While we are still in the grasp of winter, I wanted to think ahead to the warmer days of spring. To me, this means flowers! One of my very favorite flowers are sunflowers, so I knew I needed to create a new pattern that featured them. I wanted something cheerful and colorful. I searched my stash closet and came up with the focus fabric, You are My Sunshine from Timeless Treasures.
In researching floral quilt blocks, I ran across a block called Picnic Bouquet. My newest pattern, Floral Bouquet runner or topper pattern, is a table runner and topper combination pattern that is a variation of the Picnic Bouquet block and combines Sawtooth Star corner units with traditional nine patch blocks in between. I added sashing between the blocks on the runner and a small border on each to emphasize the focus fabric.
Since Flying Geese units are an integral part of the Sawtooth Star corner units, I've created a Flying Geese Tutorial. In the tutorial, I've included two flying geese trimming methods - trimming using the Bloc Loc Flying Geese rulers, and trimming using a regular ruler. The tutorial also includes a fabric cutting chart for a wide range of flying geese sizes.
The topper measures 22" square and is made up of 9 - 6" blocks. The runner measures 17" X 45" and is made up of 18 - 4½" blocks. The borders are optional so the sizes can be reduced by leaving off the borders.
This pattern is the perfect way to work on perfecting your piecing skills. Its a fun pattern to make scrappy or, to fussy cut your focus fabric as I did in my samples. For beginners, or those wishing to wing it without a pattern, there is a tutorial here for making a 13½" Floral Bouquet block.
This pattern is now available as an PDF instant download here, as a printed pattern here.
Until next time, Happy Quilting!
