Garden Quilt Along - Intro

This time of year I always get inspired to start planning an enormous garden which will provide fresh vegetables well into the next winter. By the time everything is ready to plant outside, my plan is reduced to a more manageable size. When the frost starts in the fall I tell myself "next year plan smaller". Maybe making a garden quilt would be even better :)

I helped design this quilt for a quilt guild a few years ago. Each week a new block will be posted, and each quilter is encouraged to add their own embellishments. The finished quilt measures almost 50 inches square.

Block #1 - The Sun
This block is essentially a dresden plate quarter and measures 12 inches square finished. You will need a background fabric 12½ inches square, a sun fabric and between 2 to 8 assorted ray fabrics. Be sure to print the Ray Template and Sun Template templates at 100% for best results.

Cut out ray template along dotted line to include seam allowance. From ray fabrics cut out 8 rays using the template and turning as needed to make multiple cut from the same fabric.

Fold each ray in half lengthwise, right sides together and sew top only with ¼ inch seam. Turn right side out and press well.

Sew 8 rays together on long sides using a ¼ inch seam. Press seams open, carefully.

Lay rays on background square and stitch to background on points very close to folded edges.

(Optional) From the back, trim background fabric away at least ¼ inch from sewn sun ray point seams.

Cut out sun template (seam allowance is already included). Then cut out sun fabric using template.

Baste stitch ¼ on curved edge.

Snip curved edge every half inch or so to the baste stitching line.

Press curved edge under and make sure basting is turned under or remove it when finished with block.

Pin sun to block, squared up with the rest of the raw edges of sun rays.

Top stitch curved edge of sun 1/8 inch or less from folded under edge.

(Optional) from the back trim the excess sun ray fabric to at least ¼ from sun curved seam.

Happy Quilting!