My Favourite Quilts for Using Your Most Precious Fabrics
A quilt is the very best way to hold your most precious fabric, don't you think? I remember years ago, cutting into a very treasured Heather Ross Tiger Lily bundle with great trepidation to make one of my EPP patterns, the Cherish Quilt. I was motivated because I wanted to sell the kit, and I thought this fabric and design would look perfect together (those playful cats and large forest scenes, and the big hexagons at the centre of each block). But, I don't know if I would have cut into that bundle without that push. If I wasn't running a business, maybe I'd still have that bundle sitting on my shelf, only a sliver of each print showing!
I was grateful, though, to have that experience. For one, it grew my courage for cutting into beautiful fabric. After a few nervous snips, it felt a whole lot more like exactly the thing I should be doing, and less like a huge risk, or sacrilege. It was this strange experience where the fabric both grew and shrunk in value. On the one hand, I loved it even more now that I was using it, and on the other hand, I was able to tell myself, “It's only fabric! If I run out, or make a mistake, it's ok. It has served its purpose.” When I finished the quilt, I was so enamoured with the result that I vowed never to stash fabric in a way that made it too precious to cut into. I would reach for my favourites first, I would use my stash, and I would make quilts that made me feel like this.
So, to inspire you to cut into your most precious fabrics, I've round up a few of my favourite quilts for featuring those lovely prints.
1. Cherish Quilt - Perfect for Big Florals and Feature Prints
Cherish quilt is perfect for featuring those big beautiful prints that often feel misplaced in EPP. It comes in two block sizes, 6" (right in photo) and 8" (left in photo) so you can choose which size suits your precious fabric the best!
2. Honeydew Quilt - Perfect for Tiny Florals like Liberty
Honeydew quilt is perfect for featuring tiny florals like you often find with Liberty fabrics. Lisa Sliva used over 100 Liberty fabrics in this version, and it was well worth the cut, don't you think? The simple linen stars unify the fabrics and give visual interest to this unique hexagon quilt.
3. Ice Cream Soda, Evensong, or Lucy's Terrace - Perfect for Fussy Cutting!
Sometimes you have fabric that wants a little extra special attention. Maybe they're sweet novelty prints and you want to keep the images intact, or they're intricate Tula Pink prints that feel wasted if you just cut into them at random. That's where fussy cutting can help make the most of precious fabric. I couldn't choose just one quilt that suits fussy cutting beautifully, so I had to share three!
- Ice Cream Soda quilt can be lovely scrappy, but also suits fussy cutting just wonderfully! We've even got a tutorial for how to specifically fussy cut Ice Cream Soda quilt here.
- Evensong, an updated version of the classic Rose Star block, is lovely for relaxed fussy cutting. Learn how to make a block here!
- Lucy's Terrace, my modern take on Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses, is a delight to fussy cut! Check out that tutorial here.
Are you inspired to cut into that precious fabric?
I love English Paper Piecing for using my treasured fabric. I love holding it in my hands for longer, watching a block grow slowly, admiring the colours and the patterns that emerge. I love the sense of value I give to myself. 'I am worth the risk of cutting into this fabric I love. I know I can make something beautiful from it, and even if I don't, I am worth the mistakes I might make, and the learning that will come from it.' And, I love the value I also give to the fabric. 'I love these beautiful prints even more by using them!'
I hope you give yourself the treat of cutting into fabric you really love. Which pattern would you choose for it?
I alway’s and I mean alway’s enjoy your emails. You help me make good choices in selecting my fabrics for my EPP’S blocks
I wish I had the time to enjoy all of your quilting patterns, but never mind I will just keep working towards my goals.
Thank you so much.
Regards Judy Wheldon
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