Retro Flowers Quilt Pattern

Here it is!  The Retro Flowers Quilt!  I have been busy working away over here these last few weeks.  I was finishing up this quilt that had been sitting on the table and design wall for several months.  I had shown this pattern in the drafting phases to a few friends, and it got high marks from everyone, so I thought I should probably get making it.  I am so glad that I did!  I LOVE this quilt!  It is probably one of the only quilts that I knew would be mine.  Most times I make quilts with the idea of selling them or gifting them, but not this one.  I’m keeping it!

I feel such a sense of accomplishment having finished this.  To see something I designed, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, with all of those curved pieces matching up so beautifully, it just feels like a huge accomplishment.  I felt something with the making of this quilt that I’ve never felt before.  Even picking out the fabrics to all match up was a big achievement for me. 

I can already tell that half of your are going – oh it’s beautiful, but I could never sew that many curves…I couldn’t get my pieces to match up like that.  But I’m here to tell you: Yes you can!  I’ve written this pattern so that even a beginning sewer with just a few quilts under their belt, and no curve experience, could still make this quilt with just as much precision.  I’ve included lots of illustrated diagrams and given you all of my tips to have those curves matching up every time.  I even had the pattern tested, and the testers had the same results.

Here is a pillow Liz made from a single flower block.  LOVE it!  She agreed with me on the huge feeling of accomplishment with this block.  It’s such a great feeling.  (I’ll share the project of the second tester here once it’s completed.)

I’ll tell you two things that made a HUGE difference in this quilt, neither of them is required, but on my did they make the job so much easier: 

1.) The Curve Master 1/4” Presser Foot.  Have you seen this foot in action yet?  OMG!  Every bit as wonderful as they appear to be.  Now, I’m not saying fresh out of the box it’s as easy as the video makes it out to be, but I did a few practice curves to get a feel for the mechanics of it before starting this quilt and then I went for it.  (And seriously, it is pretty simple.)  I just took my time and went slow and it was fantastic!  After completing a flower block I felt like a pro.  I can’t recommend this foot enough for any curved piecing you might be doing.

2.) Acrylic templates from Tabslot.  I happen to know Jill of Tabslot personally thanks to our Modern Quilt Guild.  She is such a great person (oh! and she was the winner of round two of the Project Modern Quilt Challenge!  She has some awesome quilt designs – her blog is here) and I am so excited to know someone that could make me acrylic templates for my projects.  Again, while not necessary, these helped so much in the cutting process.  I know when I’m going to be cutting a lot of one shape, if I’m using a cardstock template, I’m going to cut into that cardstock pretty quickly and have to go print a new one.  So I really loved having these templates. 

I have held this pattern so close to me for so long that I find it hard to release it.  Sharing something that means so much to me is a little hard, but I hope that everyone finds it as fantastic as I do!  You can purchase the pattern with direct (high quality/resolution) download on my website or via Etsy with the pattern emailed within 24 hours.