Friday, June 7, 2013

Great Aunt Irma's Flower Garden Re-visited

Remember this mini quilt?
And this one?
They probably date back at least a couple of years and began because I inherited an unquilted Grandmother's Flower Garden top.
I appliqued and embroidered the centers and then improvisationally pieced the remaining bits in a modern log cabin of sorts. It was great fun. Partly I liked the idea of reclaiming the quilt top, which I did in numerous versions including this one:
This mini appeared in Kathreen Ricketson's first book, Whip Up Mini Quilts.
A part of me wonders whether her untimely, recent death has anything to do with why I have returned to the design.
The other part that I always enjoyed was mixing all the different fabrics. Sometimes, when my fabric stash feels overwhelming, I think that I should just limit myself to the fabrics I know for certain I'll use in a project in the next few months. But then, when I work on one of these, I realize that I need all that "stuff" because I never quite know what will work until I pull it out and audition it.
Whatever the reason may be and I'm as clueless as anyone because sometimes I feel like I move from one project to the next in an almost stream of consciousness-like way, I made this mini in the past couple of days.
Here too I had the opportunity to mix a pretty wide variety of fabrics, a few Kona solids, a couple of other designer prints, as well as some Japanese cottons. When these pieces come together, they feel effortless and that might be my most favorite thing of all about making them.
I quilted this one like the others in a simple pattern that for some reason makes me think of bed jackets. I find that association so strange because I don't think I've ever owned a bed jacket or had any desire to, but that's what comes to mind.
I'm pretty fond of the backing as well, a simple black and white check. I love the way it works with the indigo cotton of the binding.
All in all, I'm happy with this little quilt and I still have a few remaining blocks form the original quilt to make a more.

8 comments:

Catherine said...

These are beautiful! You have such an eye for the perfect colour combination.

Pamela S. said...

I love how you have taken a tradition block and made it new and fun with improve styling! I had a Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt for ages that my grandmother made by hand and treasured - perhaps more people will look at theirs in a different way now!

Paula said...

Beautiful mini quilts. How funny that the quilting should remind you of bed-jackets. That's exactly what I thought when I saw your close-up shot of the quilting and I hadn't actually read your comment saying the same thing at that stage.

Molli Sparkles said...

So basically what you're saying to us is BUY MORE FABRIC. LOL! Love the creativity shown in reclaiming the quilt top. A quilting rescue mission.

Rachel said...

I love the quilting. Would you mind sharing what stitch you have used for the quilting?

Thanks.

MulticoloredPieces said...

Enjoyed seeing your Flower Garden quilts--very refreshing!
best, nadia

Leanne said...

I have loved the earlier versions you have made of this quilt for a long time, and the new one is also wonderful. A lovely combination of old and new, and you pick the best colour combinations.

cinzia said...

i love them all. i like how you mixed old with new!