Cherry Blossom Boxes

     A while back, one of my favorite coworkers said she wanted a quilt with cherry blossoms on it.  After a couple of wonderful nights at work with her I went into my stash knowing I had cherry blossoms somewhere.  And I found the perfect fabric!!  But I only had a yard of Kona Bay blossoms. 

    I started looking at fabrics to match, not knowing what I was going to make.  I found 2 others in my stash and knew if I wanted to make a decent size quilt,  I would need more. 

    Of course my next step was Five-eighth Seams in West Ashley.  Where I picked out 2 more cordinating fabrics a and a background.  I decided I was going to use this quilt as my Pantone challenge quilt and uses Marsala that was in the cherry blossoms.

   Again, going the opposite direction then normal, I had to pick a quilt pattern. I sent my friend Shelia about 10 quilts I found on Pinterest.  And of course she picked this one.  

     I spent what seems like forever cutting strips and pieces. I decided to make the quilt with 5 rows across and 6 down. 

      When I went to sewing the pattern, it appeared to be quite easy.  Only to find out the pattern was wrong.  The creator forgot to subtract in her pieces for the seam allowances.  So inches of fabric had to be cut off and waisted.

     Once I figured out the pattern I chain pieced the remainder and the sewing went pretty quickly. 

     I then laid the blocks out facing the same direction.  I put 3 inch sashing around the blocks. I rotated the direction of every other row before sewing the rows together. I finished the quilt with an outer boarder of 5 inches. 

     I backed the quilt with some fabric with Marsala colored hearts. It's from In the beginning fabric.  

     To quilt it I did big flowers in each block and chains of pearls in the sashing.  In the outside I did a river pattern.  I learned all 3 off the Leah Day video I will show you soon. 

     To bind it I alternated 2 colored and a printed fabric strip.  

     I hope Shelia loves it as much as I love her!!  I photographed it at the canal bridge in St Stephen, SC.  I have another quilt top I was stitching for this challenge.   To bad I am a few stitches to short. 

Finished dimensions are 75 x 89