Hive 2 - October Tutorial - Sunflower Block for Carrie

 Lovely Ladies…The instructional post I found for this was pretty spot on and easy to follow. I’ve included the link and details below as she deserves the credit. I’ve just updated the colors and details and screenshots with my block.

For this block’s color pull, I’m looking for Fall Colors for the Sunflower’s petals (Red, Orange, Yellow,
Dark Green, Brown); a darker color for the center; and a cream background please. Batiks are my
favorite and add a lot of contrasting colors into each flower. Batik fabric isn’t required, just
recommended to get more contrast.

Fabric pull:

• 4 similar colored fabrics for petals

• 1 darker or contrast color for center

•  Cream for background

This block is a little more cutting and sewing than our latest blocks, but I actually found it much easier to make than how the final block looks.

Hope you all enjoy this one and I can’t wait to see what you all come up with for your Fall Sunflowers!

How to Sew a Traditional Sunflower Quilt Block Posted by Elaine Huff on Aug 04, 2020

This is what’s called a traditional Sunflower quilt block. Its design starts with a basic Friendship Star block but layers in extra points.

 Fabric Requirements for a 12"; Finished Sunflower Quilt Block:

• Light/Cream: 2 - 5.5"; squares, 2 - 3"; squares, and 8 - 2.5"; squares
• Medium 1/Butterfly: 4 - 5"; squares
•  Medium 2/Gray Flowers: 4 - 2.5" x 4.5"; rectangle
• Dark 1/Red Leaves: 2 - 3" squares
•  Dark 2/Red Flowers: 2 - 5.5"; squares
•  Dark 3/Center: 1 - 4.5"; square
  

 

Sewing Directions:

Corner Units:

Step 1:
Using the Light/Cream 3"; squares and the Dark 1/Red Leaves 3"; squares, sew together four Half Square Triangle (HST) units as shown below. Trim/square up the units to 2.5"; square.

 

Step 2:
Match up one Light/Cream 2.5" square with one HST from Step 1 as shown below and sew together. Press the seam allowance toward the Light/Cream square. Repeat for a total of four units.
 

Step 3:
Now you will match up one of the remaining Light/Cream 2.5" squares with one of the Medium 2/Grey Flowers 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles. This is just like a half of a Flying Geese block. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of the Light/Cream 2.5" square and sew on the line (top image); match up the corners and press (2nd image); trim away the excess seam allowance (3rd image); and unit is completed (bottom image). Repeat for a total of four units.
 
 


Step 4:
Match one Step 2 unit and one Step 3 unit and sew together as shown in the picture below.

 
Step 5:
Press the seam allowance. Here you can see that I pressed toward the Step 3 unit but you can press in either direction. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for a total of four Corner units.

Half and a Quarter Units:

Step 6:
Really didn't know what to call this unit so Half and a Quarter it is! To start making this unit, you'll need to make four Half Square Triangle units using the 2 Light/Cream 5.5" squares and the 2 Dark 2/Red Leaves 5.5" squares (apologies, I forgot to grab this screenshot). You don't need to trim these units just yet, but my brain needs precision, so I trimmed them up to 5”.

Step 7:
Mark a line on the back of the Step 6 HSTs perpendicular to the seam as shown below. It's more important to have the line be perpendicular to the seam, than to go precisely to each corner because you'll be squaring up the unit. Pair up one of the Step 6 HSTs and one Medium 1/Butterfly 5" squares.

 

 In the picture below you can see the next few steps. First, sew 1/4" on each side of the marked line (top left image). Then cut on the marked line (top right image). Open up the units and press toward the Medium 1/Butterfly fabric. You will get two different patches (bottom two images). The bottom right patch is a bonus - you don't need it for this block. (But please feel free to send these with your block, as I’d love to incorporate them into the quilt!) Square up the unit to 4.5" square.

Step 8:

In the picture below you can see the next few steps. First, sew 1/4" on each side of the marked line (top left image). Then cut on the marked line (top right image). Open up the units and press toward the Medium 1/Butterfly fabric. You will get two different patches (bottom two images). The bottom right patch is a bonus - you don't need it for this block. (But please feel free to send these with your block, as I’d love to incorporate them into the quilt!) Square up the unit to 4.5" square.

 

Step 9:

Repeat Steps 7 and 8 for a total of four units like the ones shown in the picture below.

Putting It All Together:

Step 10:
Lay out the Corner units, the Half and a Quarter units, and the Medium 2/Scroll 4.5" square as shown in the picture below.

Step 11:

From here you'll sew the Sunflower block together like a typical Nine Patch block. Sew the units together into three rows. Then sew those rows together. I ironed my row seams open, as it helped the block lay flatter.
 

And you’re done!! I hope you all enjoy this block as much as I did. I liked the challenge, and my heart just has a propensity for HST! I cannot wait to see all your flowers and put together a lovely Fall Sunflower Quilt!  

Carrie