Garden Bouquet Quilt: Month 23- Leaf Quilting Design

In readiness for the quilting Nancy had the quilting frames set up in her guest room. She was not expecting company for a week or two so the room would not e occupied and the frames could remain in place.

She had purchased some heavy pins for pinning quilt to frame, some “between” needles for quilting, large spools of number 60 white thread, a wool batt for interlining.

White gingham of the same quality as she used on top of the quilt was seamed to make a large piece measuring 90 by 108. This was, of course, the same size as the top of the quilt.

The pieced bottom was pinned to frame first. This was placed with right side toward the floor and the wrong side uppermost.

The batt was unrolled and spread evenly across the top. Nancy could have used Canton flannel, but this doesn’t give the puffy appearance to the finished quilt that a batt of cotton or wool does.

The wrong, or seamed side, of the top of the quilt was now laid on the padding. This top was carefully stretched and pinned in place. The strip of strong unbleached muslin which had been tacked to the frames was the material into which the pins were inserted.

And now came the marking.

Here are some of the ideas the club members had. First, it was understood that each pieced and appliquéd block would be quilted by using fine quilting stitches around the entire outline. This stitching is just outside the appliquéing. Each leaf, each flower, each bird, each urn is thus framed in fine stitchery.

Next it was decided to run diagonal lines, crossing diamond fashion all through body of urn. The slant of these lines was decided by the slant of the base pieces of urn. In the large diamond blocks which joined the pieced blocks, and in the half diamonds on sides and ends and the quarter diamonds at corners the members planned to use the pattern given today- the leaf.

Since the baskets held flowers and leaves it seemed appropriate to add to the garden effect with the quilted leaves.

Once quarter of pattern used for large diamond is given. It radiates from center, with three other leaves just like it radiating from center and filling diamond block. Two leaves are used on half diamonds and one on quarter diamond corners.

The members traced this pattern onto tough tracing paper. Then with a sharp pin they pricked the pattern, putting the pin pricks about an eighth of an inch apart. By holding the tracing paper on cushion the pin goes through paper easily.

This pattern was laid on diamonds and with stamping powder the pattern was transferred. And then quilted.

The entire border was quilted in diamonds spaced one inch apart. Next week comes another pattern for quilting. The experienced quilters could scarcely stay away from the quilt until it was finished and taken from the frames. And when Nancy showed it her friends said, “My dear, I never saw anything so gorgeous. When are you going to give us another quilt?” And Nancy’s answer was, “Oh pretty soon. Just wait and see what a brand new idea I have for it.”

Quick Links to:

Month 1: Beginning Instructions, Urn, and Basket Instructions
Month 2, Part 1: The Tulip
Month 2, Part 2: The Saucy Bird
Month 2, Part 3: The Meek Bird
Month 3: The Cactus
Month 4: Lily of the Valley
Month 5: The Wild Rose
Month 6: The Trillium
Month 7: Canterbury Bells
Month 8: Nasturtium
Month 9: The Pansy
Month 10: The Tiger Lily
Month 11: The Primrose
Month 12: The Zinnia
Month 13: The Daffodil
Month 14: The Phlox
Month 15: The Poppy
Month 16: The Rose
Month 17: Balloon Flower
Month 18: Forget-Me-Not
Month 19: The Lemon Lily
Month 20: The Crocus
Month 21: The Violet
Month 22: The Border
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Hand Appliqué
Machine Appliqué
Alternate Method of Appliqué Tutorial
Biased Binding Tutorial