Block 4 of Fall into a Quilt Along is here! Remember, you can always find the quilt along information and links to all of the blocks right here.

I just love this sunflower block by Sandy Maxfield at SandyStar Designs. When I was a kid, sunflowers were my very favorite part of the garden. I always insisted that we had to plant a whole row of them. I was fascinated by how tall they got and the way they followed the sun, and they were just so pretty!

The pattern for this block can be found here on Sandy's blog. All Fall into a Quilt Along patterns will be free until November 13, 2018.

Tips for Success

Seam Test

My first tip is to test your seam allowance before you start. That way you can be sure your block will come out the right size.

To test your seam allowance, cut two 2" squares and sew them together. Press to one side, and measure the resulting rectangle. The rectangle should be 3 1/2" long. If your rectangle is shorter, you need a narrower seam allowance. If your rectangle is longer, you need a wider seam allowance. Adjust your seam and try again. Once the rectangle is exactly 3 1/2" long, you're good to go.

Stitch and Flip Corners

Stitch and flip corners are super versatile for making all sorts of blocks. The secret is to draw a line diagonally across the corner square, and stitch just outside of the drawn line. The line you drew isn't the stitching line - it's actually where the fabric needs to fold! By stitching just outside of the line, you give yourself the extra fabric you need to reach all the way to the corner when you flip it over.

Just to be safe, I always test to make sure my corner is covered before I cut away the excess fabric from the back.

Pressing

Here's a peek at the back of my block. I'm a big fan of nesting seams and pressing in the direction of least resistance.

Sunflower Patch

We have seven fabulous hosts for this quilt along. Each of us has made our very own sunflower block. That gives us nearly enough for a whole flower patch. Be sure to check them all out!

Abbie Danahy at Sparkle On
April Adams at JANDA Bend Quilts
Bobbi Bridgeman at Snowy Days Quilting <--- That's me!
Jennifer Fulton at Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting
Vanda Chittenden at Quilting with Vanda

Prizes

As always, we have some fabulous prizes this week. Anyone over 18 is eligible to win, including international participants. To be entered in the drawing, simply share your completed sunflower block by 11:59 pm Eastern time on July 9, 2018. You can share on Instagram with the hashtag #fallintoaqal, in the Partners in Design Facebook group, or in the linky party on Sandy's post.

This week's prize is two printed patterns from Amanda Murphy Design. The patterns were donated by Abbie Danahy at Sparkle On. The patterns are Folk Garden, a set of three 16" x 30" mini quilts, and Folk Art Flowers, a 62" x 80" quilt. Aren't they both so sweet?

At the end of the quilt along, we will have a grand prize drawing for anyone that has made a complete quilt top with all 12 blocks. There's no need to have it quilted for the drawing. To be eligible to win, finished quilt tops must be posted by 11:59 pm Eastern time on November 12, 2018.

Question for You

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned that sunflowers were always my favorite part of the garden as a child. What about you? Did you have a garden growing up? What was your favorite part?

Linking up with
Let's Bee Social
Midweek Makers

Fall into a Quilt Along: Sunflower