Quilt Safari, Part Nine: Sewing the Lion

Hey, dear Quilt Safari participants, today we come to our ninth and therefore last Foundation Paper Piecing motif: We are sewing the king of the animals, the beautiful and proud lion.

Another African proverb says: “Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero”.

I love this pattern and have sewn it many times in different color variations.

Here are a few of my lion variations as inspiration for you:

Looking at your fantastic blocks on social media and in the community section of the BERNINA blog, I am now very sure that the participants in the Quilt Safari have become convinced that foundation paper piecing is great fun. For those who still need a little convincing, here are a few pros and cons of this technique.

What’s the difference between traditional piecing and foundation paper piecing?

First of all, FPP has many advantages over traditional piecing:

• You can start sewing right away, no need to pre-cut fabric.
• You don’t have to pay attention to the grain.
• You can also use small scraps of fabric.
• You can sew super beautiful and detailed quilt blocks in a relatively short time.
• You can create a really special sewing project with just one quilt block.
• You don’t need to starch your fabric, simply iron it.

On the other hand, there are almost no disadvantages:

• You have to print out the segments.
• You have to remove the paper after sewing.

Are you convinced? Just take a look at the many fantastic blocks that have already been made up here of the Quilt Safari, that’s persuasion enough! Here on Instagram and in the Community Section of the blog.

Do You Only Want to Sew the Lion?

Not taking part in the quilt safari, but the king of the animals is right up your street? No problem, the pattern is also available separately. You can get it in my store: Pattern “Ludwig the Lion”

Are You New to the Quilt Safari?

Is this your first time reading about our quilt safari? Then hello and welcome! You can join in at any time and sew this beautiful quilt. Together we will sew the safari quilt from FPP blocks with various wild animal designs and acacia trees.

The quilt block tutorials appear block by block on the BERNINA blog. You can find all previous blog posts here.

The best way to start is to read my first safari article, in which I summarize the most important information: Starting the BERNINA Quilt Safari.

There is no time pressure with the Quilt Safari. Basically, you can follow your own rhythm. There is only one date to keep in mind: If you want to participate in the final giveaway, you have to show a photo of your finished quilt top on social media or in the community section of the blog by June 16, 2024.

Now Let’s Get Started!

For this quilt, we are sewing the lion twice, in 12 “x 12” and 16 “x 16”.

Below is my fabric choice for the two kings of the Savannah. As you already know, these details are for inspiration only. I am using solids.

You have chosen so many great fabrics that I would love to make this quilt again – haha! You have really inspired me.

Fabrics for the Two Lions

Lion No. 1 (12 “x 12” at the bottom of the quilt, facing left):

• Bright yellow (background)
• Garnet red (mane, muzzle)
• Earth brown (body)
• Dark brown (flank, ears, beard)
• Light rose (face)
• Black (eyes)

Lion no. 2 (16 “x 16” top left in the quilt, facing right):

• Bright yellow (background)
• Bright pink (mane)
• Garnet red (body)
• Dark brown (flank)
• Light rose (face)
• Earth brown (ears, muzzle, beard)
• Black (eyes)

Here you can see what the printed segments of the lion look like, which segments of the lion need to be glued and also in which direction the lion is facing.

Please remember: The finished quilt block is a mirror image of the segments! This means that the finished lion looks in the opposite direction.

As you already know from previous posts, I always lay out the segments exactly as shown in the overview. If you print the pages in black and white (but this may also apply to color), it can be helpful if you draw in the colors of the individual fabrics with colored pencils or write them down. Especially with the mane and ears, it’s easy to get confused. I speak from experience, haha!

Now join the segments as you did with the other quilt blocks. I am using the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS Kaffe Edition.

Remember to remove the paper from the seam allowances as this will reduce the number of layers, and will reduce bulk in your seams. You will find the sewing order in the pattern.

As you can see in the picture above, I always use the patchwork foot #97 for this. The edge of the foot is exactly flush with the edge of the seam allowance and is slightly wider at the front. This gives me a clear view of my seam.

And … Tadaa! Here they are, the two kings for our safari quilt:

You’ve made it! All foundation paper pieced quilt blocks are sewn. YAAAAAY … that’s a reason to celebrate a little, don’t you think?

Of Course, I Want to See Your Lions!

Your kings of the beasts have certainly turned out super pretty. I’m so excited to see pictures of your blocks. Show them to me on social media or in the Community Section of the blog! Always use the hashtag #quiltsafari on Instagram. In the community section of the blog, don’t forget to select the “Quilt Safari” campaign.

‘See you’ next week

Ingrid