With each new flower quilt block pattern, I think back to the first flower quilt. Now, I KNOW that this flower was featured in the first quilt. I remember thinking that it was charming. I even cut each pedal of the flower separately so I could pattern match the stripes. I admit that it was overkill, but I liked how it turned out.
Block #16 ~ Balloon Flower
March 19, 1932
“If I called this flower a platy-codon I don’t suppose many of you would know what I meant. But if I refer to it as a balloon flower open to the breeze and sun you would recognize it at once. Am I right?”
“Right you are, Nancy. We recognize it, but what color shall we make it?” “The balloon flower is blue or white. Since we are making these flowers on a white background I suggest that you use blue. You might use a fine blue and white check or stripe. That will give the effect you want. Be careful, though, that you do not choose too dark or strong a blue. Now let’s get to work.”
The members did just as you have learned to do. First, they cut the pattern from paper, traced it lightly on white triangle, traced it again on lightweight cardboard. Then they put the original with its accompanying directions in the Nancy Page quilt scrap book for safe keeping. If you haven’t the directions for making one of those scrap books write to your paper for the leaflet.
After the cardboard tracing was made it was cut into its parts. These were laid on the color-fast, soft material of which the flower, leaves and stem would be made. For the stem, Nancy suggests, as you know, bias tape. Its use saves so much work and insures even stems.
In cutting the pieces an allowance of one -quarter inch was made on all sides for turning raw edges under. This was done, basted and pressed. Then the pieces were pinned in place according to light tracery. The appliqueing was done by means of slanting, invisible hemming stitch. After the birds were appliqued the block was ready to be put into the quilt.
By the time this block was finished the fourth row of urns with their birds and flowers were completed. Now the group were ready to add the white diamonds. The four blocks, the daffodil, poppy, rose, and balloon flower were seamed to lower sides of white diamonds that were joining the third row of flowers. In each case the lower left of a diamond was seamed to the upper right of a new block, and the lower right to the upper left. Nancy admitted this sounded complicated, but it wasn’t, once the pieces were laid out on a flat surface. It is just a matter of putting the white diamonds in between the flower block diamonds. At the two outer sides of the quilt there is a white triangle, in place of a white diamond. These triangles later furnish the straight sides of quilt to which a border it attached.
The club worked so steadily at the seaming and joining that they scarcely noticed Nancy when she came in with Chinese tea and rice flour cakes. She explained that these were in keeping since the flower was often called a Chinese bell flower. The members expressed appreciation and made the rest of us so hungry that it is time to say, “Let’s stop and eat.”
“Garden Bouquet Quilt, Balloon flower” Newspapers.com, Edmonton Journal, March 19, 1932, https://www.newspapers.com/article/edmonton-journal-garden-bouquet-quilt-b/163503433/
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