Block 22 - Violet

I can't believe we are almost done with this quilt! I am busy working out a setting for it. Despite 6 months of searching I have not been able to locate the leaflet that you could send away for with instructions to finish the quilt. But based on the drawing in the first column and Nancy's instructions she gave in the Doll block column I think I have got a good idea how it was designed.  Of course the blocks could be used in many ways.

Anyway, on to this weeks block-the violet.

My block

Mildred's Block

Block 22 – Violet

It must have been the air of spring which made Nancy choose the violet for the “V” block. She had embroidered using a vine, but decided that the violet was easier to make, prettier when finished and more interesting to Joan.

Occasionally Nancy’s husband would send her violets and Joan had seen the bunch she received on Valentine ’s Day, so she was familiar with the flower and identified it at once.

“Ahh , I see now why you did not want to have a violet umbrella. You were afraid there would be too much like color in one spot on the quilt. I’m glad I followed your example and made my umbrella a soft rose. It affords such a pleasing ----- in this block.” These in general were the comments of the other quilt makers in the club.

For the flower Nancy chose a polka dot material in white with lavender dots. She was sure that this was fast color, since she had washed a dress make of this material many times in the past summer. One club member chose a soft plain violet fast color cotton. Another woman used a scrap of a fast color English print with an ecru ground and violet design.

The stem was green and the leaves were of a darker shade of green. One member who had no green left chose deep purple for the leaves. And one member went +----- and made her leaves of rose.

The pattern square was cut from the paper. Over it was laid a 6 ½ inch square of white gingham. By holding these flat against the window pane it was possible to trace the pattern onto the cloth. A sharp-pointed lead pencil was best to use. Nancy told them not to trace the embroidery at the center of the flower since that would be covered up on the white background by the flower itself.

After the pattern was on the cloth the paper square was pasted on to a piece of light-weight card or tag board and dried under pressure.

Nancy embroidered the letter “y” in fast color embroidery cotton in green, using a fine outline stitch. The color chosen is determined by that used for the previous letters and also by the color of connecting strips which will put the alphabet blocks together in the finished quilt.

In cutting out the paper patterns, Nancy called attention to the fact that both leaves were alike. That meant that only one had to be cut and that the stem could be cut in one piece.

The stem is best cut from a bias piece and should be twice as wide as the finished pattern. The raw edges are folded back to meet on under side and basted in place.

Two leaves are cut with a quarter inch allowance on all sides. This is turned under and basted in place.

With the rounding edges of the leaves and flower Nancy advised the members to cut tiny slits around the edge. By doing this the raw edge may be folded under and basted in place without puckering the edge.

After the pieces were basted and pressed they were appliquéd with fine slanting hemming stitches.

The center of the flower is embroidered in fast color yellow embroidery cotton and the straight line at the base of the stem done in green. Use satin stitch for the center of the flower, running stitch from stamens and outline stitch for the base. 

Click HERE for the pattern.

Until next week-Happy stitching!

Deb