Welcome, quilting enthusiasts! Today, we have a special treat for you – a detailed tutorial on creating the mesmerizing Midnight Blooms Quilt.
This throw-size quilt combines fusible appliqué with three sizes of hourglass blocks, and the metallic glints in the Asian-inspired fabrics add a subtle sparkle that’s sure to catch the eye. So, let’s get started!
Materials You’ll Need
To create this stunning quilt, you’ll need the following:
- 1/2 yard dark gold print (for star blocks)
- 1-5/8 yards total assorted red prints (for star and hourglass blocks, flower and circle appliqués, outer border)
- 1-1/2 yards total assorted black prints (for star and hourglass blocks, flower center appliqués, outer border)
- 1-1/3 yards total assorted green prints (for hourglass blocks, stem and leaf appliqués, outer border)
- 1 yard total assorted gold prints (for hourglass blocks, circle appliqués, outer border)
- 1-1/8 yards black floral (for inner border, binding)
- 1-1/8 yards light gold tone-on-tone (for inner border)
- 4-1/8 yards backing fabric
- 74″ square batting
- Lightweight fusible web
The finished quilt will measure 65-1/2″ square, and the finished blocks will be 9″ square. All measurements include 1/4″ seam allowances, and you should sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.
Cutting the Fabrics
The first step in creating your Midnight Blooms Quilt is to cut your fabrics. You’ll need to cut pieces in the following order:
- From dark gold print, cut 10 4-1/4″ squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 20 small triangles total, and 20 3-1/2″ squares.
- From one red print, cut 8 4-1/4″ squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 small triangles total, and 1 3-1/2″ square.
- From assorted red prints, cut 6 each of patterns B and B reversed.
- From one black print, cut 2 4-1/4″ squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 small triangles total, and 4 3-1/2″ squares.
- From assorted black prints, cut 12 of Pattern C.
- From assorted green prints, cut 1 6-1/2×9-1/2″ rectangle, cut on the bias, for stem appliqués, and 12 each of patterns A and A reversed.
- From assorted gold prints and red, black, and green print scraps, cut 88 6-1/4″ squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 176 large triangles total, 16 5-3/4″ squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 32 medium triangles total, and 16 of Pattern D.
- From black floral, cut 8 9-1/2″ squares and 7 2-1/2×42″ binding strips.
- From light gold tone-on-tone, cut 4 9-1/2×27-1/2″ rectangles and 4 9-1/2″ squares.
Assembling the Hourglass Units
Once you’ve cut your fabrics, it’s time to assemble the hourglass units. Follow these steps:
- Sew together a dark gold print small triangle and a red print small triangle to make a small triangle-square. Press the seam toward the darker fabric. The triangle-square should be 3-7/8″ square including seam allowances. Cut the triangle-square in half diagonally, cutting through the seam line, to make two red small pieced triangles. Repeat to make 32 red small pieced triangles total.
- Using black print small triangles and dark gold print small triangles, repeat Step 1 to make four small triangle-squares; cut them in half to make eight black small pieced triangles.
- Sew together two red small pieced triangles to make a small red hourglass unit. Press the seam in one direction. The unit should be 3-1/2″ square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 red small hourglass units total.
- Using black small pieced triangles, repeat Step 3 to make four black small hourglass units.
- Sew together two assorted red, black, green, or green print medium triangles to make a medium triangle-square. Press the seam toward the darker fabric. The medium triangle-square should be 5-3/8″ square including seam allowances. Cut in half diagonally, cutting through the seam line, to make two medium pieced triangles. Repeat to make 32 medium pieced triangles total.
- Sew together two medium pieced triangles to make a medium hourglass unit. Press the seam in one direction. The unit should be 5″ square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 medium hourglass units total.
- Using assorted print large triangles, repeat Step 5 to make a large triangle-square. It should be 5-7/8″ square including seam allowances. Cut it into two large pieced triangles. Repeat to make 176 large pieced triangles total.
- Using large pieced triangles, repeat Step 6 to make 88 large hourglass units. Each should be 5-1/2″ square including seam allowances.
Assembling the Blocks
Now that you have your hourglass units, it’s time to assemble the blocks. Here’s how:
- Referring to Diagram 5, sew together four red small hourglass units, four dark gold print 3-1/2″ squares, and a black print 3-1/2″ square in three rows. Press the seams toward the squares. Join the rows to make a red star block; press the seams in one direction. The block should be 9-1/2″ square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four red star blocks total.
- Using four black small hourglass units, four dark gold print 3-1/2″ squares, and a red print 3-1/2″ square, repeat Step 1 to make a black star block.
- Referring to Diagram 6, sew together four medium hourglass units in pairs. Press the seams in opposite directions. Join the pairs to make an hourglass block; press the seam in one direction. The block should be 9-1/2″ square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four hourglass blocks total.
Assembling the Quilt Center
With your blocks assembled, it’s time to create the quilt center. Follow these steps:
- Referring to the Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together the star blocks and hourglass blocks in three rows. Press the seams toward the star blocks.
- Join the rows to make the quilt center; press the seams toward the middle row. The quilt center should be 27-1/2″ square including seam allowances.
Assembling, Appliquéing, and Adding the Inner Border
Now, let’s move on to the inner border. Here’s how:
- Use a pencil or white dressmaker’s pencil to mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of each black floral 9-1/2″ square.
- Align a marked 9-1/2″ square with one end of a light gold tone-on-tone 9-1/2 x27-1/2″ rectangle. Sew on the drawn line. Trim the excess, leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance. Press open the attached triangle, pressing the seam toward the black print. Repeat with the opposite end of the light gold tone-on-tone rectangle to make an inner border unit. Repeat to make four inner border units total.
- Fold an inner border unit in half widthwise; press lightly to make a center placement line. Arrange a short stem appliqué along the placement line; the bottom end of the stem should align with the raw edge of the light gold tone-on-tone rectangle. Arrange a long stem appliqué in a gentle arc on each side of the short stem. Fuse the stems in place.
- Arrange three green print A leaves, three green print A reversed leaves, three red print B or B reversed flowers, three black print C flower centers, and four assorted print D circles along the stem appliqués; overlap any raw edges of pieces by about 1/4″. Fuse the pieces in place following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Working from the bottom layer to the top, zigzag-stitch around the stems and A–D pieces with black thread to make an appliquéd inner border unit.
- Repeat steps 3–5 to make four appliquéd inner border units total.
- Sew two appliquéd inner border units to opposite edges of the quilt center, stitching the ends of the stem appliqués into the seam. Press the seams toward the quilt center.
- Sew light gold tone-on-tone 9-1/2″ squares to the ends of the remaining appliquéd inner border units to make long inner border units. Press the seams toward the squares. Join the long inner border units to the remaining edges of the quilt center; press the seams as before. The quilt center now should be 45-1/2″ square including seam allowances.
Assembling and Adding the Outer Border
Next, let’s assemble and add the outer border:
- Sew together 18 large hourglass units in two rows. Press the seams in one direction, alternating the direction with each row. Join the rows to make a short outer border unit. Press the seam open. The unit should be 10-1/2×45-1/2″ including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short outer border unit.
- Sew together 26 large hourglass units in two rows. Press the seams in one direction, alternating the direction with each row. Join the rows to make a long outer border unit. Press the seam open. The unit should be 10-1/2×65-1/2″ including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long outer border unit.
- Sew the short outer border units to opposite edges of the quilt center. Add the long outer border units to the remaining edges to complete the quilt top. Press all seams toward the quilt center.
Full Pattern: Click Here
Finishing the Quilt
Finally, let’s finish the quilt:
- Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.
- Bind with black floral binding strips.
And there you have it! Your very own Midnight Blooms Quilt. This quilt is a testament to your skills and patience, and it’s sure to be a beautiful addition to your home or a cherished gift for a loved one. Remember, every stitch you make is a step towards creating something beautiful. So, keep quilting, keep creating, and keep blooming!