Craft Timeless Treasures with Garden Stars Appliqué

I vividly remember the first time I truly understood the artistry behind quilting. It wasn’t just about sewing pieces of fabric together; it was about telling a story with every stitch, capturing memories in patterns, and finding a rhythm that felt like a dance with tradition.

That realization dawned on me when I first attempted a medallion-style quilt, much like the “Flower Garden Stars” quilt we’re about to explore.

This quilt is a symphony of colors and techniques, a project that not only challenges your skills but also rewards you with a beautiful heirloom at the end.

Stitching a Garden: The Dance of Appliqué and Patchwork

The “Flower Garden Stars” quilt is more than just a quilt—it’s a vibrant garden bursting with life, captured in fabric. This medallion-style throw centers around a stunning appliquéd wreath, framed by a rich array of patchwork borders.

The quilt’s design is a beautiful blend of traditional techniques and modern aesthetics, making it an ideal project for those who appreciate the charm of appliqué combined with the precision of piecing. In this quilt, each element—from the delicate appliqué to the structured borders—comes together to create a masterpiece that is both timeless and personal.

Full Pattern: Click Here

The Heart of the Design

Embracing Tradition with a Twist: The Medallion Layout

The medallion layout of this quilt draws from a long history of quilting tradition, where a central motif is surrounded by multiple borders, each adding complexity and beauty to the design. In the “Flower Garden Stars,” the centerpiece is a wreath of appliquéd flowers that blooms within a field of vibrant patchwork, all framed by a series of borders that guide your eye outward. Each border not only adds to the visual appeal but also serves as a milestone in the quilting journey, marking your progress as you build out from the center.

Materials

Before diving into the project, it’s essential to gather all the necessary materials. The “Flower Garden Stars” quilt requires a variety of fabrics and tools, each playing a crucial role in bringing the design to life. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 18×22″ piece (fat quarter) of solid white fabric: Used as the foundation for the appliqué.
• 1⁄3 yard red tone-on-tone fabric: For flower appliqués and the second border.
• 5⁄8 yard green tone-on-tone fabric No. 1: For stem and leaf appliqués, unit pieces, and the first border.
• 1⁄3 yard green tone-on-tone fabric No. 2: For Square-in-a-Square blocks.
• Scrap of green check fabric: For calyx appliqués.
• 3⁄4 yard yellow vine print fabric: For flower center appliqués and the second and third borders.
• 1-7⁄8 yards red floral fabric: For the center block, units, fourth border, and binding.
• 2⁄3 yard gold tone-on-tone fabric: For unit pieces.
• 5⁄8 yard red check fabric: For unit pieces and Square-in-a-Square blocks.
• 1⁄4 yard yellow floral fabric: For Square-in-a-Square blocks.
• 1⁄4 yard white leaf print fabric: For Square-in-a-Square blocks.
• 3-5⁄8 yards backing fabric: To finish the back of your quilt.
• 65″ square batting: To provide warmth and structure to your quilt.
• Heat-resistant template plastic: For creating appliqué templates.
• Liquid or spray starch: To prepare fabric for appliqué.
• Clear monofilament thread: For invisible stitching around the appliqué.
• Quilting Tools: Rotary cutter, cutting mat, and quilting ruler.

All fabric measurements include 1⁄4″ seam allowances, and the finished quilt measures 58-1⁄2″ square. The finished blocks include a 12″ square appliquéd block and 6″ square Square-in-a-Square blocks.

Preparing Your Canvas: Setting the Foundation

Before jumping into the stitching process, it’s important to prepare your materials and workspace. Ensure your fabrics are pressed and starch-treated if necessary, and that you have your templates ready for the appliqué. The more organized you are at the start, the smoother your quilting journey will be. Also, consider laying out the pieces to visualize the overall design, giving you a clear roadmap as you work through each step.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Creating the “Flower Garden Stars” quilt is a journey filled with both creativity and precision. Below, I’ll walk you through each step to ensure you end up with a quilt that you can cherish for years to come.

Step 1: Preparing the Appliqué Pieces

1. Create Templates: Lay a sheet of heat-resistant template plastic over the appliqué patterns. Using a pencil, trace each pattern shape onto the plastic. Once traced, cut out the shapes carefully on the drawn lines—these will be your templates.
2. Cut Fabric for Appliqué: Place a template right side down on the wrong side of the corresponding fabric. Cut out each appliqué piece, making sure to add a 1⁄4″ seam allowance around all edges. For complex shapes, trim across points and clip inner curves to make the fabric easier to fold later.
3. Starch the Edges: Pour a small amount of starch into a dish. Place your fabric piece, with the template still attached, on a pressing surface. Dip a cotton swab into the starch and carefully moisten the seam allowance around the edge of the appliqué piece.
4. Press the Edges: Using the tip of a hot, dry iron, press the fabric’s seam allowance over the edge of the template, ensuring that the fabric is taut against the template. Continue pressing around the entire edge, applying more starch as needed.
5. Remove the Template: Once the fabric is pressed, turn the appliqué piece over and press from the right side. Carefully remove the template, and your appliqué piece is now ready to be applied.
6. Repeat for All Appliqué Pieces: Follow the above steps for each appliqué piece according to the pattern instructions.

Step 2: Creating the Center Appliqué Block

1. Prepare the Foundation: Take your 14″ square of solid white fabric and fold it in half twice, pressing each fold lightly with your fingers to create creases that will serve as guidelines for placing the appliqué pieces.
2. Position the Appliqué: Using the creases as a guide, arrange the prepared appliqué pieces on the foundation square. Play around with the placement until you’re satisfied with the layout. Once you’re happy with the design, pin or glue-baste the pieces in place.
3. Stitch the Appliqué: Using clear monofilament thread, machine-zigzag-stitch around each appliqué piece, working from the bottom layer to the top. This will secure the appliqué to the foundation square.
4. Remove Excess Fabric: After stitching, soak the foundation square in warm water to dissolve any remaining starch. Trim any excess foundation fabric from behind the appliqués, leaving a 1⁄4″ seam allowance. Press the block from the wrong side and trim it down to a 12-1⁄2″ square, including seam allowances.
5. Finish the Center Block: Mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of each 3-1⁄2″ red floral square. Align a marked square with each corner of the appliquéd block, sew on the marked lines, and trim the excess fabric, leaving a 1⁄4″ seam allowance. Press the attached triangles open to complete the appliquéd block.

Step 3: Assembling the Quilt Units

1. Create Triangle-Squares: Join a large red floral triangle and a large gold tone-on-tone triangle to form a triangle-square. Press the seam toward the red triangle. Each triangle-square should measure 3-1⁄2″ square, including seam allowances. Repeat to create four triangle-squares.
2. Make Triangle Units: Sew a small gold tone-on-tone triangle to one edge of a 2-5⁄8″ green tone-on-tone No. 1 square. Press the seam toward the gold triangle. Add a second small triangle to the adjacent edge to form a triangle unit. Press the seams as before. Repeat to make 16 triangle units.
3. Assemble Rectangle Units: Sew a large red check triangle to the short edge of a triangle unit. Press the seam toward the red triangle. Add a second red check triangle to the adjacent edge, forming a rectangle unit. Press as before. Each rectangle unit should measure 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2″, including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 rectangle units.

Step 4: Constructing Square-in-a-Square Blocks

1. Assemble Square-in-a-Square Blocks: Sew large green tone-on-tone No. 2 triangles to opposite edges of a 4-3⁄4″ yellow floral square. Press the seams toward the green triangles. Add green triangles to the remaining edges, completing the Square-in-a-Square block. Each block should measure 6-1⁄2″ square, including seam allowances. Repeat to create eight blocks.
2. Create Four-Patch Units: Join two 2-5⁄8″ green tone-on-tone No. 1 squares and two white leaf print squares in pairs. Press the seams toward the green squares. Sew the pairs together to form a Four-Patch unit, pressing the final seam in one direction. Each unit should measure 4-3⁄4″ square. Repeat to make eight Four-Patch units.
3. Finish the Square-in-a-Square Blocks: Add four large red check triangles to each Four-Patch unit, creating a Four-Patch Square-in-a-Square block. Repeat to make eight of these blocks in total.

Step 5: Assembling the Quilt Center

1. Construct the Bordered Center Block: Lay out the four triangle-squares, eight 3-1⁄2″ gold tone-on-tone squares, and four rectangle units around the appliquéd block. Sew together the pieces in sections, pressing seams toward the triangle-squares and rectangle units. Attach the side sections to the appliquéd block, followed by the top and bottom sections. Press all seams away from the center block.
2. Add the Outer Borders: Lay out four 3-1⁄2″ gold tone-on-tone squares, 12 rectangle units, eight 3-1⁄2×6-1⁄2″ gold tone-on-tone rectangles, eight Square-in-a-Square blocks, and eight Four-Patch Square-in-a-Square blocks around the bordered center block. Sew these together in sections and attach them around the center block, pressing all seams away from the center.

Step 6: Adding Borders

1. Attach the First Border: Sew the short green tone-on-tone strips to opposite edges of the quilt center. Add the long green strips to the remaining edges, pressing seams toward the border. The quilt center should now measure 39″ square.
2. Create the Triangle Borders: Lay out 11 small red tone-on-tone triangles and 10 small yellow vine print triangles in a row. Layer the first two triangles with the ends offset by 1⁄4″ and sew them together to form a pair. Continue adding triangles to the row, pressing seams toward the yellow triangles. Repeat to create four border strips.
3. Attach the Triangle Borders: Sew the triangle strips to opposite edges of the quilt center, then add the remaining strips to the other edges. Press all seams toward the border. Add a large yellow vine print triangle to each corner, pressing toward the triangles. The quilt center should now measure 42-1⁄2″ square.
4. Add the Final Borders: Cut and piece the yellow vine print and red floral strips for borders No. 3 and 4. Attach these to the quilt center, starting with the yellow vine print strips and finishing with the red floral strips. Press all seams toward the borders.

Step 7: Finishing the Quilt

1. Layer and Quilt: Layer the quilt top with batting and backing. Baste the layers together, then quilt as desired. You might consider stippling in the center block background and gold tone-on-tone sections, with a loopy stipple in the yellow vine print borders and a feathered vine in the red floral border.
2. Binding: To finish your quilt, bind the edges using the red floral binding strips. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand-stitch in place for a clean finish.

Additional Tips

• Fabric Selection: When selecting fabrics, try to choose tones that complement each other, especially in a quilt like this where contrast plays a key role in the design.
• Appliqué Technique: If you’re new to appliqué, practice on scrap fabric first to get a feel for handling the templates and starch.
• Pressing: Take the time to press each seam properly. It may seem tedious, but it will make your blocks and borders align much more accurately.

As you finish the last stitch and smooth out the completed “Flower Garden Stars” quilt, take a moment to admire your handiwork. This quilt, with its vibrant appliquéd wreath and beautifully framed borders, is a testament to your skill, patience, and creativity.

Each step of this process has brought you closer to a finished product that is as much a work of art as it is a functional piece. Display it proudly, knowing that you’ve not just made a quilt, but created a legacy of love and craftsmanship.