Sunflowers and Sunshine

Sunflowers and Sunshine go hand-in-hand like hugs and kisses. Sunflowers are my favorite summer flower. I once planted sunflowers in a row alongside my fence. The stalks grew tall and straight and the heads grew fuller and fuller and then they opened their beautiful faces toward the sun. Unfortunately for me, the sun showed over my neighbor’s house. My neighbor loved the sunny yellow flowers peeking over the fence at her. I couldn’t get them to turn their heads to shine back at me and my kitchen window! Ha! If you make a sunflower from a Dresden plate block, you can have the happy yellow flower face you no matter which way the sun shines!

To be honest, the Dresden plate block always intimidated me and was a block I put off learning for years. Once I finally tried it I was amazed at how easy it was! All this time I had thought it was a difficult block to make. Try this Bite-Size Sunflower block. It’s just a 12″ block. Because we want you to try this fun block, we’re making it a free download just until the last day of summer. The free download will expire on Sept. 22, 2021.

Create this Dresden plate block with a variety of scrappy yellow fabrics. Place a large center circle in the middle and accent with random buttons. What a lovely mini quilt to make for yourself or to give to a friend.

“True friends are
like bright sunflowers
that never fade
away, even over
distance and time.”
~ Marie Williams Johnstone

We have the Sunflower Bite-Size block kit available as well. $14.95 plus a little postage. While you’re visiting the shop, check out the Bite Size hanger and stand.

Since I got hooked on the Dresden block, I started a Pinterest board with a variety of ways to use this fun block. I even used Dresden ‘petals’ as wings for an owl in my Night Watchman Block of the Month pattern. Check out our Dresden Pinterest board. Once you discover how easy they are to make, your creativity will just bloom with all the options.

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The Dresden is our Sunflower, now check out our Sunshine…

Open Options in Yellow.

Open Options is a quilt you can make from 10″ squares or 10 1/2″ squares. But all your squares need to be the same size. The reason they can be one or the other is that the block is created in thirds. One-third of 10″ is 3 1/2″ – you need to round up, can’t really cut 3 1/3″. One-third of 10 1/2″ is 3 1/2″. See? Therefore, you’re going to cut your strips at 3 1/2″ whether you have a 10″ block or a 10 1/2″.

Then you’re going to make L blocks. An L block is a standard unit that is used in many blocks. Just like so many other “disappearing” blocks, this L block is cut, pieces swapped, sewn back together and you’ve just created your dark and light Open Options blocks. There are no little triangles to sew! Because you end up with two blocks, a light and a dark, the layout options are amazing. The pattern includes 14 different options to try!

We made this little quick tutorial to show how easy the block goes together. This is a beginner-friendly quilt pattern!

Want to see the 12 other layouts? Check out this flicker album to see the gallery of Open Options quilts.

We have starter kits for the Orange Open Options at our online store for $28.99. All the orange fabrics are in the kit but you’ll need to purchase the background fabric separately. We have 2 yards of solid marshmallow (our favorite solid white from Marcus Fabrics) available or you can scrappy up your backgrounds with a variety of lights from your stash.

Since it’s such a hot summer, let’s heat it up just a bit more with the Material Girlfriends’ Summer Heat Sale! Man, it’s hot! The Open Options Pattern is 33% off. And for how long? Until the end of summer, baby! Sunshiny days ahead! The sale price expires on September 22, 2021. I must be delirious from the summer sun because I just added 7 more patterns at the $7.00 sale price! Check out at www.materialgirlfriendsshop.com

Enjoy the sunflowers and sunshine! I’m headed for some shade and ice tea.

Absewlutely,

Lisa W. Norton and Lora W. Zmak