Love to Learn: Sewing and Quilting
Grandmother’s Flower Garden
Here is how to make this classic hexagonal rosette
patchwork design, as well as turning it into a
pincushion or a double rosette.
You will need:
• Two hexagon templates (one 1⁄4” larger on all sides) and paper
• Scrap fabric (ideally in two colours)
• Fabric scissors and paper scissors (or a craft knife)
• Needle and thread to match the fabric
• Iron
How to make:
1. Cutting the paper and fabric patches
Use the smaller hexagon template to mark and cut out the number of paper
patches you need (seven for a small rosette), using either a sharp pair of scissors
kept for cutting paper, or a craft knife.
Use the larger hexagon template to cut out the seven fabric patches. They should
be 1⁄4” wider than the paper-piece hexagons on all sides. You may want your
centre patch to be in a contrasting fabric to those surrounding it.
2. Tacking the patches
• Pin a paper patch to the centre of the
wrong side of a fabric patch and fold
the seam allowance snugly over the
paper template and hold or pin it in
place.
• With a small knot in your thread, insert
your needle through the seam
allowance, paper and main fabric and
bring it back through all the layers
further along the seam allowance.
Continue, if necessary, until you reach
the corner of the patch.
• Fold over the seam allowance along the
next side, making sure that the corner is folded neatly. Make a stitch
through the folded corner to hold it in place and continue tacking along the
next side.
• Carry on folding the edges over and tacking them in place until you reach
the starting point again. Finish with an extra stitch at the end to keep the
thread in place, and then repeat for each patch.
Page 1 of 3
3. Joining the patches
•
•
•
•
Put the centre patch together with
one of the outside patches (right
sides facing each other – paper
sides facing out) and match up the
corners.
Working from right to left (if righthanded), or left to right (if lefthanded) and taking small stitches,
whipstitch the top edges along one
side of the pair of hexagons. Start
and finish with a couple of stitches
over the top of each other to
anchor the thread and leave the
spare thread attached at the end of
the seam. Be sure to pick up only a
small amount of fabric with each
stitch and try not to sew through the papers (so you can re-use them).
Open out the two patches, position the next on an adjoining side with
corners aligned, and (with the same thread), whipstitch along the second
seam – anchor the end of the seam with a couple of overlapping stitches.
Keep adding patches like this to complete the rosette.
4. Finishing the rosette
Unpick the tacking stitches and press the work on the wrong side. Remove the
papers. Any undamaged papers can be used again. If you are going to turn your
rosettes into a pincushion (see below), do not take the papers out yet.
Turning your rosette into a pincushion
Practise and show off your patchwork skills by making two identically sized rosettes
(you can use different fabrics) and joining them to make a pincushion.
•
•
•
•
•
With right sides facing each other and the papers on the outside, match up the
points of the two rosettes and whipstitch around the edges, leaving just one
seam unstitched.
Press the double-sided rosette with an iron and remove the tacking stitches and
papers.
Turn the work right side out through the unstitched seam and use a pencil or
knitting needle to carefully work out the corner points.
Stuff the pincushion firmly with polyester wadding pieces, making sure all the
corners are well filled.
Finally, whipstitch the open seam shut and stick your pins into their new home.
Page 2 of 3
Double Rosette Cushion Cover
A patchwork rosette can add a burst of colour and interest to a plain cushion cover.
You can use this at home (perhaps to cover a stain!), or buy plain covers, transform
them with your patchwork skills and give them as gifts.
You will need:
• Hexagon templates and paper
• Scrap fabrics (perhaps in two or even three colours)
• Fabric scissors and paper scissors (or craft knife)
• Needle and matching thread
• Iron
• Cushion cover and pad
How to make:
1. Making a large rosette
Start by making the seven-hexagon
rosette, as described on the previous
page. Then add on 12 extra patches
around the outside. Line up the hexagons
carefully, matching up the points, before
you pin and sew each one in place.
2. Removing the papers
When you’ve made and sewn together all
19 patches, press the rosette with an iron
and remove the tacking threads and
paper patches.
3. Sewing onto the cushion cover
Position the large rosette on your cushion cover and pin it into place. Use
hemstitch to sew the rosette onto your cushion cover. Add the cushion pad and the
cushion is finished.
Winning rosettes: Why not appliqué your rosette to a plain fabric apron or
shopping bag to jazz them up? Wash and iron the apron or bag first if you can, and
pin your rosette into position. Use hemstitch to sew the rosette in place, and then
press it with an iron.
Page 3 of 3