Like dots? Then you’ll love the exciting Urban Elementz Basix fabrics

Like Dots? Then you’ll love the exciting Urban Elementz Basiz Collection from Northcott Fabrics. Just click on this link to see these wonderful, delicious dots:

For the next five days, we’re going to have so much fun with these dots. I can’t think of a better way to share this collection than to design some fun projects especially for you!

Today’s project is entitled Flowers on the Snow, a design that I’ve created just for you.

This project starts with a fun 12½” block (unfinished) that can be used to create a quilt in any size. The wonderful colors of the stunning dots from the Urban Elementz Basix collection were my inspiration for this project; they reminded me of spring and flowers, even though there’s so much snow around me. Using the white colorway as my background brought the idea of snow; hence the name for the design.

For today’s project, we’re going to make one flower block.

materials

Three fat quarters of Urban Elementz Basix fabrics in three different colors.

For my block I chose blue for my flower petals, black for the flower center and white for my background.

cutting instructions

For one block, cut fabric as follows:

Fabric 1 – cut four 6½” squares for flower petals
Fabric 2 – cut four 2½” squares for flower centers
Fabric 3 – cut four 2″ squares and four 3″ squares background fabric

Draw a diagonal line on the back of each of the squares for the flower centers and background.

Our 12½” flower block consists of 4 segments.

Here’s the recipe for one segment only:

Lay one 2½” flower center square on one of the corners of the 6½” flower petal squares, right sides facing, with the ends of the diagonal line pointing towards the outside edges of the petal square.
Sew on the diagonal line through both layers.

Trim the excess fabric on the corner, ¼” outside of the seam line.

Flip the flower center triangle towards the cut off corner, press the seams towards the corner.

TIP Before flipping the corners, press the seam first – then flip and press again. The pre-pressing really helps the thread to rest and makes for a nicer, flatter seam.

The next photo shows the placement of the 2″ and 3″ squares of background fabric. Both are placed right sides down on the petal square.

Follow the same procedure as you did for the flower center square and stitch these two background squares to the petal square. Trim the corners in the same way, flipping the triangles towards the cut off corners, and then pressing.

This completes one of the four segments in our 12½” flower block. Repeat these steps to complete three more flower block segments. Each flower block requires four of these segments.

After four segments are completed, we can assemble our flower block.

Sewing the block

Note: All seams are ¼”.

Lay the four segments with the black corners meeting in the center of the block.

Be sure that in the two top segments, there’s one segment with the flower center seam pressed towards the cut off corner and one segment with the seam pressed towards the large petal square – this will make it easier to nest the seams when you sew these segments together. This also applies to the bottom two segments.

Layer the top two segments, right sides together, and stitch along the edge that has the black center.

Follow the same procedure for the bottom two segments.

It’s important when stitching these pieces together that you match up your seams and pin well.

The best way to align seams when stitching is to place a pin just before the seam so that your machine foot will arrive at the pin before the seam.

Next, lay the top half of the flower block on the bottom half, right sides together, and stitch along the side with the black flower center to join both sections together.

This will complete one 12½” flower block.

The many ways to use this block

• Make blocks in all of the different colors of Urban Elementz Basix fabrics, and with sashing, join them up to make a quilt in any size that you prefer.
• What about adding wider side borders, narrow top and bottom borders and turning these in to wonderful springtime placemats?
• Add borders and turn them into pillows.
• Use them as panels for bags.

I’ve decided to make four of these blocks and turn them into an adorable springtime table topper for a breakfast nook.

With all of the snow around us this week, I thought that this would be a happy project and something fun, hence, Flowers on the Snow Table Topper.

These dots from Northcott’s Urban Elementz Basix collection really proclaim spring is coming in this adorable project.

My table topper is all pieced and ready to be quilted. I’ll share the finished project with you in May’s blog, but, here are the instructions so you can make one for yourself.

“Flowers On The Snow” Table Topper

Finished size: 30½” x 30½

materials

• Background fabric for sashing and borders – 15″ x width of fabric
• Backing – 35″ X 35″
• Binding –  four strips 2¼” x width of fabric

Cutting instructions for sashing and borders

From sashing fabric cut:

• two strips – 2½” x 12½”
• three strips – 2½” x 26½”
• two strips – 2½” x 30½”

Join the two top blocks together with one of the 12½” sashing strip. Follow the same procedure for the bottom two blocks.
Sew one of the 26½” sashing strips to the bottom of the top row of blocks.
Join the bottom row of blocks to the sashing strip at the bottom of the top row.
Next, add a 26½” border strip to the top of the top row and one to the bottom of the bottom row.
Add a 30½” border strip to the two remaining sides to complete the table topper top.

Quilt, bind and enjoy!

I’ve had so much fun with this first project. I can’t wait to bring you another fun design tomorrow using some of the other fabrics in the Urban Elementz Basix collection. I’ll give you a little hint; we’re going to have fun with dotty strips.

Happy Stitching everyone!