Garden Maze

It finally feels like Spring here. Time to celebrate with something fresh and new! Aussie quilter Marian Edwards posted this little quilt on her beautiful blog, a must read for anyone interested in antique and reproduction quilts, especially of the small variety.

Marian designed her quilt with bits and pieces leftover from previous projects. Hmm... I had some of the very same bits lying around my own sewing room!

A single Dresden Plate block,

a couple of appliquéd flowers,
embellished with buttonhole
stitch embroidery,

and precut strips of 1930s repro fabric.

These particular bits were leftover from various classes I'd taught. By making class samples and demo blocks from the same style of fabric,  it was easy to incorporate them into another project later on.

Kathy Smith used my pieces to create a miniature sampler style quilt. She brought new life to what certainly would have remained scraps if left in my care.

Kathy hand quilted simple designs, reminiscent of 1930s quilts.

I've named it "Garden Maze," for the labyrinth pattern created by the strip pieced blocks. The quilt measures 27” square and is backed with a sweet jonquil print.

Our grand kitty, Gandalf, laid claim to it just as we tried taking pictures. I love the way his tippy toes rest right at the edge of the quilt.