Friday Sampler Block #8 - Dimensional Rose of Sharon

I've been wanting to make some dimensional flowers for an item for my quilt shop, and this week's tutorial gave me some practice.

You will need:
1 dark fabric for background, 12 1/2 inch square
3-4 various light and medium fabrics for flowers, scraps can be used for this
Fusible web, I like Heat and Bond Lite, but any two sided fusible you like will do
Low loft cotton batting, warm and white works well
Thread
Accuquilt Die #55045 Rose of Sharon

If you don't have this die, or an accuquilt machine, you could cut these flower shapes by hand. 

Cut a 12 1/2" square out of your background fabric.

This block works best as a design and play as you go project.  There are ten shapes of flowers, leaves, and center circles available on the Rose of Sharon die. Since the shapes can be cut individually you can use small scraps of fabric. You don't have to cut a whole strip of fabric to cover all ten shapes, unless of course you plan on making more than one block. 

Important: for the shapes that will be fused flat (no batting for dimension), iron the fusible onto the wrong side of a piece of fabric about an inch bigger than the cut shape before you cut it.  Then center it over the die shape you would like and cut. 

I like to work in odd numbers, so  I made 7 various sizes and fabrics of flower shapes for the first layer and 5 small leaves. These all had fusible on the back. 

After cutting the first layer, arrange them on your background fabric the way that looks best to you.  I like some of the pieces overlapped.

For the dimensional flowers, layer a piece of batting and the fabric wrong side down and then cut together.

Play with your fabrics and dimension until you get it the way you like it.  Take a picture or sketch so that you can remember how they are because you will need to take it apart to sew.

Start with one of your batting and flower units and layer it onto a fused flower.  I used a free motion foot and a circular stitch to attach my layers.  Experiment until you get a design you like.  I am not as happy with some of my first attempts as much as the ones I did at the end, but that is okay with me.  I enjoy the learning process.

No need to clip the threads between each layer or flower.  You can clean it up later.

Don't forget to stitch your leaves too, and even some of the flat flowers if you like.  Just relax and have fun with it!

Happy Sewing ♥