Watercolor Flower

Inspired by Nordic Snowflakes from designer Gudrun Erla of GE Designs

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 3⁄4 yard pink print (block, sashing)
• 1⁄3 yard orange dot (block)
• 18x21" piece (fat quarter) blue plaid (block, sashing)
• 7⁄8 yard green print (sashing)
• 1⁄4 yard blue dot (inner border)
• 1 yard orange plaid (outer border, binding)
• 2-2⁄3 yards backing fabric
• 48" square batting

Finished quilt: 39-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 15" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

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

Cut pieces in the following order.

From pink print, cut:

• 1--5-1⁄2×9" strip
• 1--4-1⁄2×9" strip
• 1--3-1⁄2×15" strip
• 2--3-1⁄2×9" strips
• 4--3-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 1--21⁄2×15" strip
• 4--2-1⁄2×9-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--1-1⁄2×15" strips
• 1--1-1⁄2×9" strip
• 4--1-1⁄2×7-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles

From orange dot, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2×9" strips
• 1--2-1⁄2×15" strip
• 2--2-1⁄2×9" strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×15" strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×9" strips
• 2--1-1⁄2" squares

From blue plaid, cut:

• 6--1-1⁄2×15" strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×9" strips

From green print, cut:

• 4--7-1⁄2" sashing squares
• 1--4-1⁄2×15" strip
• 1--3-1⁄2×15" strips
• 8--3-1⁄2×5-1⁄2" rectangles
• 1--2-1⁄2×15" strip
• 2--1-1⁄2×15" strips
• 8--1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles

From blue dot, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×31-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2×29-1⁄2" inner border strips

From orange plaid, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips
• 2--4-1⁄2×39-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--4-1⁄2×31-1⁄2" outer border strips

1. Sew together a pink print 1-1⁄2×15" strip and the orange dot 2-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set A (Diagram 1). Press seam toward pink print strip. Cut strip set into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide A segments.

2. Sew together the two orange dot 1-1⁄2×15" strips and a pink print 1-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set B (Diagram 2). Press seams toward pink print strip. Cut strip set into five 1-1⁄2"-wide B segments.

3. Referring to Diagram 3, sew together two A segments and one B segment to make a corner unit. Press seams toward A segments. The corner unit should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

4. Sew together a B segment and two pink print 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles to make a long pieced unit (Diagram 4). Press seams toward pink print rectangles. The unit should be 1-1⁄2×7-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

5. Sew together a pink print 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangle and a orange dot 1-1⁄2" square to make a short pieced unit (Diagram 5). Press seam toward pink print rectangle. The unit should be 1-1⁄2×3-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short pieced unit.

6. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out corner units, long pieced unit, and short pieced units in three rows. Sew together units in top and bottom rows. Press seams open. Join rows to make a block center. Press seams open. The block center should be 7-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

7. Sew together the two orange dot 1-1⁄2×9" strips and the pink print 5-1⁄2×9" strip to make Strip Set C (Diagram 7). Press seams toward pink print strip. Cut strip set into four 1-1⁄2"-wide C segments.

8. Sew together the two orange dot 2-1⁄2×9" strips and a pink print 3-1⁄2×9" strip to make Strip Set D (Diagram 8). Press seams toward pink print strip. Cut strip set into four 1-1⁄2"-wide D segments.

9. Sew together the two orange dot 3-1⁄2×9" strips and the pink print 1-1⁄2×9" strip to make Strip Set E (Diagram 9). Press seams toward pink print strip. Cut strip set into four 1-1⁄2"-wide E segments.

10. Referring to Diagram 10, sew together a pink print 1-1⁄2×7-1⁄2" rectangle and one each of segments C, D, and E to make a star point unit. Press seams toward pink print rectangle. The unit should be 7-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four star point units total.Sew together a pink print 3-1⁄2×9" strip and a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×9" strip to make Strip Set F (Diagram 11). Press seam toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into four 1-1⁄2"-wide F segments.

11. Referring to Diagram 12, lay out F segments, pink print 3-1⁄2×4-1⁄2" rectangles, star point units, and block center in three horizontal rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward pink print rectangles or block center. Join rows to make a block; press seams away from middle row. The block should be 15-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew together the green print 4-1⁄2×15" strip and a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set G (Diagram 13). Press seam toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide G segments.

2. Sew together a green print 3-1⁄2×15" strip, a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×15" strip, and a pink print 1-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set H (Diagram 14). Press seams toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide H segments.

3. Sew together the green print 2-1⁄2×15" strip, a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×15" strip, and the pink print 2-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set I (Diagram 15). Press seams toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide I segments.

4. Sew together a green print 1-1⁄2×15" strip, a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×15" strip, and the pink print 3-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set J (Diagram 16). Press seams toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip sets into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide J segments.

5. Sew together a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×9" strip and the pink print 4-1⁄2×9" strip to make Strip Set K (Diagram 17). Press seam toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into four 1-1⁄2"-wide K segments.

6. Referring to Diagram 18, sew together two G segments, two H segments, two I segments, two J segments, and one K segment to make a chain unit. Press seams toward the K segment. The unit should be 9-1⁄2×5-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four chain units total.

7. Sew together a green print 1-1⁄2×15" strip and a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set L (Diagram 19). Press seam toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide L segments.

8. Sew together a blue plaid 1-1⁄2×15" strip and a pink print 1-1⁄2×15" strip to make Strip Set M (Diagram 20). Press seam toward blue plaid strip. Cut strip set into eight 1-1⁄2"-wide M segments.

9. Sew together one L segment and one M segment to make a Four-Patch A unit (Diagram 21). Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 2-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Four-Patch A units total.

10. Referring to Diagram 22, repeat Step 9 to make four Four-Patch B units.Referring to Diagram 23, lay out two green print 3-1⁄2×5-1⁄2" rectangles, one chain unit, two green print 1-1⁄2×2-1⁄2" rectangles, one Four-Patch A unit, one Four-Patch B unit, and one pink print 2-1⁄2×9-1⁄2" rectangle in two horizontal rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward green print and pink print rectangles. Join rows to make a sashing unit. Press seam toward bottom row. The unit should be 15-1⁄2×7-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four sashing units total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out block, sashing units, and green print 7-1⁄2" sashing squares in three horizontal rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from sashing units. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 29-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2. Sew blue dot 1-1⁄2×29-1⁄2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add blue dot 1-1⁄2×31-1⁄2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

3. Join orange plaid 4-1⁄2×31-1⁄2" outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add orange plaid 4-1⁄2×39-1⁄2" outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward border.

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

2. Quilt as desired.

3.  Bind with orange plaid binding strips.