Tag: Christmas Quilt

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Winter Blooms Quilt Tutorial

49.5″ Square

What You’ll Need

Kona Colors

  • Ruby (tulip)
  • Lipstick (petal)
  • Cardinal (stem)
  • Punch (stem)
  • Clover (Green Leaf )
  • Kelly Green (Green Leaf)
  • Corn Yellow (Center)
  • Daffodil (Center)

If you purchased our Winter Blooms Kit with the Kona fabric, “Rich Red” was substituted for “Ruby” in the tulip pieces.

Please read through this online tutorial before starting anything.

Use the Brimfield Meadows Pattern Instructional Booklet as your guide to doing the English Paper Piecing (EPP) for these blocks. This online tutorial will not cover the EPP (that is what the pattern is for 🙂

The Winter Blooms blocks are simply our Brimfield Meadows blocks minus most of the arc pieces. Below is a picture of our Brimfield Meadows block. Can you see how the Winter Blooms Block was created from it?

Brimfield Meadows Brimfield Awakening
Brimfield Meadows by Brimfield Awakening
This shows the Winter Blooms block by Brimfield Awakening
Without most of the “arc” pieces, our Brimfield Meadows block becomes a really pretty stand-alone block that we thought looked like a poinsettia. We asked folks following us on Instagram to name it and they voted on “Winter Blooms”.

Getting Started

Using the Brimfield Meadows Pattern instructional booklet as your guide, stitch together 8 Brimfield Meadows blocks MINUS the following pieces from the “arc” sections of the block: C, D2 and D3. We like to use Wonderfil Specialty Threads DecoBob 80 weight for our hand stitching EPP. Do NOT prepare any of the background squares from the pattern; Winter Blooms uses different background squares. Per the Brimfield Meadows instructions, pop the papers out of your newly completed Winter Blooms blocks, press and starch them well. Tuck any tails and press towards the inside of your EPP blocks and set aside.

Preparing the Background

Cut (4) 25″ squares from your background fabric and, using a quarter inch seam allowance, stitch them together to make a 49.5″ square.

Winter Blooms EPP Placement on Background Fabric

  • Take one Winter Blooms Block and on the back apply small dots of Roxanne’s Glue to the outer edge seam allowance. The long applicator syringe of the Roxanne’s Glue makes this easy.
  • Align your Winter Blooms block on the top vertical seam (in the 12 o’clock position) of your background fabric so that the tulip/petal piece points match and line up with the seam. The inward facing tulip/petal tip should be 9.5″ away from the center of the background fabric.
  • The glue is temporary and if you have to adjust you can. Refer to the diagram below.
This graphic shows the proper way to lay out your Winter Blooms EPP blocks onto the background fabric by Brimfield Awakening
  • Very carefully take the entire background fabric with the one Winter Blooms block on it to the iron and heat set it. Be careful not to let it move in the process.
  • Continue doing this to the rest of the blocks along the vertical and horizontal seams of the background fabric (3, 6 + 9 o’clock positions.) You might find it easier to glue them all first and let them air dry before heat setting them.
  • The blocks that fill in the spaces between the “3,6, 9 + 12 o’clock” blocks that line up along the seams are placed down at a 45 ° angle compared to the two surrounding blocks. Just like the blocks lined up along the background seams, these blocks’ inward pointing petal/tulip piece tip should be 9.5″ away from the center of the quilt.

Applique Your Winter Blooms

The Roxanne’s Glue does a nice job holding the blocks into place after they have been heat set. You can machine or hand applique the blocks down. We like to use Wonderfil Specialty Invisifil thread for the job. It is a 100 weight cottonized polyester thread. It is super fine but rather strong. Best of all, the thread disappears into your fabric. If you are machine appliquéing, we recommend doing a very small zigzag stitch or a blind hem stitch.

Now it is time to quilt as desired and bind! The negative space that develops inside this quilt is awesome! Do you see a giant snowflake? Kim personally sees Christmas cookies 🙂 There is always a food connection! The Winter Blooms themselves reminded us of poinsettias. We almost called this quilt “Poinsettia Wreath” or “Poinsettia Crown.” Whatever you think of it, we hope you love it and it brings you lots of joy this holiday season. Please share your creations with us on Instagram (we’re @brimfieldawakening) or consider joining our private Facebook Group, The Brimfield Bee, where you can post all of your Brimfield Awakening projects. These hashtags help us find your work: #WinterBlooms #BrimfieldAwakening

Our Winter Blooms Quilt was custom long armed by Danyella Nava (@madesewmodern on Instagram) Look for the hidden snowflakes within the quilting. She is based in New Mexico and always hits it out of the park. Thank you Danyella!
Made Sew Modern
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A Very Brimfield Christmas Quilt Part 3

If you’ve been following along our A Very Brimfield Christmas quilt tutorial, then – congratulations! This is the final installment and we would like to thank our buddy, Sue Shattuck (@grabacupandsew) who took the time to bring Nisha’s idea to life 🙂

Part III – Finishing the Quilt

Hasn’t this been fun?! This quilt was a quick, fun make.  Now, all that’s left is finishing!

Step 1.  Make a quilt sandwich

Put your backing right side down, then your batting, followed by the quilt top right side facing up. Baste using your preferred method – I used spray baste and many pins.  Once this is done, quilt as desired. First, I topstitched on my machine using REDthread at ¼-inch around the outside and inside of each Brimfield Block as seen here:

A Very Brimfield Christmas Tutorial Part 3
First – quilt around the Brimfield Blocks.

Step 2 – Quilting & Binding

Once that was completed, I free-motion quilted using my machine. When you are finished quilting, go ahead and attach the binding.  I thought about burying the tabs into the binding, but I was afraid there would be too much bulk, and was concerned that the tabs would be too high on the quilt to show off the bows properly.  There is no right or wrong, just do what looks best to you.  

Step 3 – Adding the Tabs & Bows

I decided to add the tabs about 1/4- inch down from the edge of the binding.  Open up your tab to form a circle, and with tab seam pressed open, pin to quilt with open seam facing down as shown. Sew over the seam, being careful not to catch the remaining tab.

A Very Brimfield Christmas Quilt Tutorial Part 3
Adding the bows…

I wanted to make sure the tab was very strongly secured, so I sewed over this twice.  Now, take out your bows and affix each bow to the tab. This is a bit fiddly, but just keep with it and adjust until it looks balanced.  YOU ARE DONE!  Happy Holidays to all!

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A Very Brimfield Christmas Part 2

Sue Shattuck – Michigander, dog lover, and Brimfield Block creator extraordinaire has put together part 2 of her *adorable* A Very Brimfield Christmas quilt for you. Take it away, Sue!

Make this cheerful holiday quilt in plenty of time for Christmas!

I hope part I went well for you and I’ve enjoyed seeing your projects on Instagram.  Make sure to use the hashtags #BrimfieldBlockBOM and #AVeryBrimfieldChristmas so we can see your creations!

Part II: Making bows, tabs and binding

Step 1: Make the tabs

Cut four pieces of your tab fabric (mine is the red & black buffalo check) into 3”x7” pieces. Right sides together, sew a ¼ inch seam. Press seam open and center down back of tab as shown.  Turn right side out, press (I recommend starch) and fold in half to make loop. Sew a ¼ inch seam at the raw edge and cut with pinking shears or use your serger to finish the ends.  Make three more tabs for a total of 4, and set aside. 

Step 2: Make the Bows

I used the same buffalo check for the bows. With rotary cutter, cut out four strips of fabric, each 12 ¼ inch X 6 ¼ inches.  Optional: depending on the weight of your fabric, you may wish to use a lightweight fusible interfacing on your bows.  I opted to use it, so these are the instructions for  – cut four pieces of lightweight, fusible interfacing 12 inches by 3 inches (I used Pellon Shape-Flex 101). Fuse into each bow on one side as shown, using your iron and following directions from the interfacing:

Now, we will make the tails. Decide how long you want your tails to be.  I opted for 36 ½ inches by 5 inches. Cut four pieces of fabric to desired length, and add ¼ inch seam allowance.  Then cut four pieces of interfacing 36 inches by 2 inches to fit ½ of the tails (the same way you did for the bows).  Once you have your (optional) interfacing in place, with right sides together, cut a 45- degree angle on each end.  Sew your tails on all 3 sides, leaving a 2-3 inch opening in the center to turn right side out.  Trim seam and clip corners, turn right side out and press.  Close opening for turning as desired.  

Fold the fabric in half right sides together lengthwise.  Stitch a ¼ inch seam from the raw edges, and leave a 1- inch opening to turn the bow near the center.  Trim seams, clip corners and turn right side out and press.  Sew the opening together using your preferred method.  You now have your bow.  Fold bow in half short end to short end, finger press to mark the spot.  Using thread, carefully pinch your bow together in the center until you achieve the desired effect (this can be a little fiddly, be patient).  Wrap the center of the bow tightly with thread and knot ends.  Repeat for all four bows and set aside. 

Take your tails and carefully tie around the bow to cover thread, then tie.  Carefully make the bow, pulling the tails through and adjusting the front to achieve the desired look.  You will make four of these (or more or less, depending on your preference). Set all bows aside with tabs. 

Step 3: Make Binding

Cut your binding into strips as desired. I use 2 ½ inch binding, which took 6 strips of a ½ yard of fabric.  Prepare your binding and set aside. 

You are now finished with Part II.  If you wish to complete the quilt now and feel confident doing so, feel free to move ahead.  Otherwise, I will post Part III (and final) of A Very Brimfield Christmas Quilt tutorial in around three weeks.  Don’t forget your hashtags!!! #AVeryBrimfieldChristmas #BrimfieldBlock BOM #BrimfieldBlock #BrimfieldAwakening

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A Very Brimfield Christmas

Quilt Design: Nisha Bouri

Quilt Construction: Nisha Bouri + Sue Shattuck

Brimfield Awakening A Very Brimfield Christmas Free Tutorial
Get a jump on your holiday stitching and follow along in this 3-part tutorial!

Sue Shattuck took Nisha’s holiday quilt idea and ran with it! Best of all, she put together a 3 part tutorial for you if you want to give one of these adorable quilts a try. Take it away Sue!

Happy Holidays and welcome to Part 1 of the 3-part Brimfield Block Christmas Quilt!  This is a fairly quick and easy project that you will be able to complete in time for Christmas if you keep up with progress.  I hope you join along, and make sure to hashtag your work on Instagram using #BrimfieldBlockBOM so we can see your work (and to win prizes!!)! This quilt is designed for a person experienced in sewing and epp, and I do not recommend it for a beginner. Are you ready?  Let’s go! *(Note: I utilized free motion quilting with my machine.  If you are anxious about fmq, you may wish to line up a longarm quilter to be ready to quilt your finished quilt in time for the holidays)

Supplies

Fabric Requirements

  • Background Fabric: 3 yards (mine is gray + white low volume Christmas print with a bit of red.)
  • Backing Fabric: 3 and 1/4 yards (You will use the same fabric for the tabs and bows on the front – I used a red and black buffalo check.)
  • Batting: 1 piece 58″ square
  • Binding Fabric (for 2.5″ binding): 1/2 yard (I used a “Fair Isle” style stripe.)
  • Assorted novelty or Christmas theme prints – your choice.
  • Contrasting topstitch thread (optional.)

Step 1

Background fabric: cut your background fabric, and putting right sides together, sew seam to make a 55 inch square.  Repeat with backing fabric, and sew seam to make a 58 inch square; cut batting same size as backing – 58 inch square.  Set aside.

Step 2

Select your fabrics, and make fourseparate Brimfield Blocks. There is no right or wrong fabric – use your creativity to make it your own.

Step 3

Take your completed Brimfield Blocks (4) and arrange them on the quilt top.  I added the ribbon (do not sew down, just pin) so that I could measure the distance between each ribbon; mine are approx. 8.5 inches apart, and spaced evenly as seen here below.  Once you have them arranged as you like, begin by sewing the ribbon down (using a coordinating thread), and then pin the Brimfield Block down well.  Applique each Brimfield Block into place, making sure to cover the ribbon.  Set aside and wait for Part 2!!  Don’t forget to share your work!

Pin the ribbon first – don’t sew.
Sew down only *after* you have played around with the spacing.