Make this quilt pattern with floral fabrics in one weekend! This beginner quilt will add pizzazz to your home decor or make a friend happy!
“In the Sunroom” is my newest pattern released and was designed with the Scented Garden collection by Northcott Fabrics. It measures 58″ x 70″ and the blocks finish at 12″. It is perfect to showcase your favorite prints, yet this collection with gorgeous flowers and butterflies gives In the Sunroom a romantic look, don’t you think?
No special techniques or tools are required for this project so it is perfect as a quick project. Because of its size, you will probably make a few of them once you get started!
Take a closer look at some of the fabrics in this collection:
I added pink and purple to the petals of the alternating block to create the chain effect. These colors are so soothing and happy to me! The Scented Garden fabric collection has the right mix of textures and values, too, and I am sure you won’t stop at one quilt.
Aren’t you ready for this palette? I totally am. Those of you in warmer climates are already enjoying lush natural colors, but we Northerners are itching for the burst of blooms and greens of Spring. In the meantime, working with floral fabrics is a fun way to anticipate the upcoming season.
The main block comes together quickly and frames the center fabric well. It is important that you use a lot of color contrast to achieve the same effect. The gray tone-on-tone print is gorgeous… The butterfly print lends a soft finish to the design, almost like a wisp of color without blending too much with the white background.
On this alternate block, instead of using one color I decided to sett off the center print with petals of one hue and use the pink on the corner ones. Of course, green can also be used on the corners, except I did not want to distract from the floral.
The petals are fused to the white background then machine applique’ with matching thread and the blanket stitch. I like to work with Aurifil 40wt thread for the applique’, particularly on a solid fabric because it adds an amazing texture to the project. For tips on how to machine applique, see this beautiful Fall table topper I made.
Of course, you can use your favorite applique’ stitch – mine just happen to be the blanket stitch. I also enjoy machine applique’ because I do not want to take years to finish my quilts. At least, not at this point of my life…
As you make this quilt pattern with floral fabrics, begin thinking about what other themed-prints you could use. Then, select two main colors for the petals to create the grid look. Try to select colors that will not compete with the prints: tone-on-tone, marbled, dots will work well.
If instead of the butterfly print on the main block, I had used a small-scale print, there might have appeared another, more defined layer on the grid, which would have been cool, too. There are many opportunities for customization here, so let your imagination have fun with it.
In the Sunroom is a downloadable pattern from my Etsy shop PiecedBrain, or you can find the print version at your local quilt store. If they don’t have it yet, ask them to contact me for wholesale orders. I know you will run to your fabric stash to make a few renditions of it.
Maybe floral fabrics are not on your radar right now. Here is what the blocks might look like if you worked with Northcott’s Fantasy Forest collection, for instance:
Wouldn’t they look great? Once you make your version, send me a photo – it would be cool to see the fabrics you chose. Until then, have a great mid-week!
