Folk Art Primer

Designer: Karla Menaugh

• 5⁄8 yard solid black (appliqué foundation, border)
• 5×10-1⁄2" piece blue stripe (bird's body)
• 3×5-1⁄2" piece blue plaid (bird's wing)
• 15×10" piece green-and-cream small plaid (stems, small leaves)
• 6-1⁄2 ×7-1⁄2" piece green-and-cream large plaid (large leaves)
• 4×13" piece dark pink plaid (berries)
• 1⁄2 yard light pink stripe (berries, border, binding)
• 23×29" backing fabric
• 23×29" batting
• Freezer paper
• Fabric glue stick

Finished quilt: 16-1⁄2 ×23"

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. Top and bottom dogtooth borders are foundation-pieced. The instructions that follow use a freezer-paper method to prepare pieces for machine appliqué. (Patterns are provided for this technique; if you're using another method, reverse patterns using a light box or sunny window.)

1. Lay freezer paper, shiny side down, over patterns. Use a pencil to trace each pattern the number of times indicated in cutting instructions. Cut out freezer-paper shapes on drawn lines.

2. Using a hot, dry iron, press freezer-paper shapes, shiny sides down, onto wrong sides of designated fabrics, leaving 1⁄2" between shapes; let cool. Cut out each shape, adding a 3⁄16" seam allowance to all edges. Cut seam allowances slightly narrower at tips of leaves; clip inner curves as necessary.

3. On each appliqué shape, run a glue stick along wrong side of seam allowance (only on edges that will be turned under), then finger-press seam allowance to back of freezer paper; let dry.

From solid black, cut: 

• 1--18×22" rectangle for appliqué foundation (you will trim foundation after appliquéing)
• 24--2-1⁄4 ×2-1⁄2" rectangles

From blue stripe, cut:  

• 1 of Pattern J

From blue plaid, bias-cut:  

• 1 of Pattern K

From green-and-cream small plaid, bias-cut:  

• 1 each of patterns A, B, C, F, H, I, and I reversed
• 2 of Pattern G

From green-and-cream large plaid, cut:  

• 1 each of patterns D and E

From dark pink plaid, cut:  

• 14 of Pattern M

From light pink stripe, cut:  

• 1--17" square, cutting it into enough 2-1⁄2"-wide bias strips to total 92" in length for binding
• 26--2-1⁄4 ×2-1⁄2" rectangles
• 14 of Pattern L

1. Referring to Appliqué Placement Diagram, machine-appliqué a dark pink plaid M berry center to each light pink stripe L berry.

2. Arrange berries and pattern pieces A-L on solid black appliqué foundation; baste in place.

3. Using thread that matches appliqué shapes and working from bottom layer to top, machine-appliqué pieces in place to make quilt center.

4. Soak quilt center in cold water to remove glue. Machine-dry with dry towel to help absorb excess water. Trim foundation fabric behind appliqués, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowances. Peel away freezer paper and discard. Press from wrong side and trim to 16-1⁄2 ×19-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

Trace Border Foundation Pattern onto tracing paper (you will need to connect the two sections). Trace all lines and numbers to make top border foundation paper. Top border foundation paper should be 2-1⁄4 ×16-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make bottom border foundation paper. Cut out tracings on outer dashed lines.

Because the top and bottom borders are foundation-pieced, the fabric pieces used to make them are cut larger than necessary-at least 1⁄4" larger on all sides than the areas of the foundation paper they will cover. Cutting generous fabric pieces reduces the chance of assembly errors. You'll trim the pieces to the correct size after stitching them to the foundation paper.

When foundation-piecing, you'll sew from the wrong side of the border unit, so the finished unit will be the mirror image of the foundation paper.

1. With right sides together, place a light pink stripe 2-1⁄4 ×2-1⁄2" rectangle atop a solid black 2-1⁄4 ×2-1⁄2" rectangle, aligning edges. Place top border foundation paper on top of light pink stripe rectangle (Diagram 1). Position layered rectangles under foundation paper so their right edges are a scant 1⁄4" beyond the first stitching line and about 1⁄4" above top of border. With foundation paper on top, sew on first stitching line through all layers.

2. Press fabric pieces open, pressing seam allowance toward solid black piece (Diagram 2). Trim both pieces even with edges of foundation paper and 1⁄4" beyond the second stitching line (Diagram 3).

3. Position a light pink stripe 2-1⁄4 ×2-1⁄2" rectangle under the solid black piece with right edge 1⁄4" beyond second stitching line. Sew on second stitching line (Diagram 4).

4. Trim fabric seam allowance, if needed. Press pieces open, pressing seam allowance toward second light pink stripe (Diagram 5). Trim second light pink stripe piece even with edges of foundation paper and 1⁄4" beyond the next stitching line.

5. Continue adding rectangles, alternating solid black and light pink stripe 2-1⁄4 ×2-1⁄2" rectangles and pressing and trimming as before, until you've pieced the entire top dogtooth border (Diagram 6). Top dogtooth border should be 2-1⁄4 ×16-1⁄2" including seam allowances. With the blunt edge of a seam ripper, remove foundation paper.

6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 with bottom border foundation paper to make bottom dogtooth border.

7. Add top and bottom borders to quilt center. Press seams toward quilt center.

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

2. Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Pamela Mayfield echo-stitched around the appliqués and added a vining loopy design in the stems and in each solid black and light pink stripe point in the borders. She stitched in the ditch around the berries and in each border, gave details to the bird's body and wings, and sewed winding leaf motifs in each large and small leaf.

3. Bind with light pink stripe bias binding strips.