Button Blooms

Designer: Avis Shirer of Joined At the Hip 

• 3⁄4 yard tan print (appliqué foundations)
• 3⁄8 yard green print (stem and leaf appliqués)
• 7⁄8 yard dark pink floral (blocks, border, binding)
• 5⁄8 yard cream tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 1⁄8 yard pink floral (blocks)
• 7-5⁄8 yards 1-1⁄2"-wide pink rickrack
• 2-5⁄8  yards backing fabric
• 47" square batting
• 120-1⁄2"- to 1"-diameter assorted buttons: pink
• Fusible web

Finished quilt: 40-1⁄2" square

Finished blocks: 12" square

Quantities are for 44⁄45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces. To use fusible web for appliquéing, complete the following steps.

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

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

From tan print, cut:

• 5--12-1⁄2" squares

From green print, cut:

• 20 of Pattern A
• 40 each of patterns B and C

From dark pink floral, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips
• 2--2-1⁄2 ×40-1⁄2" border strips
• 2--2-1⁄2 ×36-1⁄2" border strips
• 8--3-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 triangles total

From cream tone-on-tone, cut:

• 16--3-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangles
• 16--3-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 32 triangles total

From pink floral, cut:

• 8--3-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 triangles total

From pink rickrack, cut:

• 16--6-1⁄2"-long pieces

1. Fold each tan print 12-1⁄2" square in half diagonally twice. Lightly press folds to create five foundation squares with appliqué placement guidelines; unfold.

2. Referring to Diagram 1 for placement, position green print A stems and B and C leaves on a foundation square. Fuse all pieces in place.

3. Using matching thread, machine-blanket-stitch around each appliqué to make an appliquéd block.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make five appliquéd blocks total. (The pink buttons will be added after the quilt top is quilted.)

1. Sew together a dark pink floral triangle and a cream tone-on-tone triangle to make a dark pink triangle-square (Diagram 2). Press seam toward dark pink triangle. The triangle-square should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 dark pink triangle-squares total.

2. Repeat Step 1 using pink floral triangles and cream tone-on-tone triangles to make 16 pink triangle-squares (Diagram 3). Press seams toward pink triangles.

3. Center a 6-1⁄2"-long piece of pink rickrack on a cream tone-on-tone 3-1⁄2 ×6-1⁄2" rectangle. Pin in place. Using a straight stitch and matching thread, machine-stitch along long edges of rickrack to make a rickrack rectangle (Diagram 4). Repeat to make 16 rickrack rectangles total.

4. Referring to Diagram 5, sew together two dark pink triangle-squares and two pink triangle-squares in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a block center; press seam in one direction. The block center should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four block centers total.

5. Referring to Diagram 6, sew together two dark pink triangle-squares, two pink triangle-squares, four rickrack rectangles, and a block center in three rows. Press seams toward rectangles. Join rows to make a pieced block; press seams away from center row. The block should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four pieced blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out appliquéd and pieced blocks in three rows, alternating blocks. Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams toward appliquéd blocks.

2. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 36-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

Sew short dark pink floral border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long dark pink floral border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2. Quilt as desired. Designer Avis Shirer machine-quilted an allover stipple design, avoiding stitching over the appliqués and rickrack.

3. Bind with dark pink floral binding strips.

4. Referring to photo, hand-sew 24 assorted pink buttons onto each appliquéd block.

5. With quilt top facedown, pin remaining pink rickrack to backing, placing middle of rickrack along edge of quilt and overlapping ends. Hand-stitch in place, gently easing rickrack around each corner. Turn under ends and tack-stitch to complete quilt.