checkered garden

I don't usually like to sew a quilt exclusively with only one line of fabrics. But I couldn't resist the little challenge of making my 'checkered garden' in all Anna Maria Horner fabrics ... what's not to love.

As I made more blocks, I discovered different ways to combine these AMH fabrics. Loving all the little connections between all her fabrics, the repetition of tones & shades, shapes & shadows. 

I figured contrast was the key and I included all-that-I-have of her “lighter” fabrics to work as a soft compliment to all the other showstopper fabrics! 

All these floral prints sing together, it's like a party in the garden!

 'garden party' quilt top stats:

Pattern: Checkered Garden Quilt from Ashley @filminthefridge It was well written, easy to follow and FREE!

Fabric: a little bit of my entire AMH stash 

Cutting: 2 1/2” strips and the occasional 2 1/2" square selection when using up the very last of my fabric

... and it's finished!

except of course for the backing, and the quilting, etc.

Linda

from a stack of pretty prints ...

This quilt top started out like many do around here, as a stack of pretty prints sitting on my bookcase ...

some were multi-coloured florals

a few were geometric

others had been waiting for a few years

... and now they’re all part of the same colour story.

The colour story (or theme if you like) for my 'checkered garden' quilt was a vague idea around a delightfully tangled summery garden. I chose colours & prints to visually represent my focus fabric, a peachy/pink floral - Anna Maria's Perennial Borders candlelight Beata's Garden 🡓

I also had 1xmetre here of Beata's Garden in the caramel colourway, just enough to frame everything beautifully. Use the good stuff✅.

I used Ashley @Film in the Fridge’s free tutorial 'Checkered Garden'

- so easy to change up & personalise the look of your quilt!

until next time, Linda

tired of these checkered garden blocks yet?

Like a few quilters recently, I've caught the 'checkered garden' bug well and truly!

Loved making these, such a fun block to assemble ...

This is my 'Checkered Garden' quilt #2, using the free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge. Definitely channeling my vintage granny chic with modern twist vibe here! I selected blending fabrics in light - medium values, a variety of old & new prints, in peachy pinks, rosy pinks, primrose yellow, green, & teal/aqua. Added in a little contrast from the darker teals & bright pink, et voilà!

Until next time, Linda

garden party quilt

This recently finished quilt ticks all the boxes for me…so many of my favourite AMH fabrics in the one quilt✔️ ultra scrappy mix of old and new fabrics✔️ mod 'cone flower' quilting✔️ scrappy backing✔️ stripey binding✔️

Checkered Garden quilt - the 'garden party' one:

Pattern: 'checkered garden' pattern from Ashley @ filminthefridge (it’s free)
Fabric: I was able to use lots of little bits from my entire AMH stash. I worked block by block, as I had decided to set myself the creative challenge of choosing colours for each block as I went. I’m super happy with this mishmash of bright fabrics, and I really tried not to be too matchy-matchy. 

I love the unifying element of the pink and cream/white corners to each block. 

Backing: I used a scrappy mix of leftovers #partyinthequiltback!

Quilting: Leeanne from quiltmekiwi quilted it with an edge-to-edge panto called 'cone flower' - which looks super!
Binding: even though my quilt was heavy with the busy bright colours, I felt that this two-toned blue stripe binding from my stash would give just the right amount of contrast & balance.

Quilt measurements: 56" x 56"

checkered garden. again

I've been revisiting Ashley @Film in the Fridge’s free tutorial 'Checkered Garden'. Again.
I do enjoy making these blocks, can't help smiling each time I finish a block.  It's the kind of pattern you can make your own, in your palette made from your fabrics. I'm pretty sure no two 'checkered gardens' look alike!

My framework is simple - soft blush pinks & caramel for the centers, light-medium low volumes for the outer corners, everything else? well, a bit of a surprise as I go really.
You can see my mix of print styles is all over the place, different designers & collections, old & new - but hopefully the colours will tie everything together in a way that feels warm, slightly muted and yet still bright.

And few busy floral fabrics thrown in will help create a delightfully tangled garden look.

and on the "design" floor ...

... that's as far as my WiP got today

Linda

checkered garden #2: update

In-between everything, I've been slowly making more blocks for my 'Checkered Garden' quilt #2, using the free pattern from Ashley @filminthefridge.

 
While my focus fabric is a dark & moody AMH teal/green with a small floral print on it, most of my other fabrics are definitely 'softer'. I'm selecting blending fabric strips in light - medium values, a variety of old & new prints, in peachy pinks, rosy pinks, primrose yellow, green, & teal/aqua. Add a little contrast from that dark teal, et voilà!

Here's a few progress photos from the design wall ...

- my favourite block so far,

a mix of Tula Pink stripe, Liberty, pink solid, Tanya Whelan spot & ?AMH

12 blocks✅

Not too sure yet how many more to make, maybe 16? maybe 20?

All depends on how many more nice combos I can come up with, I guess.

Hm - m - m - these last couple of projects 

look like I've been loosely channeling my inner 'vintage granny chic with a touch of modern' 

(is that even a thing?)

Anyways, best of all, the magic was all right here, all in my stash, all along!

Linda

P.S. #lovebeingagranny

Linda's checkered garden

I decided to take an hour or three and do something I was excited to start and

... I'm so glad I did

My latest work-in-progress was inspired by the images of a quilt that Dana & Marilyn shared on their Instagram posts. The 'Checkered Garden' quilt is a well written, easy to follow free tutorial from Ashley @ filminthefridge

I'm using lots of little bits from my entire AMH stash. I’m super happy with the mishmash of bright fabrics. 

I know it’s not for everyone, but I do love a scrappy quilt. 

I decided the two “rules” I would stick to would be -

a. to include a few pale prints to give some breathing space amongst my florals 

and b. to alternate my blocks with either soft pink or a light value for the corner squares for some uniformity.

and then a day later, there were nine ...

I'm really enjoying making these 14" blocks… excited for the next group!

Linda

WiP #2: baby checkered garden quilt

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been working on a few WiPs.

🩷💙🩶💜🩷

Sometime back in November 2024, I fell down the #checkeredgardenquilt rabbit hole. Again! These 14" blocks began as a bit of a side project to use up my somewhat limited stash of solids, pop back here for more early details, checkered garden quilt. I know the pattern (from Ashley @ filminthefridge) so well now, it’s such a fun one to play with mixing and matching.

I went with a scrappy palette from my stash in pretty pinks, purple and blues, a few rogue oranges & yellow/golds, along with a mix of shadowy greys for those background corners. Super happy with the contrast of the pretty shades against the grey tones. Oh, and despite starting out thinking this would be an all-solids project, I ended up slipping in some prints along the way!

I couldn't remember my original plan for these blocks - like how many blocks? whether to add borders or not? etc - so today I simply joined them up, added a zappy pink border... et voila ... WiP #2 is now ready for some quilting. 

How are your WiPs shaping up this week? 

checkered rose

These blocks began as a bit of a side project to use up my somewhat limited stash of solids. Yes, it's another 'checkered garden' quilt. I know the pattern (from Ashley @ filminthefridge) so well now that I figured I could really focus on getting a nice flow happening with my colours. 

I'm playing with multiple pretty soft colours from my stash and adding in a mix of shadowy greys for the background corners.  Oh, and despite starting out thinking this would be an all-solids project, I ended up slipping in some prints along the way. 

Super happy with the contrast of the pretty shades against the grey tones, have a peek at my 'checkered rose' quilt top so far ... 

9 blocks done✅

Until next time, Linda