Prairie Blossoms

Designer: Debbie Wiesner

• 3-3⁄4 yards of gold print for appliqué foundations and border blocks
• 4-3⁄4-yard pieces of assorted red prints for flower appliqués, border blocks, sashing squares, and binding
• 5--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) of assorted green prints for leaf and large circle appliqués
• 14" square of dark brown print for small circle appliqués
• 1 yard of olive green print for sashing and inner border
• 4 yards of backing fabric
• 72" square of quilt batting
• 4-1⁄2 yards of lightweight fusible web

Finished quilt top: 66" square

Finished block: 16" 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" above for pattern pieces. To use fusible web for appliquéing, as was done with this project, complete the following steps.

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

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

From gold print, cut:

• 9--16-1⁄2" squares for appliqué foundations
• 40--6-1⁄2" squares

From each red print, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips
• 41--2-1⁄2" squares
• 9 of Pattern A

From each of four green prints, cut:

• 9 of Pattern B

From remaining green print, cut:

• 9 of Pattern C

From dark brown print, cut:

• 45 of Pattern D

From olive green print, cut:

• 6--1-1⁄2 ×42" strips for inner border
• 12--2-1⁄2 ×16-1⁄2" sashing strips

1.     Fold a gold print 16-1⁄2" square in half vertically and horizontally. Lightly finger-press each fold to create positioning guides for the appliqué pieces; unfold.

2.     Referring to the Appliqué Placement Diagram, arrange the appliqué pieces on the gold print 16-1⁄2" foundation square. To give each block more interest, designer Debbie Wiesner used one flower appliqué from each red print and one leaf appliqué from each of the four green prints in each block. Fuse the appliqué pieces in place.

3.     Machine-blanket-stitch around the shapes with matching threads, working from the bottom layer up.

4.     Repeat steps 1 through 3 to make a total of nine appliquéd blocks.

1.     Referring to the Quilt Assembly Diagram for placement, lay out the nine appliquéd blocks, the 12 olive green print 2-1⁄2 ×16-1⁄2" sashing strips, and four red print 2-1⁄2" sashing squares in five horizontal rows.​

2.     Sew together the pieces in each row. Press the seam allowances toward the sashing strips. Then join the rows to make the quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the sashing strips. The pieced quilt center should measure 52-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances.

1.     Cut and piece the olive green print 1-1⁄2 ×42" strips to make the following:

• 2--1-1⁄2 ×54-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×52-1⁄2" inner border strips

2.     Sew the short olive green print inner border strips to opposite edges of the quilt center. Then add the long olive green print inner border strips to the remaining edges of the quilt center. Press all seam allowances toward the inner border.

1.     For accurate sewing lines, use a quilter's pencil to mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the remaining red print 2-1⁄2" squares. (To prevent the fabric from stretching as you draw the lines, place 220- grit sandpaper under the squares.)

2.     Align a marked red print square with each corner of a gold print 6-1⁄2" square (see the Snowball Block Diagram; note the placement of the marked diagonal lines). Stitch on the marked lines; trim away the excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowances. Press the attached triangles open to make a Snowball block. The pieced Snowball block should still measure 6-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of 40 Snowball blocks.

3.     Referring to the Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together nine Snowball blocks in a row to make a short outer border strip. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced short outer border strip should measure 6-1⁄2×54-1⁄2", including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short outer border strip.

4.     Sew the short outer border strips to opposite edges of the quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the inner border.

5.     Sew together 11 Snowball blocks in a row to make a long outer border strip. Press the seam allowances in one direction. The pieced long outer border strip should measure 6-1⁄2 ×66-1⁄2", including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long outer border strip.

6. Sew the long outer border strips to the remaining edges of the quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the inner border.

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

2.     Cut the red print 2-1⁄2 ×42" strips in half. Then piece them together with diagonal seams, alternating the red prints. Use the pieced strip to bind the quilt.