Block 20: Origami flower – Textured quilt sampler

Block type: log cabin

Block size: 11 inches

Colour scheme: reds and neutrals

Texture/fabric manipulation: fabric folding / fabric origami

Quilt size: The finished quilt is 52 1/2 x 52 1/2.

Needs:

• a 10 1/2 inch square in red tones for the centre square.
• two 5 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles and two 11 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles for the border

Making the origami flower

Learn in 3 minutes how to make this block:

When making origami using paper, the folds remain throughout the whole process because we only use our fingers to press. With fabric and an iron though it is easy to iron over the previous creases removing the crease. Therefore when pressing pay special attention to avoid ironing over previously made creases.

Cut a 10 1/2 inch square and fold it in half right sides of the fabric together. Press well.

Then fold it again to make a square and press again.

You now have two in folds making a cross on the fabric.

Turn piece around and fold in all 4 corners as per picture. Press well but do not press over the previous creases.

This is what your piece will look like.

Turn it around. You still can see the creases from the first folds you made.

Now you need to make two folds that will meet in the center.

This is the first fold. Press keeping the previous creases.

Now fold the other side to meet in the middle. Press again keeping the previous creases.

Now unfold the last two folds. We’re nearly there folding and pressing.

Now fold both sides of the square to meet in the middle, just like you did before, but this time do it with the other two sides of the square.

We have finished folding and pressing. You can see now that with all that folding we have 2 lines crossing on the diagonal plus two more lines making a small square.

Now fold along the pressed lines as per picture making a sort of ear.

Fold the “ear” to the side.

Do this in every corner always folding to the same side.

You will get a windmill like in the photo below.

Now pick up one of the corners and lift it up like in the photo below.

Then push it open to the middle as per photo.

Do the same with all corners.

Time to open each petal.

Pick up every corner and push it towards the back as per picture.

Do this with all 4 corners.

Turn the flower.

Open the folded triangles like in the picture.

The flower is nearly done.

To hold the petals together, make a few stitches in the middle.

Cover a button with fabric or use a regular button.

Sew the button in the middle.

Press the folds in the corners of the square.

Now cut two 5 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles and two 11 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles for the border.

To attach the border, lift the petal and fold it forward.

Pin the border.

Stitch using a 1/4 inch allowance.

Iron seams to one side.

Do the same for the other two sides of the border.

Iron seams and you’re done.

 

Textured blocks tutorials

This is the 20th block in a series of 25 exploring texture in fabric.

Each block is made out of a centre 5 inch square featuring some fabric texture such as pin tucks, smocking, shirring and the like. Then a 3 1/2 wide border encloses each centre square.

The colour scheme is red and white/cream alternating reds and white/cream for the centre square and border.

Some of the textures show better on plain colours than on heavily patterned fabric.

See all Textured quilt sampler tutorials for this quilt.

Share your pictures

Are you making this quilt? Share your pictures on Flickr’s TeresaDownUnder group.