by Mod Flower Box — step-by-step tutorial
(How to recreate the “MOD FLOWER BOX” quilt Matt/Donna make in the Jordan Fabrics SEW A QUILT WITH ME!!! video.)
Short orientation: Mod Flower Box (Robin Pickens) is a precut-friendly curved-piecing design available in two main sizes — a lap/wall ~51″ square and a large ~78″ square — and the pattern includes a paper template for the curved corners. The Jordan Fabrics video walks the construction start-to-finish using strip/precuts and the paper template (or a circle-ruler) to make the curved petal pieces.
Materials (choose size before cutting)
Pattern sizes & precut friendliness (pick one):
- Lap / Wall — finished ≈ 51″ × 51″ (Inner unit without borders ≈ 34″ × 34″). Precut friendly for Charm Packs (5″ squares), Fat Eighths, or Layer Cakes depending on size.
- Large — finished ≈ 78″ × 78″ (made from multiple units; friendly to Layer Cakes / Fat Quarters).
Supply list (lap example — scale for large):
- Precuts (choose one approach): Charm Pack sets (5″ squares) or Fat-Eighth/Fat-Quarter / Layer Cake as the pattern suggests.
- Background/setting fabric: ~2–3 yards for lap (more for large).
- Border fabric: ~1 yard (lap) — adjust for larger size.
- Backing: ~3–4 yards (lap) or piece as needed.
- Batting sized slightly larger than finished top.
- Paper template (included in the pattern) or a circle/curve ruler (Creative Grids Circle Savvy works well). The pattern includes a full-size paper template for the curved shapes.
- Standard tools: rotary cutter & mat, long ruler, small square ruler, ¼” presser foot, sewing machine, pins/clips, iron and pressing surface, fabric marker, scissors for template, chalk or washable marker.
Before you cut — prep & plan
- Watch the Jordan Fabrics Sew A Quilt With Me video to see their exact sequence for pressing and template use — they demonstrate cutting the curved pieces and assembling whole flower units in batches.
- Pick your color plan: each “flower box” unit is built from curved corner/petal pieces that read as petals when four are joined — plan contrast between petals and background so the flowers pop.
- If using a precut pack (charms, layer cake) follow the pattern’s recommended precut layout — it’s written to accept those precuts with minimal yardage.
Cutting & templates (practical method used in the video)
- Print/use the pattern paper template (the pattern includes a template sized for the curves) or use a circle/curve ruler (the Creative Grids Circle Savvy is frequently recommended by makers) to cut curved pieces accurately. The pattern notes which ruler slots correspond if you own that ruler.
- From your chosen feature fabrics (charms / fat quarters / layer cake pieces), cut the rectangles/squares called for by the pattern that will be trimmed on the curve. If using charms (5″ squares), follow the pattern’s prep instructions for which charms become petals.
- From background fabric cut the setting rectangles and any narrow sashing/border strips the pattern requests.
Helpful tip: label stacks of cut pieces (e.g., “Petal A”, “Petal B”, “Background X”) so batch assembly is fast.
Construction — numbered steps (follow this at the machine)
1 — Make curved petal pieces
- Place the paper template/ruler on the prepared rectangles and cut the curved edges. Cut all of one petal type at once (stacking 2–3 layers if your blade is sharp and your template/ruler permits) to keep units identical. The pattern’s template gives the exact curve shape the demo uses.
2 — Sew petal pieces to background corners
- Each curved petal is sewn to a small background corner/rectangular piece to create a curved corner unit. Use a ¼” seam allowance and clip the seam allowances as needed through the curve (clip small notches — do not cut into stitching). Press gently; pressing toward the background will reduce show-through. The video shows chain-piecing many curved corner units in the same orientation.
3 — Make flower blocks (assemble 4 petals)
- Lay out four curved corner units so their curved edges meet at the center to form a flower. Sew units into pairs first, press, then join the pairs so the four petal shape forms a near-square block. Trim dog-ears and square up to the pattern’s block dimension. Make all blocks the same final size (pattern gives the exact block measurement for each size option).
4 — Add the “box” framing strips
- The “Box” part of the pattern comes from adding background/border strips that frame each flower unit: sew the required background strips and small corner/edge pieces onto the flower squares per the pattern diagram so each unit becomes a boxed flower block. Work in batches, pressing after each seam.
5 — Lay out units & balance color
- On a design wall or floor, lay out all the finished boxed-flower units in the grid shown in the pattern or as in the video. Shuffle units until color/value feels balanced across the top. The video demonstrates moving units to avoid color clumps and to create a pleasing field.
6 — Join rows to assemble the quilt center
- Sew units into rows with a consistent ¼” seam; press seams alternately so intersections nest. Join the rows to make the quilt center. Square the center and measure for borders.
7 — Add borders
- Add any inner frame(s) or outer borders the pattern prescribes to reach the finished dimensions (lap 51″ or large 78″). Cut border strips to the measured lengths plus seam allowances and attach (sides first, then top/bottom if you prefer).
Baste, quilt & bind
- Baste the quilt sandwich (top + batting + backing) using pins or spray basting.
- Quilting ideas that complement Mod Flower Box:
- Echo quilting around each petal/flower emphasizes the curved shapes.
- Walking-foot channel quilting across the boxed areas gives a modern, graphic look.
- Dense stipple or all-over if you want texture without emphasizing the curves.
The Jordan Fabrics demo shows gentle echoes that keep the petal shapes readable; choose spacing to match your batting/drift preference.
- Trim, bind (2½” strips typical), and finish edges. Press and label.
Pressing, accuracy & curve tips (from the pattern and video)
- Use a reliable ¼” seam allowance throughout — consistency makes curves match when four petals meet.
- Clip seam allowances on the curves frequently (small clipped notches, not cuts into the seam) so curved seams lie flat when turned/pressed.
- If you own a circle/curve ruler, the pattern tells which slots to use for accurate cutting; that can speed up cutting and improve precision. Otherwise the included paper template works fine.
- Batch work: cut all curves, sew all curved units, then assemble blocks — this is exactly the workflow the video uses and it keeps the project efficient.
Quick troubleshooting
- If the petal centers don’t meet cleanly: check that curved pieces were cut to the same template and that seam allowance is an even ¼”. Re-trim a slightly oversized seam allowance if needed and re-square units before final joining.
- If curved seams pucker: clip more notches in the seam allowance (evenly spaced) and press gently; use a shorter stitch length if resewing.
Where this tutorial came from
This step-by-step follows the Robin Pickens Mod Flower Box pattern and Jordan Fabrics’ Sew-Along video where they construct the same unit-by-unit sequence and show use of the paper template or circle ruler. The pattern is precut-friendly and includes a full-size paper template for the curved pieces.
VIDEO:
