I revisited my Bellflower applique block made back in April this year. As it is long and slender, I thought this would create the perfect block for adding quilted areas that help frame and enhance the flower design itself. While the original blog post for the Bellflower focused on creating the applique block, this time I wanted to show how the included layout guide can be used to build a more decorative quilted composition around the flower.
All my flower blocks include a layout guide in the pattern. This is designed not only to help you build your applique, but also can be used for embroidery and/or quilting, giving you plenty of ideas to expand beyond the applique itself and allowing you to customise the final project.
Using the Layout Guide
For this sample, I added two quilted sections beside the Bellflower applique - one on each side of the main design. Using the layout guide included in the pattern made it easy to position the extra quilted elements so they balanced the block beautifully.
I printed the layout guide onto water soluble stabilizer and positioned this on the block in the appropriate place. I then used this to do the quilting by stitching directly on the lines. On the right side of the applique, I stitched the quilted section exactly as shown in the guide. For the opposite side, I simply reversed the layout to mirror the design. This creates a pleasing sense of symmetry.
If you have never reversed a quilting layout before, this is a very simple way to experiment with it. The mirrored panel was created by flipping the page and transferring the lines in reverse (a light box or any light source can help show the design to the wrong side of the paper). This small adjustment of reversing the design creates balance without making both sides look too identical.
Note: Reversing motifs is a wonderful technique for borders, medallion quilts, and symmetrical wall hangings, especially when working with floral subjects like flowers.
The mirrored effect frames the Bellflower perfectly and gives the entire piece a much more finished appearance.... and to make it super easy to use, I added an extra page in the pattern with the reversed design added: Bellflower pattern
The quilting doesn’t need to be overly complicated to be effective. I've created mine by simply stitching in the lines on the background. I've stopped the stitching any where a line meets the applique. I marked it on the stabilizer so I didn't stitch on the applique accidentally.
You can take this quilting concept even further by repeating curves, using gentle filler stitching, and echoed lines - all work beautifully beside the floral outline. By placing quilted areas on both sides of the block, the design feels more complete and visually anchored.
The added quilted areas provide plenty of opportunity to play with thread choices, texture, and stitching density while still keeping the Bellflower applique as the star of the design. I use very faint color choices for the threads.... a subtle green and purple.
If you haven't used water soluble stabilizer before, you should give it a try. It is great for not marking your fabric and so easy to remove. I made a quick video of me dissolving the stabilizer.... First, here are the instructions (which are basically the same for all brands) that came with the stabilizer I am using for this project. This is printable stabilizer meaning I can put it in my inkjet printer.
Warm water works best for dissolving the stabilizer and, in the video, you can actually see it breaking down in the water. You may also notice tiny black specks of ink floating on the surface, particularly around the light purple flowers. Take care to keep these floating bits away from your block while rinsing so they don’t settle back onto the fabric.
.... and here is the final block after it has been dried.
One of the joys of combining applique with quilting is the contrast between the raised fabric shapes and the stitched background texture. The quilted side panels help the Bellflower stand out even more, drawing the eye toward the flower while also adding movement across the surface.
Should I add more quilting and texture around the applique or do you think it looks great just as it is? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
