Block One: DC Botanic Garden
Welcome to our third Exclusive Free Mystery Block of the Month by Pat Sloan! This year Pat's theme is 'The Secret Garden.' She is taking us to gorgeous gardens of the world, and sharing some of the ones she has been to. Block one is the DC Botanic Garden. We invite you to join us on a stroll through this post and take a look at the great block design, Pat's inspiration for it, and watch the first of her new Quilt Tip videos! But first, feel free to download the pattern and if you missed it, the materials list:
Download Secret Garden BOM Materials List and This Month's Block Pattern!
Click Here to download the PDF of Pat's materials list for the BOM. NOTE: If the document doesn't display properly for you, there may be a problem with your browser's PDF viewer. From the viewer window, there is a download button that will let you save the PDF to your computer, where you will be able to view and print it just fine.
Click Here to download the PDF of the pattern for Block One: DC Botanic Garden
Pat Sloan on Block One
Block One is the “DC Botanic Garden,” which is very close to my home! I'm making two versions of my Mystery Quilt. The version with the gold fabric is Mon Ami from Moda and I love the little Kitty on it! The Navy version is my own Hometown Girl from Moda, available in quilt shops in Feb!
I have constructed our block with squares, rectangles, half-square triangle units, and the outer points are done with the 'Sew and Flip' method.
This year the blocks are nice large 16.5” x 16.5”, so we will have a fun lap size quilt when done! Two months this year you'll make 2 blocks so we have a 3 x 4 structured block layout. The layout diagram is at the end of the pattern.
Inside the pattern I show you how to exactly place the 'Sew and Flip' units with photos.
Inspiration
I am really excited to spend the entire year with you exploring Secret Gardens. It's January so we head indoors to the DC Botanic Garden. This one happens to be close to my home. It is located right near the Capitol in Washington DC, literally steps away.
What is so very wonderful about a Botanic Garden is that they are indoors for winter time, and you get to see a wonderful variety of flowers all in one place. They adjust the temperatures by room, so you might find orchids in one spot, and desert plants in another. 
There are magical times to visit any garden, at the DC Botanic I love when they decorate in November for the holidays. They have poinsettias hanging in the trees and along the garden paths, yes.. there are paths inside!
The reflecting pools and sculptures come alive with extra festival flowers, berries and greenery. Plus they run an adorable train through one whole section!
When I need a break from the winter, my husband and I get on the metro train and ride down to the Smithsonian. From there it is a short walk over to the garden. When I step inside I'm transformed from the moment the warm air and sweet fragrance of flowers hits me. There is a wide lobby area as you enter, then we take a stroll through the different sections. I love seeing what is new since our last visit.
My block this month gives me a feel of an indoor garden with all the annex areas off the pinwheel style center. When I saw the Mon Ami fabric with raindrops and little flowers I knew it would be perfect to make this quilt.
Learn more about the DC Botanic Garden here.
I spotted a few other Botanic Gardens that I'd love to explore.. like Denver, St. Louis, and this one in Sydney Australia.
Do you have a favorite Botanic garden? I'd love to hear about it!
Pat's Video Tutorial
My Tutorial Video this month is how to determine you have an accurate 1/4” seam allowance. Watch all the way to the end to see how easy it is to be sure your 1/4” seam is correct.
Each month I will have a new tutorial on a quilting technique for you.
Click here for my page on the first block of our Secret Garden Mystery BOM
Join Pat at her quilting classroom on Facebook called Quilt with Pat Sloan. Share your mystery quilt! You can also join FreeQuiltPatterns.info on Facebook and join in on the active group commentary on FQP posts, tutorials, patterns, and videos you see on the site daily.
We have a Flickr page for sharing photos. Click the link below to go to the group page and become a group member for free, then you will be able to upload pictures of your own materials selections and the blocks that you create throughout the BOM.
Click Here for the Flickr Group
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