Hoorah for your enthusiasm for my Nineteen Thirty project, inspired by Dutch architecture! I’m excited to sew this quilt myself. Plus, it’ll be an extra treat to see your iterations come to life during the 4-month sew-along that starts this March.

Nineteen Thirty is a quilt design that begs forethought and planning. I enjoy this sort of quilt just as much as scrappy free-for-alls like Circus Cabin or Confetti quilt. It’s a different kind of pleasure. But I know that not everyone enjoys selecting fabrics in this way. That’s another reason why I opted to sew Nineteen Thirty with a currently-available collection: Bramble by Rifle Paper Fabric Co. You are very welcome to sew the exact same quilt. A Bramble fat quarter set and 2 yards of Soft Teal by Tilda Fabrics will be more than enough. Quilt kits coming in February.

I was thrilled to find a European source for these fabrics! Germany-based Kleinkariert stocks both Bramble and Tilda solids. If you live on this side of the pond, you’ll be able to order a quilt kit from Kleinkariert and enjoy quick delivery. Yay!!! Those in the USA and elsewhere will find quilt kits at Sojo Fabric, starting in February.

These Bramble fabrics have definitely been brightening up my cloudy days. Even though the quilt design is medallion-style, I’ve opted to begin with the Orchid flower blocks. Those are the flowers that surround the medallion and really show off the fabrics.

Each orchid will combine two lovely prints. What fun to play with possible combinations!

Here is my first Orchid flower, mocked up with two favorite prints: Citrus Grove cream and Daphne gold metallic. I just adore how pretty and whole the prints are with this construction style!

Photographed this way the construction style seems an obvious choice. But, actually, it was a long road to get here. I had originally planned to sew the Orchid block with pieced drunkard’s path blocks. In the drafting process I realized I was talking about 2” finished DP blocks and a block that would be made up of 36 units! Wow, that’s a lot of work and a lot of seams. Not pretty. Not fun.

A fair amount of pondering and experimenting led to the current block, which is sewn with a combination of curved piecing and applique. Once the blocks are sewn into the sashing grid, the curves at the edges will flow into the sashing.

May I introduce Orchid flower block for the Nineteen Thirty quilt! With just a touch of curved piecing and some meditative slow-stitches, she is a thing of beauty. Orchid is a welcoming canvas for your favorite fabrics. She’s the kind of fancy finish that makes you feel like the marvelous maker you are!

I’m perfectly delighted with this block construction, both the process and the result. Every day or so I get comfy to applique another quartet of orchid “seeds”. It’s become a moment I look forward to.

Granted, there has been a fair bit of seed-swapping to ensure enough contrast between petals and seeds; but, that’s par for the course with quilt-making, don’t you think? With this block I switched to Messina Stripe yellow for the seeds, which pops nicely on the wild citrus greenery.

Next week I’ll have more to share!

p.s. Thanks for subscribing to the Nineteen Thirty sew-along. It is encouraging to know that you are going to enjoy this project as well!