Sunday, March 16, 2008

Gardener's Touch

I've finished quilting the Gardener's Touch quilt but I still need to add the binding. I thought I'd show you how it's coming along and give you the cutting directions. As you can see, it's currently undergoing rigorous cat-approval testing.


I'm going to assume that anyone reading my blog who wants to make some version of this quilt knows the basic construction techniques and will just need stuff like cutting sizes.

In making this quilt, I used a panel of the Thimbleberries Gardener's Touch floral squares, two Gardener's Touch charm packs, the border fabric, and the background fabric. I bought 1-1/2 to 2 yards of the background fabric and didn't really keep track of how much was needed, but I would guess it was somewhere around a yard. For the border fabric, I believe I used 1-1/2 yards.


Of course, you can use any floral fabric you want, but if you use the Gardener's Touch panel, I should mention that there are 15 different floral blocks. Since this quilt uses only 13 floral squares, I decided not to use the two blocks with white backgrounds because I thought they'd blend into the alternate blocks and look funny. I'll use those extras for throw pillows or something. For this quilt, I cut the floral blocks at 7-1/2".


For the alternate blocks, I made 12 blocks. (Sorry the photo came out kind of dark, but I think you can see what I'm talking about.) Each block starts with a center square cut 2-1/2" (cut 12 for 12 blocks).

For the middle round, the corner squares are cut at 2" (cut 48 for 12 blocks). The rectangular background pieces are cut at 2" x 2-1/2" (cut 48 for 12 blocks).

For the outer round, the corner squares are cut at 1-1/2" (cut 48 for 12 blocks). The rectangular background pieces are cut at 1-1/2" x 5-1/2" (cut 48 for 12 blocks).


After I assembled the alternating floral and pieced blocks for the center, I added a pieced border consisting of two rounds of floral squares and background rectangles to continue the chain out a bit. I tried writing out the sizes for these, but it seemed awfully confusing for purposes of this post. If this is something you want to do, email me and I'll try to get those measurements for you.

Finally, I added a floral border--I cut the border at 8" but have trimmed it down a little after quilting so it's 7"--the same size as the center blocks.

Happy quilting!

16 comments:

  1. Great pictures. Kim. Can see your quilting good. Love the way you did the leaves all around. This is really a neat Spring quilt.

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  2. Kim, it's beautiful! I love the quilting.

    I didn't know you machine quilted. I guess I haven't read your entire blog, yet. I sort of got stuck on the carrots, I guess, which, by the way, I sent lots of people your way this weekend.

    I love how you did the leaves around the flowers. Again, it's beautiful!

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  3. Beautiful quilt! Congrats on getting the quilting finished, which by the way looks awesome.

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  4. Kim thanks so much for taking the time to give us the directions for the Gardener's Touch. I really like how you quilted yours. I'm not kidding you need to start writing patterns or quilting for a living. This fabric almost matches the border in my bedroom so I am going to make it to lay over my creme bedspread. Maybe some shams too. First I need to get the fabrics ordered or better yet go to Shipshewana and visit Lolly's

    Linda Z

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  5. You have done such a great job on this quilt. The quilting is beautiful. Do you quilt on your regular machine or a long arm? I guess I haven't been reading your blog long enough to know.

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  6. OMG!!! Kim, this is really gorgeous!!! You are a fantastic machine quilter, that is the one area of quilting where I really need to improve!!! It looks like you used different color threads for the different parts of the leaves, LOL, I really need to do some serious practicing!!! Happy St. Patrick's Day from all of us here in Co. Wexford Ireland!!!

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  7. That turned out really really pretty!
    Maybe I ought to be making a garden quilt, it feels like the only way I'll ever SEE a garden again! send some spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  8. Another new reader who would like to say "wooo-hoooo" for this gorgeous quilt and "Wow!" for your quilting. I hope, for us newer readers, that you will tell us a little about your machine quilting. Long-arm or regular machine? Business or just for fun?

    LOVE the choice of leaves - so perfect!

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  9. I love it thanks for sharing the directions...hmmm my sister in law is due one of those and I will certainly make it for her!

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  10. Your quilt is super! I like the mix of applique and patchwork. Your quilting is wonderful, too. Great job!

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  11. Kim, I love this quilt, it's so soft and pretty. As always you amaze me and impress me with your talent. Thanks so much for the cutting instructions.

    Carol Lewis

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  12. Beautiful quilt and AWESOME quilting! Wow. I love that.

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  13. Thanks for the directions. I was wondering what to do this morning. After I finish the Thimbleberries Club quilt from last year (2007), then I now have a new project to do!

    Julia S.

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  14. What an absolutely gorgeous quilt, Kim! Your instructions are wonderful, too - thank you for sharing!

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  15. Kim, your quilting is great. I'm so impressed that you do that on a regular machine. It's very pretty.

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  16. Wow Kim, I love it! And your quilting is wonderful! You have quite an artist touch. I will be interested to know how quiting goes on your new Juki.

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