FREE Quilting Patterns, Tutorials, Magazine

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

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

by Bill Locke

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:

Northcott Fabrics

Urban Elementz Basix

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

Fat quarters of Northcott Urban Elementz Basix fabrics are cut to make one complete flower block.

Pieces cut for one complete block

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

A diagonal line is drawn on the back of each of the Urban Elementz fabric squares for the flower centers and background.

Diagonal lines drawn from corner to corner

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.

The flower center square of Urban Elementz Basix fabric is placed on the corner of the petal square prior to sewing.

The flower center square placed on the corner of the petal square

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

The excess fabric on the corner is trimmed ¼" outside of the seam.

Corner is trimmed ¼” outside of the seam

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 corner of Urban Elementz Basix fabric is flipped and pressed.

The corner, flipped and pressed

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.

The background squares of Urban Elementz Basix fabric are placed on the flower petal square, right sides together; ready to be stitched on the diagonal lines.

Background square placement

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.

The background triangles of Urban Elementz Basix fabrics have been flipped towards the cut off corners and pressed.

Background triangles flipped and pressed

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.

Here is the completed 12½" flower block made with Northcott's Urban Elementz Basix fabric line.

Completed 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.

A tabletopper being made with Northcott's Urban Elementz Basix fabric line.

Tabletopper center

“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!

This is part 1 of 5 in this series.

Go to part 2: The impact of dots and fabric strips in making a fun child’s apron

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

14 comments

Barbara Woods April 9, 2017 - 9:30 am

Love. That block

Reply
HAZELL PEREZ April 9, 2017 - 8:37 am

Loving all the beautiful dots lovely set of fabrics and it gives an elegant style.

Reply
Cindy Shelley April 8, 2017 - 12:45 pm

I love this cute pattern, but I will change the center to be a 3D center.

Reply
tracee April 5, 2017 - 8:26 pm

This is cool, like some sort of optical illusion. I feel like if I stare at it long enough, I’ll start seeing…well, something.

Reply
Bev Whittaker April 4, 2017 - 12:17 am

This looks like a fun block! I Can visualize a cute spring lap quilt in all colours!

Reply
Bill Locke April 4, 2017 - 10:41 am

Hi Bev, Thanks! I agree, making blocks in all of the wonderful colors of this collection would make a stunning quilt.

Reply
Linda E in AZ April 3, 2017 - 2:02 pm

Really easy and cute pattern, and I just love this set of fabrics!
Thanks!

Reply
Bill Locke April 3, 2017 - 2:09 pm

Thanks Linda, It was definitely fun!!

Reply
Janet T April 3, 2017 - 1:20 pm

Love this pattern. Thank you for sharing!

Reply
Bill Locke April 3, 2017 - 1:34 pm

Thanks Janet, glad that you like it…keep watching this week..there are some more fun projects in the next 4 days!

Reply
Lee Ann Lenfest April 3, 2017 - 12:48 pm

I adore dots and this looks like an excellent block to use up dotty fabrics!

Reply
Bill Locke April 3, 2017 - 1:33 pm

Thanks Lee Ann, When I saw the dots I knew that the first project was going to be something fun and floral…I’ve used this style of block in a couple of of my projects and love it.

Reply
Nancy Giese April 3, 2017 - 8:25 am

I love Northcott Fabrics. they are silky and sultry and a dream to work with. Love this new polka dot look

Reply
Bill Locke April 3, 2017 - 1:35 pm

Hi Nancy,
These were so much fun to work with and inspired me to be creative and have fun.
These dots are wonderful.

Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.