Yay! Thank you for your welcoming response to the Nineteen Thirty pattern release. Now that I’ve done the work and released the pattern, I can let my hair down for awhile and look forward to seeing what you create! I’ve also begun planning what I will sew during the sew-along. I hope you won’t mind that I plan to do something a little different. Two somethings, in fact.

a Baby Quilt

First up, I am very excited to sew a baby version of Nineteen Thirty! My dear friend welcomed a new baby girl into her family this February. We’ve been talking about quilt designs for months. In fact, she was the first person to see my Nineteen Thirty sketch. She would love a baby version, something about 40” x 60” to fit the crib.

My friend’s style is pastel and pretty. I’ve decided to go forward with the Nineteen Thirty medallion only, for this baby version. I plan to surround it in a see of 2” patchwork, which may extend to the edges of the quilt, or something else may happen. We’ll find out together! Here is a rough mock up of my idea so far. The medallion will be offset toward the top of the quilt so that it can remained approximately centered if the quilt is tucked in.

This is our collaborative fabric pull! The pink area is the medallion and the white/cream/aqua fabrics are for the patchwork surround. I’m itching to start cutting and sewing this. Baby is already hear, so it is high time to make this quilt.

An Orchids quilt

My second idea couldn’t be more different. Um, just look - - -

What?!?! Where is the color? Where did this idea even come from? Neutral orchid flowers on a black background? Honestly, I thought of it when I was sick, so perhaps that explains it. Anyways, the idea is to set nine Orchid Blocks in a 3 x 3 grid with black sashing and a generous 10” solid black outer border to bring the quilt up to 60” square throw size.

I think that the Orchid block is really elegant, and I’m curious to see what it would look like in this minimalist color palette and patchwork setting. Still, I’m really doubting myself here. I keep wondering if I really want to do this? That’s either a sign of pushing my boundaries or going in the wrong direction. Hmm.

My gut instinct is to sew all the seeds in one consistent fabric. That warm ivory solid was my first choice. Then, the next day, I revisited the fabric pull and wondered if I might like to use the gray bird fabric for the seeds instead. Maybe the birds would be more fun or maybe they would spoil the minimalist neutral look that I am imagining. Can’t tell because this is unfamiliar territory!

If I do go with the birds, I think I would trade out the busier floral prints for more basics like so. This way the birds are not competing with too many organic motifs.

Ok, I’m really curious to hear what you think! Do you think this was the fever talking or could a neutral Orchid quilt be something special?