Bed of Peonies

This is the last of the 45 degree angles. Yay! From what I could find in the Rehmel book, the basic construction of this block is called the Bed of Peonies. However, the variation of the alternating color petals doesn't seem to have a specific name.

Keith sings and this is a Christmas quilt, so I wanted to use these Aunt Donna scraps with Christmas carols printed on them. They have a little bit of sparkle and were bright white before I ran them through a tea bath. That helped soften both the glitter and the stark white. I was pleased with the result.

I almost messed this block up royally. I cut the square for the bottom quadrant a quarter inch too short. I didn't have any more fabric and had already made the flowers, so I really didn't want to start over. I cut some strips of iron-on interfacing and ironed them to the back all the way around. With the strips overhanging each side, I re-cut the square to the proper size. It gives an eighth of an inch of fabric for the seam, but I used a shorter stitch length and the interfacing adheres to the adjoining piece when the seam is ironed to one side. I feel the seam is secure and it sure works for me.

The directions said to cut three-quarter inch wide pieces for the stems, but there is no way they are that thick in the picture. I cut mine a half inch. There wasn't a template for the leaves, so I just cut some slightly smaller diamonds. They work.

Can you spot the first line to"O, little town of Bethlehem" in the diamond to the left? One of my favorites.