Folk Art Floral Wreaths

Quilt designer: Pat Sloan

From Quilts & More, Spring 2005

• 1 yard of cream print for applique foundations
• 1/2 yard of green print No. 1 for wreath and flower stamen appliques
• 1/3 yard of green print No. 2 for leaf appliques
• 1/4 yard of red stripe for flower appliques
• 1/2 yard of red print for flower bud appliques and binding
• 1/4 yard of light gold print for flower center appliques and sashing
• 2/3 yard of light green print for sashing and border
• 1 yard of cream floral for border
• 3- 1/8 yards of backing fabric
• 55" square of quilt batting
• lightweight fusible web

Finished quilt top: 48-1/2" square

Finished block: 15-1/2" square

Quantities specified for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. All measurements include a 1/4" seam allowance. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the order that follows. Click on "Download This Project" to download the full-size patterns. To use fusible web for appliqueing, complete the following steps.

1. Lay the fusible web, paper side up, over the patterns. Use a pencil to trace each pattern the necessary number of times, leaving 1/2" between tracings. Cut out each fusible-web piece roughly 1/4" outside the traced lines.

2. Following the manufacturer's instructions, press the fusible-web pieces onto the backs of the designated fabrics; let cool. Cut out the fabric shapes on the drawn lines. Peel off the paper backings.

From cream print, cut:

• 4--16" squares for applique foundations

From green print No. 1, cut:

• 16 of Pattern A
• 48 of Pattern F

From green print No. 2, cut:

• 32 each of patterns D and D reversed

From red stripe, cut:

• 16 of Pattern B

From red print, cut:

• 5--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 48 of Pattern E

From light gold print, cut:

• 16 of Pattern C
• 9--2" squares for sashing

From light green print, cut:

• 12--2x16" sashing strips
• 4--7" squares for border corners

From cream floral, cut:

• 4--7x36" border strips

1. Referring to the Applique Placement Diagram, arrange four green print A wreath pieces and four red stripe B flowers on a cream print 16"-square applique foundation; fuse in place. (Pat prefers fusing these pieces in place before placing other applique pieces on the foundation so they can be used as a guide for spacing.) Add four light gold print C flower centers, eight green print D leaves, eight green print D reversed leaves, 12 green print F flower stamens, and 12 red print E flower buds; fuse in place.

2. Using threads that match the applique fabrics and working from the bottom layer to the top, machine-blanket-stitch the pieces to the foundation to make an appliqued folk wreath block. (Pat used a variegated thread to blanket-stitch the flowers, buds, and flower centers.)

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the remaining applique pieces and cream print 16"-square applique foundations to make a total of four appliqued folk wreath blocks. Note: To ensure the pieces on all four blocks will be in the same places, position the first appliqued block beneath each remaining applique foundation and use it as a placement guide.

1. Referring to the Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out the four appliqued folk wreath blocks, the 12 light green print 2x16" sashing strips, and the nine light gold print 2" sashing squares in five horizontal rows.

2. Sew together the pieces in each row. Press the seam allowances toward the light green print sashing strips. Then join the rows to make the pieced quilt center. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced quilt center should measure 36" square, including the seam allowances.

1. Sew two cream floral 7x36" border strips to opposite edges of the pieced quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the border strips.

2. Sew a light green print 7" square to each end of the remaining cream floral 7x36" border strips. Press the seam allowances toward the light green print squares. Then join the pieced border strips to the remaining edges of the pieced quilt center to complete the quilt top. Press the seam allowances toward the border.

1. Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing.

2. Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Lorre Fleming outline-quilted around the appliques, stipple-quilted in the block backgrounds, and stitched loops in the sashing strips and a large floral design in the border.

3. Use the red print 2-1/2x42" strips to bind the quilt.