know what you think.