Botanical Batiks Wall Quilt

Inspired by Center Stage from designer Laurie Simpson of Minick and Simpson

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 5/8 yard green batik (appliqué)
• 5/8 yard gold batik (appliqué foundation)
• 1 yard dark purple batik (inner and middle borders, binding)
• 1/2 yard light purple batik (inner border)
• 7/8 yard total assorted light batiks in brown, peach, blue, and gold (outer border)
• 5/8 yard total assorted dark batiks in blue, brown, peach, and gold (outer border)
• 2-7/8 yards backing fabric
• 51" square batting
• 18" square lightweight fusible web
• 18" square freezer paper (optional)

Finished quilt: 42-1/2" square

Finished blocks: center block, 18" square; hourglass blocks, 7" 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" for patterns and tips on making and using templates.

(To rotary-cut this piece instead of using a template, see Step 2 of Assemble Hourglass Blocks.)

To cut the Center Block Appliqué Pattern, complete steps in Prepare Appliqué, Method 1 or Method 2.

From green batik, cut:

• 1--19" square

From gold batik, cut:

• 1--20" square for foundation

From dark purple batik, cut:

• 5--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 2--1-1/2 x28-1/2" middle border strips
• 2--1-1/2 x26-1/2" middle border strips
• 88--2-1/2" squares

From light purple batik, cut:

• 44--2-1/2x4-1/2" rectangles

From assorted light batiks, cut:

• 10--2-1/4x42" strips

From assorted dark batiks, cut:

• 10--2-1/4 x42" strips

Prepare the center block appliqué for fusing using one of two methods.

METHOD 1

This option has more steps but less tracing than Method 2.

1. Center fusible-web 18" square on wrong side of green batik 19" square. Following manufacturer's instructions, press, then let cool.

2. Fold freezer-paper 18" square in half vertically, then horizontally, and finally diagonally, finger-pressing after each fold, to make a triangle (Photo A).

3. The Center Block Appliqué Pattern is in two parts on pages 7 and 8. Cut out parts of pattern on dashed and solid lines and tape together. Position pattern on folded freezer-paper triangle, aligning pattern's dashed lines with folded edges of triangle. Staple or pin in place through all layers (Photo B).

4. Using sharp scissors, cut through all layers on solid lines to make a freezer-paper template (Photo C). Tip: Don't worry if you don't cut exactly on the lines; because you're cutting through all layers, like cutting a snowflake, your design will be symmetrical.

5. Remove staples or pins and unfold freezer-paper template. Center template on right side of fused green batik square. Press with a hot dry iron. Trace around freezer paper with a pencil or chalk pencil (Photo D).

6. Cut out fabric shape on drawn lines to make center block appliqué. Peel off paper backing.

METHOD 2

This option has fewer steps but more tracing than Method 1. Note: Some brands of fusible web may release from the paper backing when you fold them. We used Shades SoftFuse (shadestextiles.com) in Photo E.

1. Fold fusible-web 18" square in half vertically, then horizontally, and finally diagonally, finger-pressing after each fold; unfold.

2. Position a creased triangle of fusible web, paper side up, over Center Block Appliqué Pattern, aligning dashed lines on pattern with creases in fusible web. Using a pencil, trace pattern in alternating triangles of fusible web (Photo E). Trace pattern reversed in remaining triangles. Cut out fusible-web shape roughly 1/4" outside traced lines.

3. With a hot dry iron, fuse shape to wrong side of green batik 19" square. Cut out fabric shape on drawn lines to make center block appliqué. Peel off paper backing.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, position center block appliqué on gold batik 20" foundation square. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse appliqué in place.

2. Using matching green thread, machine-blanket-stitch all appliqué edges.

3. With appliqué centered, trim gold batik foundation to 18-1/2" square, including seam allowances, to make center block.

1. Use a pencil or white chalk pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each dark purple batik 2-1/2" square.

2. Align a marked dark purple batik square with one end of a light purple batik 2-1/2x4-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line; trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward dark purple batik triangle.

3. Align a second marked dark purple batik square with opposite end of Step 2 rectangle (Diagram 1; again note direction of marked line). Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 4-1/2x2-1/2" including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 44 Flying Geese units total.

1. Referring to Diagram 2, sew together an assorted light batik 2-1/4x42" strip and an assorted dark batik 2-1/4x42" strip to make a strip set. Press seam toward dark batik.

2. Cut strip set into pieced triangles using the Triangle Pattern template or a ruler and rotary cutter.

If using the template, refer to Diagram 3 for placement and cut eight pieced triangles-four dark (with dark batik at the base) and four light (with light batik at the base).

If using a ruler and rotary cutter, cut one end of strip set at a 45° angle. Referring to Optional Triangle Cutting Diagram, move ruler over 1/4" at top of triangle so a blunt tip will be created upon cutting; cut remaining triangle edge in a 45° angle. Repeat to cut eight triangles from strip set-four dark (with dark batik at the base) and four light (with light batik at the base).

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make 40 dark pieced triangles and 40 light pieced triangles total.

4. Sew together two matching dark pieced triangles and two matching light pieced triangles in pairs (Diagram 4). Press seams toward dark pieced triangles. Join pairs to make an hourglass block; press seam in one direction. The block should be 7-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 20 hourglass blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together nine Flying Geese units to make a short inner border strip. Press seams in one direction. The short inner border strip should be 4-1/2x18-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short inner border strip.

2. Join 13 Flying Geese units to make a long inner border strip. Press seams in one direction. The long inner border strip should be 4-1/2 x26-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long inner border strip.

3. Sew short inner border strips to opposite edges of center block. Add long inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward center block. The quilt center now should be 26-1/2" square including seam allowances.

4. Sew dark purple batik 1-1/2 x261/2" middle border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add dark purple batik 1-1/2 x28-1/2" middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward middle border. The quilt center now should be 28-1/2" square including seam allowances.

5. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together four hourglass blocks, rotating every other block, to make a short outer border strip. Press seams in one direction. The short outer border strip should be 7-1/2 x28-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short outer border strip.

6. Rotating every other block, join six hourglass blocks to make a long outer border strip. Press seams in one direction. The long outer border strip should be 7-1/2 x42-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long outer border strip.

7. Sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward middle border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with dark purple batik binding strips.