Author: jennifer

I always want to create something with red, white and blue during summer.  While organizing a closet recently I found these red, white and blue orphan blocks.  I saved them for a scrap “leftovers” quilt that I forgot all about.  I put them up on the design wall to look at them and think.  What additional blocks should I make?  How should I fill in space?  There is a LOT of white here – evidence I made them years ago.  What would you do with them?

The block below is a leftover from my Anthem quilt.  Anthem is my first quilt pattern.  I love it, and I also love it’s sister version, Peppermint, which is most popular (instructions for both are included in the pattern).  Right now I’m working on an updated Anthem that is similar to Peppermint.  It’s fun to see a block from so long ago.

I also found this lone star block.  It’s crazy to think that this little block started my journey with lone stars and pattern writing.  My tutorial is used by many people and I’m grateful to contribute to the online quilting community with it.  I cherish this little block.  It definitely deserves a spot in a quilt!

Below is another fun lone star block.  I remember this as the first time I swapped out diamonds and stood the star on a tip.  I just finished a very personal quilt with a lone star on point like this.  I’m grateful for where that exploration has led.

I had also forgotten about my Anchor quilt block tutorial.  That was a fun block to design!

All these blocks were test blocks or extras, or parts of a quilt pattern I never finished.  I can’t remember the designer or the quilt name for the other two large blocks.  I felt uninspired and quit making them after the first two.  But they will be useful in a leftovers quilt.  And that little boat block was a long ago experiment.  I have a vintage quilt top from that block which needs quilting.

As I asked earlier, what would you do to pull these together and create magic?  I will definitely add more color!  Lots more red, white and blue needed here.

Life is really crazy right now and I don’t know how much time I’ll have to play.  I hope I don’t have to take them down and put them back away because I like these red, white and blue orphan blocks.  I hope to use them well!

When I posted last month about my finished Hunt Quilt, I suddenly remembered that my Rin Quilt was also finished.  Rin is another pattern from Carolyn Friedlander, also featuring circles.  And like my Hunt quilt, I stitched some of these blocks at the beach.

Even as I worked on the applique, I felt like the colors and aesthetic of this quilt might interest my mom.  So last September, just before my daughter’s wedding, I had it quilted.  I was able to bind it before my parents came to town, and gift it to my mom for her birthday.

I chose a simple edge to edge design for the quilting.  Another navy blue for the binding.  And I felt super lucky to snap a couple of photos before I had to wrap it up.

These blocks were awfully fun to stitch, with all their scallops.  For the back I picked a quatrefoil design in navy blue.  It complements the quilt nicely, I believe.

It’s fun to see these photos and remember the fabrics I used.  I loved working with them, and most of them were also designed by Carolyn.  I wonder what fabrics I would choose today, if I were to re-make this quilt.  My tastes have evolved, and I started this Rin quilt in 2017.  I’m sure it would be different!  Regardless, it’s lovely and I’m thrilled to have completed it.

I have paid for several of Sarah Fielke’s Block of the Month programs over the years.  For some mysterious reason, this is the first I’ve actually worked on.  I can’t explain why, except that I’m learning the block of the month format interests me in theory, but not in practice.  And I also find that I like her sketches better than the actual designs.  But this one, her Secret Garden pattern, stayed interesting to me.  It’s a mix of piecing and lots of applique in a mix of sizes.  I have all the blocks done, but this is the only section I’ve sewn together so far.  Without further ado, these are my Sarah Fielke Secret Garden quilt blocks:

The four blocks are the bottom left corner of the quilt.  I enjoyed choosing fabrics and doing a little fussy cutting along the way.  While I planned my quilt, I decided to challenge myself by using these low-ish volume background fabrics that are aqua and white.  This isn’t the easiest color to work with as a background.  It’s more medium than light, and sometimes makes contrast difficult.  I went for it anyway, partly because I particularly love the two background prints I chose.

I have also challenged myself by using a large variety of methods in the applique.  I’ve used perfect circles, applique paper, freezer paper, aluminum foil, tracing on the front of the fabric, thread basting, pin basting, glue.  I might have missed one or two.  I want to experiment with lots of methods.  It’s been fun.  I have really enjoyed adding the vines along the seams as the blocks are sewn together.

One favorite block is the key.  I used applique paper to make it, and learned a lot.  It’s  thicker to sew through, and stays in the quilt, but will eventually dissolve partially if washed.  Not sure I’ll ever love appliqueing tiny 1/2″ circles, but at least I’m practicing!  You can see behind the key the fun Heather Bailey print I’m using for half of the blocks.  I wish I had more of this print!

I am loving using ALL of the greens as I stitch leaves and stems.  The more, the better.  In fact, I am buying more green fabric all the time. Whenever I scan a sale or clearance section, I’m looking for greens that would be fun to use in applique.  They have their own bin in my sewing room.

I had to put these blocks away when I was preparing to teach my Marian’s flower applique class, and I haven’t had time yet to pick it back up.   Sometimes all the prep for applique slows me down, but when I block out time and get it done, I can stitch, stitch, stitch!  I’m excited to get going on my Sarah Fielke Secret Garden quilt blocks very soon.  It’s been a busy summer and my son leaves soon.  Hopefully I’ll find time to stitch!