Floral Abundance Quilt

Bring Your Garden Inside! Aster and Mimosa Pillow Class Plan

From Floral Abundance Quilt

By Deborah Kemball

Class Description:

In this class, students will improve their needleturn appliqué skills while making a lovely pillow to bring the garden inside their home. In the first workshop, students will hone their needleturn appliqué skills while learning Deborah’s simple techniques to appliqué stems, leaves, petals, and ovals. In the second workshop, students will learn how to transform their completed appliqué panel into a gorgeous pillow. The pillows are pictured on pp. 17 and 21 of Floral Abundance Quilt. The class level is easy to intermediate.

Class Length:

Two classes of 3 hours each, approximately one month apart, so that the appliqué can be completed in time to construct the pillow in class two.

Class Supply List:

• Required text: Floral Abundance Quilt

• Enlarged pattern for Aster and Mimosa Wreath (p. 17): pattern should be enlarged by 150% before class one

Class One

• 1 ¼ yard fabric for pillow front, backing, and binding

• 14˝ square green fabric for leaves and stems

• Fat quarter scraps and assorted solid fabrics for flowers

• Freezer paper

• Fine permanent pen for drawing templates

• Fabric marking pencil and eraser

• Thread to match appliqué

• Paper scissors

• Sharp scissors and sewing kit

• Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat

• Masking tape

• Optional: lightbox

Class Two

• Thread to sew quilt

• 16˝ zipper

• 18˝ inch pillow form

• Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat

• Sewing machine

Classroom Preparation:

For class one, each student will need some table space and access to a pressing station. There should be one iron and ironing board for every four people. A classroom with nice big windows makes for an easy way to trace a long design, using windows in lieu of light boxes. Simply stick the pattern on the window and trace.

For class two, each student will need table space for their sewing machine and access to a plug socket.

Class Agenda:

Details for appliqué of flowers and stems and embroidery stitches can found in Part 1: The Basics (pp. 6-7). Pillow details can be found on pp. 21–22.

Class 1

1.   Prepare background fabric for appliqué.

2.   Prepare the templates and appliqué.

3.   Stitch appliqué.