Daisies at the Cabin

Daisies

AT THE CABIN

Zoe Clifton Bright and happy daisies are a joyful addition to this monochromatic Log Cabin quilt. Mix and match the daisies from the Dancing Daisies design to create your own version, or follow as is to recreate this darling quilt.

Zoe Clifton Designs www.zoecliftondesigns.com.au zoecliftondesigns@gmail.com.au Bellarine Sewing Centre www.bellarinesewingcentre.com.au bellarinesewingcentre@outlook.com

Finished size: 193cm (76in) square

Materials

1.55m (1¾yd) solid white fabric (embroidery background) 40cm (½yd) each of two white and yellow print fabrics (daisies) 60cm (¾yd) yellow print fabric (daisies and block frames) 1.4m (15⁄8yd) black tone-on-tone print fabric (block peepers, Borders 3–5 and binding) Four black on white print fabrics: 40cm (½yd) of print #1 (Border 1); 20cm (¼yd) of print #2; 30cm (3⁄8yd) of print #3; and 35cm (3⁄8yd) of print #4 (Log Cabin blocks) Four white on black print fabrics: 2.1m (23⁄8yd) of print #1 (Borders 2 and 6); 20cm (¼yd) of print #2; 30cm (3⁄8yd) of print #3; and 35cm (3⁄8yd) of print #4 (Log Cabin blocks) 4.3m (4¾yd) backing fabric Batting at least 203cm (84in) square 9in Dancing Daisies machine embroidery designs — see Note Machine embroidery threads in white, yellow and black Fusible interfacing such as Parlan No-show mesh Stabiliser Hoop — to match design size Brother ScanNCut machine (optional) Water-erasable fabric-marking pen Rotary cutter, ruler and mat Sewing machine with ¼in foot General sewing supplies

Note: Available from Bellarine Sewing Centre – see page 18 for details.

Preparation and cutting

1If you are using a Brother ScanNCut machine, download the fcm fi les for Daisy 1–7 to a USB and then insert it into the ScanNCut. Fuse fusible web to the wrong side of the white and yellow and the yellow print fabrics for the daisies prior to cutting the shapes.

2Cut the following shapes: fi ve each of Daisy 1–6 and 25 of Daisy 7.

3If you are not using a ScanNCut machine, trace the appliqué shapes from the design software onto the paper side of the fusible web the number of times indicated on the label. Leave at least ½in between them. They will print in reverse for your convenience. Cut them out roughly outside the lines.

4Fuse each shape to the wrong side of the white and yellow or yellow print fabric you have chosen for it, then cut the shapes out accurately on the traced lines. From the solid white fabric, cut: two strips, 12in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield fi ve squares, 12in (large blocks) four strips, 8in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield 20 squares, 8in (small blocks) From the yellow print fabric, cut: one strip, 1in x width of fabric (centre block peeper) fi ve strips, 1½in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield eight strips, 1½in x 10½in and eight strips, 1½in x 12½in (large block frames) From the black tone-on-tone print fabric, cut: four strips, 1in x width of fabric (large block peepers) two strips, 1½in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield two strips, 1½in x 10½in and two strips, 1½in x 12½in (centre block frame) another 15 strips, 1½in x width of fabric (Borders 3–5) eight strips, 2½in x width of fabric (binding) From black on white print fabric #1, cut: two strips, 6½in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield four strips, 6½in x 12½in (Border 1) From each of black on white print fabric #2 and white on black print fabric #2, cut: fi ve strips, 1½in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield 12 strips, 1½in x 8½in and 12 strips, 1½in x 6½in of each fabric (Log Cabin blocks) From each of black on white print fabric #3 and white on black print fabric #3, cut: six strips, 1½in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield 12 strips, 1½in x 10½in and 12 strips, 1½in x 8½in of each fabric (Log Cabin blocks) From each of black on white print fabric #4 and white on black print fabric #4, cut: seven strips, 1½in x width of fabric. Cross cut them to yield 12 strips, 1½in x 10½in and 12 strips, 1½in x 12½in of each fabric (Log Cabin blocks) From white on black print fabric #1, cut: four strips, 6½in x width of fabric. Trim each of them to measure 6½in x 24½in (Border 2) another eight strips, 6½in x width of fabric (Border 6)

Large blocks

1Place stabiliser and interfacing into your embroidery hoop. Fold a 12in square of white fabric in half horizontally and vertically and fi nger press creases to mark its centre. Line up these creases with the marks on the hoop to centre the fabric on top of the interfacing.

2Select the Dancing Daisies — Group of 7 in 9in design (or 7in design if you’re using that size). Add a basting stitch. If you are using an embroidery machine that can stitch out a background fi ll stitch, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to add this feature around your designs. The

fi nished area for the background fi ll is 10in square. If your machine does not have this function, you can add quilting to the block background later on.

3Work on one fl ower at a time. Begin by stitching out a placement line. Once this is done, remove the hoop from the machine. Peel the backing paper off the appliqué shape and fuse it to the fabric on top of the sewn line.

4Place the hoop back into the machine and continue with the stitching: the next round is a securing stitch to hold the fabric in place. It is followed by satin stitch to fi nish the outside edges of the daisy. Finally, the stamen and centre of the fl ower are stitched in black.

5Repeat this process to appliqué and stitch the fl owers in a mix of fabrics.

6Then repeat Steps 3 and 4 to make fi ve large blocks all the same. Trim them to measure 10½in square, keeping the design centred.

7Fold the 1in strip of yellow print fabric in half, wrong sides together and long edges matching. Press. Cross cut it to yield four folded strips, each 10½in long.

8Pin two folded strips to opposite edges of one large block, raw edges matching. Stitch them in place using a scant ¼in seam. Then pin the remaining two folded strips to the other two raw edges and stitch them in place in the same way. This is the centre block.

9Repeat Steps 6 and 7 using the four 1in strips of black tone-on-tone print fabric to sew peeper strips to the remaining four large blocks. 10 Now add a frame to each large block. For the centre block, sew a 1½in x 10½in strip of black print fabric to the left and right edges of the block. Press seams outwards. Then sew a 1½in x 12½in strip of black print fabric to the top and bottom edges of the block. Press seams outwards. Your block should now measure 12½in square from raw edge to raw edge. 11 Repeat Step 9 to add frames to the remaining four blocks, but this time use the 10½in and 12½in strips of yellow print fabric.

Small blocks

1Repeat the steps for making a large block using the 8in squares of white fabric and the Single Daisy 9in design (or 7in if you’re using that size). The background fi ll stitch area is 6in square.

2Make 20 blocks in total using a variety of white and yellow and yellow print fabrics for the appliqué.

3Once the stitching has been completed, trim each block to measure 6½in square, keeping the designs centred.

Borders 1–3

1Sew a 6½in x 12½in strip of black on white print fabric #1 to the left and right edges of the framed centre block. Press seams outwards.

2Sew a small appliquéd/embroidered block to each end of the remaining two 6½in x 12½in strips of black on white print fabric #1. Check that all the daisies will be the right way up, then sew these strips to the top and bottom edges of the framed centre block. Press seams outwards. Your quilt top should now measure 24½in square from raw edge to raw edge.

3Sew a 6½in x 24½in strip of white on black print fabric #1 to the left and right edges of the quilt top. Press seams outwards.

4Sew a small appliquéd/embroidered block to each end of the remaining two 6½in x 24½in strips of white on black print fabric #1, again checking the orientation of the daisies before stitching these seams. Sew these strips to the top and bottom edges of the quilt top. Press seams outwards. Your quilt top should now measure 36½in square from raw edge to raw edge.

5Trim two 1½in strips of black tone-on-tone print fabric to measure 1½in x 36½in. Sew them to the left and right edges of the quilt top. Press seams outwards.

6Trim another two 1½in strips of black tone-on-tone print fabric to measure 1½in x 38½in. Sew them to the top and bottom edges of the quilt top. Press seams outwards. Your quilt top should now measure 38½in square from raw edge to raw edge.

Log Cabin blocks

1To make a Log Cabin block, begin by sewing a 1½in x 6½in strip of black on white print fabric #2 and of white on black print fabric #2 to the top and bottom edges

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Diagram 3 of a small appliquéd/embroidered block. Press these and all subsequent seams outwards.

2Next, sew a 1½in x 8½in of black on white print fabric #2 and of white on black print fabric #2 to the left and right edges of the block. Your block should now measure 8½in square from raw edge to raw edge. See Diagram 1.

3Repeat the process described in Steps 1 and 2 to add the shorter strips, and then the longer strips, of print fabrics #3 to the block. The block should then measure 10½in square from raw edge to raw edge. See Diagram 2.

4Repeat the process described in Steps 1 and 2 to add the shorter strips, and then the longer strips, of print fabrics #4 to the block. The block should then measure 12½in square from raw edge to raw edge. Refer to Diagram 3.

5Before making more Log Cabin blocks, study the photo of Zoe’s quilt: there is a group of three Log Cabin blocks in each corner of the quilt. In order to have the appliquéd/embroidered daisy in all three blocks in each corner facing the right way up in the quilt, you need to orient the block differently before you start adding strips to its edges. Diagram 4 illustrates the different position of the strips using a centre image that is more obviously directional than the embroidered daisy. Make three of each kind of block.

Border 4

1Lay out the remaining four large Daisy blocks and the Log Cabin blocks around the edges of the quilt top, referring to the photo of the quilt as a guide. Double check the orientation of the blocks: all the Daisies should be facing the same way and the Log Cabin blocks should create a large white area near the corners of Border 3.

2From three of the remaining 1½in black tone-on-tone print strips, cut eight strips, 12½in. Add two of these strips to each row or column of blocks, positioning them between the corner block and the adjacent Log Cabin block.

3Sew the black strips, Log Cabin blocks and the large Daisy block along the left edge of the quilt top together in a column. Sew it to the left edge of the quilt top. Press the seam inwards. Repeat to add the blocks adjacent to the right edge of the quilt top.

4Sew the black strips, Log Cabin blocks and the large Daisy block along the top and bottom edges together in two rows, then sew them to the top and bottom edges of the quilt top. Press seams inwards.

Borders 5 and 6

1Join the remaining eight 1½in strips of black tone-on-tone print fabric together, end to end, in pairs to make four long strips.

2Measure your quilt top vertically through the centre. Trim two of the long strips to this measurement. Sew them to the left and right edges of the quilt top. Press seams outwards.

3Measure your quilt top horizontally through the centre. Trim the remaining two long strips to this measurement. Sew them to the top and bottom edges of the quilt top. Press seams outwards.

Finishing

1Cut the backing fabric into two equal lengths, remove the selvedges and sew the two pieces together, side by side, with a ½in seam. Press the seam open.

2The quilt top, backing and batting are ready for a longarm quilting machine as they are. If you’re quilting by hand or on a domestic machine, follow the instructions for Preparing the Quilt Sandwich in the free downloadable Basics Guide* to pin or baste the quilt top, batting and backing together.

3Quilt as desired. This quilt was machine quilted: the daisies were outlined and all the patchwork was stitched in the ditch. Parallel straight lines were worked on Border 6.

4Trim the excess backing fabric and batting ¼in outside the edge of the quilt top.

5Follow the instructions in Binding the Quilt in The Basics Guide* to bind the quilt using the eight 2½in strips of black tone-on-tone print fabric. The Dancing Daisies machine embroidery collection has been designed by Zoe Clifton for Bellarine Sewing Centre. To purchase, phone (03) 5221 3034 or email bellarinesewingcentre@outlook.com The Dancing Daisies collection includes 15 daisy designs in satin stitch, in-hoop appliqué and chain stitch. Included in the download are the fcm and svg cutting fi les for cutting machines. Also included is a template page for those who do not have a cutting machine, to enable you to trace the designs onto fusible web.

* The Basics Guide is available as a free download online from www.cosyproject.com/blog/quilting-guide