Pocketful of Posies

Designer: Kim Gillilan of Sugar Pine Designs

• 7⁄8 yard of purple print for block and borders
• 10" square of yellow print for  block and outer border
• 1⁄2 yard of cream print for block
• 5⁄8 yard of green plaid for leaf appliqués and outer border
• 10" square of green stripe for stem appliqués
• Scrap of dark purple print for block
• 1⁄2 yard of purple stripe for block and binding
• 1⁄2 yard of green print for block and pieced border
• 3⁄8 yard of white-and-purple print for setting triangles
• 1-1⁄4 yards of backing fabric
• 42" square of quilt batting
• 5-1⁄4" length of yellow rickrack
• 3⁄4"-diameter purple button

Finished quilt: 36-1⁄4" square

Finished block: 14" 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. Be sure to add a 3⁄16" seam allowance when cutting out appliqué pieces.

From purple print, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄8 ×28-3⁄4" middle border strips
• 2--1-1⁄8 ×27-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 2--1-1⁄8 ×21-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄8 ×20-1⁄4" inner border strips
• 4--4-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for a total of eight triangles (you'll have 1 triangle leftover)
• 128--2" squares

From yellow print, cut:

• 4--3-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for a total of 16 triangles (you'll have 2 leftover triangles)

From cream print, cut:

• 1--10-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for a total of two large triangles (you'll have 1 leftover triangle)
• 2--4-1⁄2" squares
• 1 each of patterns A and A reversed
• 2--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 2--3-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for a total of eight small triangles (you'll have 2 leftover triangles)
• 1--2-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for a total of 2 medium triangles
• 4--2-1⁄2" squares

From green plaid, cut:

• 4--4-1⁄2 ×28-3⁄4" outer border strips
• 2--3-1⁄4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for a total of 8 triangles
• 4--2-1⁄2" squares
• 4 of Pattern B

From green stripe, cut:

• Enough 1-1⁄4"-wide bias strips to make one 8-1⁄2"-long and two 6"-long strips for stem appliqués

From dark purple print scrap, cut:

• 1--2-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for a total of 2 triangles

From purple stripe, cut:

• 1--17×25" rectangle, cutting it into enough 2-1⁄2"-wide bias strips to total
• 155" in length for binding
• 1--6-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for a total of 2 triangles (you'll have 1 leftover triangle)

From green print, cut:

• 1--3-7⁄8" square, cutting it in half diagonally for a total of 2 triangles
• 64--2×3-1⁄2" rectangles

From white-and-purple print, cut:

• 2--10-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for a total of 4 setting triangles

1. Referring to Diagram 1, sew together a yellow print triangle and a cream print small triangle to make a triangle unit A. Press the seam allowance toward the yellow print triangle. Repeat to make a total of three of triangle unit A.

2. Repeat Step 1 using yellow print triangles and cream print small triangles in the opposite positions to make three of triangle unit B.

3. Join a triangle unit A to one edge of a cream print 2-1⁄2" square (see Diagram 2). Sew a triangle unit B to the adjacent edge to make a large triangle unit. Press the seam allowances toward the yellow print triangles. Repeat to make a total of three large triangle units.

4. Sew together a large triangle unit and a purple print triangle to make a block lily unit (see Diagram 3); press. The block lily unit should measure 4-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of three block lily units.

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 using yellow print triangles, green plaid triangles, green plaid 2-1⁄2" squares, and purple print triangles to make a total of four border lily units.

1. Referring to Diagram 4, sew together the two green print triangles along the short edges. Clip across the seam allowance at the point and turn right side out; press. Arrange the yellow rickrack 3⁄8" from the finished edges, and machine-stitch in place to make the basket flap.

2. Center the basket flap, rickrack side up, along the long edge of a purple stripe triangle; baste (see Diagram 5).

3. Sew together a dark purple print triangle and a cream print medium triangle to make a triangle-square (see Diagram 6). Press the seam allowance toward the dark purple print triangle. The pieced triangle-square should measure 2-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances. Repeat to make a matching triangle-square.

4. Join the purple edge of a triangle-square to the short straight end of the cream print A piece to make the left basket unit (see Diagram 7). Press the seam allowance toward the triangle-square.

5. Join the remaining triangle-square to the cream print A reversed piece. Sew the remaining cream print 2-1⁄2" square to the opposite edge of the triangle-square to make the right basket unit.

6. Referring to Diagram 8 for placement, sew the left basket unit to the left-hand edge of the Step 2 purple stripe triangle. Sew the right basket unit to the right-hand edge of the purple stripe triangle to complete the basket unit.

1. Referring to the Block Assembly Diagram, sew together a cream print large triangle and the pieced basket unit to make a large triangle-square. Press the seam allowance toward the basket unit. The pieced triangle-square should measure 10-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances.

2. Lay out one cream print 2-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangle, one block lily unit, and one cream print 4-1⁄2" square in a row (see the Block Assembly Diagram). Sew together the pieces and press the seam allowances toward the lily unit. Join the row to the top edge of the large triangle-square. Press the seam allowance toward the pieced row.

3. Referring to the Block Assembly Diagram, lay out the two remaining block lily units, the remaining cream print 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangle, and the remaining cream print 4-1⁄2" square in a row. Sew together the pieces; press. Join the row to the right-hand edge of the large triangle-square to complete the lily block. Press the seam allowance toward the pieced row. The lily block should measure 14-1⁄2" square, including the seam allowances.

4. Fold the green stripe 1-1⁄4 ×8-1⁄2" bias strip in half lengthwise with the wrong side inside; press. Stitch 1⁄4" from the long edges. Trim the seam allowance to 1⁄8". Refold the strip, centering the seam in the back, to make a long stem strip; press.

5. Repeat Step 4 with the two 1-1⁄4 ×6" bias strips to make two short stem strips.

6. Referring to the Appliqué Placement Diagram, position the stems on the lily block; baste. Carefully remove a few stitches as needed to insert the raw ends of the stem appliqués in the seams. Using green thread, hand-appliqué the stems in place with a slip stitch, and resew the opened seams. Arrange the four green plaid B leaves on the block; baste. Using green thread, hand-appliqué the pieces in place with a slip stitch.

7. Sew two white-and-purple print setting triangles to opposite edges of the lily block. Then add white-and-purple setting triangles to the remaining edges to complete the quilt center. Press all seam allowances toward the setting triangles. Trim the quilt center to measure 20-1⁄4" square, including the seam allowances.

1. Sew the purple print 1-1⁄8 ×20-1⁄4" inner border strips to opposite edges of the quilt center. Then add the purple print 1-1⁄8 ×21-1⁄2" inner border strips to the remaining edges of the quilt center. Press all seam allowances toward the inner border. The quilt center should now measure 21-1⁄2", including the seam allowances.

2. For accurate sewing lines, use a quilter's pencil to mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the 128 purple print 2" squares. To prevent the fabric from stretching as you draw the lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under the squares.

3. Align a marked purple print 2" square with one end of a green print 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle (see Diagram 9; note the placement of the marked diagonal line). Sew on the drawn line; trim the excess fabric, leaving a 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press the attached triangle open, pressing the seam allowance toward the purple print triangle.

4. In the same manner, align a second marked purple print 2" square with the opposite end of the green print 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle (see Diagram 9). Stitch on the marked line; trim and press as before to make a Flying Geese unit. The pieced Flying Geese unit should still measure 2×3-1⁄2", including the seam allowances.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make a total of 64 Flying Geese units.

6. Referring to the photograph for placement, sew together 14 Flying Geese units to make a short pieced border strip. Repeat to make a second short pieced border strip. Sew the short pieced border strips to opposite edges of the quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the inner purple print border.

7. Sew together 18 Flying Geese units in a row to make a long pieced border strip. Repeat to make a second long pieced border strip. Sew the long pieced border strips to the remaining edges of the pieced quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the inner purple print border.

8. Sew the purple print 1-1⁄8 ×27-1⁄2" middle border strips to opposite edges of the pieced quilt center. Then add the purple print 1-1⁄8 ×28-3⁄4" middle border strips to the remaining edges of the pieced quilt center. Press all seam allowances toward the middle border.

9. Sew green plaid 4-1⁄2 ×28-3⁄4" outer border strips to opposite edges of the pieced quilt center. Press the seam allowances toward the green plaid border.

10. Add a border lily unit to each end of the remaining green plaid 4-1⁄2 ×28-3⁄4" outer border strips to make two outer border units. Press the seam allowances toward the green plaid strips. Join the outer border units to the remaining edges of the pieced quilt center to complete the quilt top. Press the seam allowances toward the green plaid border.

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

2. Use the purple stripe bias strips to bind the quilt.

3. Hand-stitch the purple button in place on the basket flap.