HOMEWARD BOUND -- MONTH 3

 This quilt is the 2023 Block of the Month quilt for The Quilt Show. It was designed by Sarah Fielke exclusively for The Quilt Show and is only available at The Quilt Show. The best news is it's FREE for Star Members of The Quilt Show. Each month in 2023 a new part of the quilt is released for download to Star Members. 

This month we continue with the 116 circles, in 5 different sizes, that make the Hollyhock blocks:

In Month 2 we got the circle sizes for all of them. The Fabric Requirements pages show all the fabrics used in each month. A lot of people making this quilt around the world have already added ALL the circles so all they have to do in Month 3 is add the small leaves in each of the four Hollyhock blocks.

BE SURE you watch the Month 3 Video before you begin. It is a great video on how to do beautiful needle turn hand applique. And several good tips for using pins and glue and thread.

A word of WARNING about those leaves! The pattern says to use photos of the quilt, like the one above, to see where to place the leaves. 

BEWARE: the Coneflower petals we will work on in Month 4 stick out farther into the Hollyhock blocks than you think. 

I thought I spaced the leaves out far enough but I didn't and had to remove and reposition 1 or 2 in each block when it was time to add the Coneflowers. 

To help you avoid the problem I will show you how far out those Coneflower petals go. This is my quilt, up through Month 5 with some of the stars from Month 6 in the corners.

From the top of the Coneflower to the outside petal edge at the Center, you need to allow at least 6"--that shouldn't be a problem because none of the small leaves go there

The petals on the left and right sides go out about 5 1/2" from the TOP of the Coneflower seed head. So don't put the small leaves anywhere near that area. Wait until the Coneflowers are in place to finish adding the few small leaves that go near the Coneflowers:

Sarah mentions waiting to place some of the small leaves until after the Coneflowers are added in the Block of the Month show: Homeward Bound Block of the Month  This show is FREE FOR ALL TO WATCH all this year so even if you aren't a Star Member, I encourage you to watch. There is a lot to learn in this one.

This is also a reminder to watch the show again if you are making this quilt. It is full of tips that you will use throughout the year and may have missed in January when you first watched.

Since there is not a lot of work to do this month, you could start making some of the 15 yards of 1/4 Bias for the stems used in Month 7. It will take about a half yard of fabric to make that much if you want it all the same. You DO NOT need to make 15 yards of continuous bias. Just cut the fabric as long as you can on the bias, and  make it. If you should need to join shorter pieces together, and you probably won't, you can do that as needed in Month 7. 

Detail of small stems: 

Detail of long stems:

Complete quilt:

It is not too late to start. Simply Join The Quilt Show and jump in. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara