It’s pretty rare for me to make a pattern with the exact fabrics that it was originally designed in. Actually, I can think only of Park Bench, a block of the month that I started in 2014 and finished in 2017. And even with that quilt, I fudged things a bit, substituting a few fabrics for others and omitting some blocks altogether.
But when I saw Lynne Goldsworthy’s Modern Medallions quilt and realized I had almost all of the required Karen Lewis/Blueberry Park fabric in my stash to sew it, I knew I would stick with the pattern ...
The color selection and placement reflect all of Lynne’s design decisions. For the background, I used Basic Grey’s Grunge in paper white. I pieced my back, as usual, and used chunks of pale blue from my stash. At 72 inches square, this project is a generously sized lap quilt. I shuddered at the thought of quilting it on my domestic, so a friend longarmed it with a computerized panto.
This quilt was gifted for Christmas. Earlier this year, I had approached the director of the children’s ministry at my church about finding an aide to accompany my younger son into kids’ church. I thought she would hook me up with a big-hearted teenager, but I was introduced instead to a woman with three kids of her own. She works with my kiddo at the 9 o’clock service and then heads back home and attends a service at a different location with her own family. I know helping my family is a sacrifice, and her generosity is almost too much to accept. Making this quilt was my way of showing her how much I appreciate the time and effort she has dedicated to my son.
Modern Medallions was released as a booklet accompanying issue 30 of Love Patchwork and Quilting. It doesn’t seem as if it was ever sold separately. If you really love this pattern and want to make it yourself, perhaps you’ll have some luck finding it through Etsy. (Sorry, my copy is already spoken for!)
Does my story of making this quilt resonate with you? How often do you follow a pattern verbatim? Are you like me, trying to make use of the stash you have on hand, or do you buy fabric for a particular project in mind?
Linking up to Main Crush Monday, Let’s Bee Social, and Needle and Thread Thursday ...
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What a beautiful gift full of love for its recipient. I, too, rarely follow a pattern exactly. This one is beautiful and was clearly meant to be this way with the fabric already in your stash!
ReplyDeleteWow. This is just stunning. I'm sure it will be much appreciated. I don't think I've ever followed a pattern exactly but I love the results of what you've done, so maybe I should! ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful quilt and looks awesome in these fabrics so I can see why you followed it directly. I often make patterns as they are but with different fabrics. I don't usually alter the pattern itself, although I just might try doing that in future.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle! What a beautiful quilt for a beautiful woman. Sometimes it is difficult to accept help without some sort of repayment, but that is often a gift to others as well. It makes people feel good to be able to help someone else, and it sure sounds like this lady has her heart in the right place. I'm not usually a big fan of medallion quilts, but I love that this has a nice star in the center. I rarely, if ever, have followed a pattern's suggestion for fabric. Not once that I can recall! I do usually purchase the fabric for a project, though. ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome quilt. How kind of that lady to help out. If the pattern uses solids I'll often stick to the same, but not for prints as we don't generally get those fabrics locally.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing gift! So far I think I have only followed two patterns. My Aviatrix quilt (with half of the fabrics different colors) and the "Monkey Bars" quilt from the pattern Hopscotch; where I followed the pattern - fabrics where from my stash. Everything else is changed - in size, method - or freeform :)
ReplyDeleteA gift like that for an aide like that...is the perfect appreciation gift ever! The quilt is gorgeous and I would be hard pressed to change the fabric/colors from the original too! What a huge act of kindness on both your parts!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely gift. These days I really try to use what I have in my stash... sometimes tweaking a pattern to suit my fabrics.
ReplyDeleteThis touches my heart so much. I know exactly how you feel as I did the same thing with my son's special ed pre-K teacher. I made her a Brown Bear quilt, given her love of Eric Carle. It's a gorgeous finish. As for following patterns to the letter - I've never made a quilt using a pattern yet! I usually just make blocks and then put them together.
ReplyDeleteI have stopped (or tried to stop) buying patterns because there are so many I want to do. I try to work from my stash but I am only successful with that when I design as I go. That way I can accommodate the "pattern" to what I have. Even if you are counting per-purchased kits i genera l tweak and sub out a particular fabric that does not suit my fancy. Then I put in one from my stash. The 72 x72 "lap" quilt you are giving away in positively gorgeous. I can relate to appreciating a church ministry's help for a special needs child. When my daughter got married I did not want to leave her younger brother out of the service nor the reception. A couple graciously and unselfishly attended both to help care for and amuse my son so he could be part of the occasion without distracting me and my husband from attending to and enjoying our daughter's marriage ceremony. There is a special place in heaven for those folks!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful gift for a very special person! I know that feeling of love and gratitude well -- I would fight tigers for the strangers (teachers, volunteers, etc.) who have nurtured and encouraged my children in situations where I could not be there to protect them myself. Love!
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