Each quilt block has construction techniques specific to that block. These General Instructions apply to all patterns on our series. Please read both sections before you begin.

Appliqué designs can be finished by machine satin stitching, blanket stitching or hand quilting around the edges of the appliqué pieces. Using matching thread for each piece, stitch before trimming the block. Use a tear-away stabilizer under the background fabric to prevent puckering. Hand quilting is done around the appliqué pieces after the block is finished.

Read manufacturer’s instructions for using the fusible web. All of the appliqué pattern pieces are reversed and ready to be traced. The dotted lines on the pattern pieces show where the appliqué piece will be hidden behind other fabrics.

1. Trace appliqué pieces onto paper side of fusible web. Mark all directional arrows when using striped pr patterned fabrics, as well as right and left sides to avoid confusion.
2. Cut around shape of piece, but not on the traced line.
3. Fuse appliqué pieces to WRONG side of fabric. When cool, cut out appliqué on traced line. Peel paper backing off before placing design on background.
4. Refer to CONSTRUCTION OF QUILT for placement sequence; place one piece at a time, fusible side down. Lightly spot-fuse to keep pieces in place as you work.. When all pieces are placed, fuse thoroughly.

I prefer to use white cotton flannel for the batting. Try Marcus Fabrics’ Super Softly.

1. Lay pressed backing fabric right side down, then batting, then appliquéd block on top. Press the layers to "bind" them.
2. Lay sandwiched quilt on cutting mat; trim to 10" square. After each cut, turn your cutting mat instead of the quilt itself, to prevent shifting of the layers.
3. Continue with BINDING YOUR QUILT.

Use ¼" seams. All borders include an additional ¼" width. After the border is sewn on, you will then trim the border using your seam line as the guide. This will help eliminate a wavy appearance, especially noticeable on narrow borders.

1. Sew on side accent borders to block, right sides together and raw edges even. Trim edges of borders to be even with the quilt block; press border away from quilt with seam allowance towards border.
2. Sew on top and bottom accent borders in the same manner. Press.
3. The finished size of your accent border is listed under CUTTING REQUIREMENTS. For a ¼" wide accent border, place the ½" vertical line of your see-through ruler down the seam line of the pressed accent border and trim. For a ½" accent border, place the ¾" vertical line of see-through ruler down the seam line and trim. Trim all 4 sides in this manner.

Repeat steps 1 and 2 above; continue with TRIMMING YOUR QUILT.

1. Lay pressed backing fabric right side down, then batting, then appliquéd block on top. Press layers to bind" them.
2. Lay quilt on cutting mat. The finished size of your wide border is listed under CUTTING REQUIREMENTS. For a 2" wide border, place the 2" vertical line of your see-through ruler down the seam line of the pressed wide border and trim through all layers. Trim all 4 sides in this manner.
3. Baste or quilt to keep layers from shifting while you sew on the binding.

1. For larger quilts requiring more than one binding strip, piece strips together using a bias seam. Press seam open. See illustration.
2. Press binding in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
3. Design side up, place binding at bottom center, raw edges even, and sew through all layers using a ¼" seam. See illustration.
4. Slightly remove quilt from under presser foot and turn for second edge. Fold binding as shown, with the first fold at a 45 degree angle, raw edge of binding extending straight with the second edge of quilt. Next, fold binding down so that top fold is even with first edge of the quilt and raw edge of binding is even with the second edge. Slip quilt back under the presser foot and continue sewing, again, stopping ¼" from the end. Repeat folds until you come back to the starting point. Trim excess binding, leaving a 1" overlap, stitch to end of overlap and back tack.
5. With design side up, gently press binding toward outside of quilt, carefully pressing into the corners. Turn quilt over and pin the binding down, covering machine stitching lines. Fold corners to meet diagonally and pin in place. Hand stitch and press.