This month, I dove into designing a new appliqué flower block - Nasturtium. I'm not really sure why I haven't made this flower previously as I have snapped several photos with anticipation of making nasturtiums. These were taken a few years ago in my daughter's garden.
Nasturtiums have a wonderfully simple shape that makes them ideal for applique. Their five rounded petals, slightly overlapping, create a natural circular form. This makes them ideal for creating a whole flower from a single piece of fabric or individual petals. I especially love how their leaves echo this roundness, with bold, veined centers - a perfect opportunity to add detail with stitching either by machine or by hand.
To bring this block to life, I selected a pink Hoffman Fabric watercolor with a deep red for the veins and several greens to complement the flowers without overpowering them. Of course, I could have made all the flowers different colors if I'd wanted. Nasturtiums come in red, orange, yellow, pink, and even bi-colored, where the veins are a different color from the petals.
I made individual petals for this block, building each flower on a Teflon sheet first. Using fusible web, I positioned each petal in order, layering them to mimic their natural overlapping design. I added the leaves to the background first (except for that leaf you see on top), again adding them in order of my design. The curvy stemmed buds create a sense of movement within the block, then selected several threads to begin stitching.
There are instructions in the pattern to create bias binding to use for the stems (these can be quite fiddly for creating by hand) as well as stitching lines on the leaf templates to indicate where to stitch the veins. These can easily be transferred to the fabric using a water-soluble marker or chalk.
As usual, I used free-motion stitching for a more delicate effect, however satin stitch or blanket stitch both work beautifully for edging.... and yes, I also include instructions for those who prefer to create the block by hand.
Adding the fabric for the veins on the petals is optional. If you prefer, you can paint or draw them and then add stitching over the top, or simply add the stitching by itself. I use a different technique from my usual edge stitching for the veins in the petals. Instead, I stitch up the centers branching out to each point and stitching beyond it to give a nice sharpness.
To finish off the flower, I stitched around all the petals with white thread to mimic the natural flowers. This is less visible on the white background, more so where the dark leaves provide contrast.
This block can stand alone beautifully in a wall hanging or be included as part of a larger flower garden quilt. It’s also perfect for table runners or cushions where you want a splash of vibrant color.
The Nasturtium Appliqué Block is now available in our BOW (Block of the Week) Flower Series. It includes full-sized templates, layout guides, and stitching suggestions to help you create a beautiful piece with ease. Nasturtium Block
