Each month EQ8 initiates a Block Spotlight. For March, it was a very simple block, the 8-Grid Chain. This is a block that you may have used on an Irish Chain quilt or as a good connector block on a quilt.
I wanted to do something to jazz it up a little. The first thing, was to find a good alternating block. Odd Fellows Chain felt like a good option because it kept the chain going, while adding a star-like element. It also gave me plenty of negative space to fill.
To fill that space, I looked outside my window for inspiration. Tiny crocus blooms are popping out of the soil, bringing the first flowers of the season. I don’t count my Hellebore, which blooms all year. Within EQ8, I found a tulip motif, that I could mold into my crocuses. Crocuses bloom in bunches, so I created bunches of flowers to fill the space. Some leaves and stamens were then added for variety. The end result was lots of fun.
Over the years, I have had beds full of crocuses. They bloom in a variety of colors, but the most common are purple, white and yellow with bright green leaves. These became my palette for the quilt. Hoffman Watercolors had some beautiful choices – one is even named Crocus! What do you think of the final design? Do you even recognize the 8-Grid Chain?
What are your favorite spring quilts? Please share.
Happy Quilting!
Laureen