Bold Blossoms - a great quilt to show off prints with large flowers. 72" square.

In summary the requirements are:

• 75 cm fabric for central large square.
• 102 rectangles cut 4½” x 2½” for around the centre square. Use scraps or 9 fat eighths.
• 28 squares of large floral blossoms - each cut 8½” 
• 28 checker square blocks - 30 strips 20½” x 2½” each of two broad colour ways - a total of 60 strips (in mine broadly pink and purple). Use scraps or 4 fat quarters of each colour.

Other tools you will need

Cutting mat. Rotary cutter. Long ruler for use with a rotary cutter.  Neutral coloured thread for sewing with - I like the Aurifil ne50 (this is a lovely fine 100% cotton thread, and I usually use a grey). General sewing supplies (thread snips, unpicker, pins, iron).

Before starting please note  all seams are joined with a  ¼” seam (unless otherwise indicated)
Also it is a good idea to read through all the instructions before starting.

1. Cut out the centre square

The feature square in the centre cut 28½” x 28½”

2. Rectangles.

Cut 102 rectangles at 4½” x 2½”. In my quilt I chose these to contrast with the centre square.

Join the rectangles in rows -

2 rows of 14 rectangles
4 rows of 16 rectangles
4 rows of 18 rectangles
2 rows of 20 rectangles

Add a row of 14 rectangles to either side of the centre square.
Add a row of 16 rectangles to the remaining sides of the centre square.

Add a second round of  strips using 16 and 18 rectangles long.

Add a third and final  round of  strips using 18 and 20 rectangles long.

3. Feature floral blossoms

Fussy cut 28 squares at 8½” x 8½” 

4. Checker board blocks.

Take the  20½” x 2½” strips, join in sets of 4 alternating colours. 

Press the seams towards the purple fabrics, keep this the same throughout, this means the seams will lock.

Cut the strip set into 2½” strips.

Join 4 of these together.  to form the 4x4block.

Note how the seams lock.

A completed 4x4 block.

This block will be 8½” x 8½” before it is sewn into the quilt.

5. Add the checker board and floral blocks to the centre

Follow the following diagram - sew the checkerboard and floral block togethers as needed. Sew these to the centre of the quilt.

The quilt is 72" x 72"

Adding another row of checkerboards and flowers all the way around would make the quilt 90" square.

6. Finishing

Quilt and add binding using your favourite method. I usually cut  2½” strips. The 72" square quilt needs 8 strips of binding.

 

Part of the quilt.