Rosebud Garland in Make Modern #55

I am thrilled to finally be able to share a design that was accepted in January of this year for Make Modern issue 55!

Our own Sweet Autumn Clematis was stunning again this year, and when one of my sweet neighbours, Mary Beth, exclaimed about it, she said hers was wonderful this year too, climbing all the way over a wooden trellis. When I was thinking of good places for a photo shoot for my project, I thought her trellis might frame the runner perfectly. And wow, did it ever!

Runners are hard to photograph! They're long and skinny so a lot of background shows. One of the things I love about Make Modern, and there are many, is that you do not ship your project to them. You take high quality photographs, send them in half a dozen or so, and they choose the ones that will work for the magazine. I just knew the sweet autumn clematis shot was a winner, and I'm so glad they used it for the main photo too. I have printed it for Mary Beth and am excited to give it to her, as I know she'll be just thrilled.

This is a Christmas-themed runner, believe it or not! Those are wonderful modern Christmas colours aren't they? The line I used was provided by Northcott Fabrics, 'Angels on High' by Cathy Squire. Hobbs Batting supplied the Thermore batting that I used.

This design was actually first rejected by an American magazine, a couple of months before I submitted it to Make Modern, so it goes to show that that doesn’t mean no publication will want it. The design grew from one of the elements in my Rainbow Neighbourhood pattern, the flowers block. I like the swirl effect, and realized that four rosebud blocks put together makes a star. Echo it with a mirror image and you have a swirling garland effect across the runner.

The piecing is a snap for this runner: HSTs, 4-patches, some background chunks and voilà! I used a variety of threads to quilt it on my Bernina. Avril, my longarm, was taken over by my 150 Canadian Women quilt at the time, a beautiful behemoth of a quilt.

Swooning over those colours!

This rosebud block actually has its roots in that quilt, as it's a component in the 13th block. That block represents Shanawdithit, the last brave, incredible young woman of her people, the Beothuk of what is now known as Newfoundland. Her block led to Beothuk Star, a QAL I hosted in 2017.

But I digress. Back to the threads.

Because of the Christmas-themed fabric, I knew I wanted to add some Sulky metallic thread, so I quilted stars or snowflakes randomly in three different colours, light blue, purple, and metallic, without any prior planning, across the quilt. I used the darker blue to machine stitch the binding.

Dot to dot designs went into the star blocks.

Hobbs Thermore batting is wonderful for runners and placemats

The backing fabric is just glorious.

Make Modern said they weren't sure if they'd have room for the placemats pattern I designed to go with the runner, but send a photo regardless. 

Well, they didn't have room, but that's not a problem because I took a photo or two!

Once I get the rights back, (another thing I love about Make Modern, that you get the rights back within just two months), I'll release the pattern which will include placemats.

I have wanted to take a quilt photo on this funky car for a few years now. Little did I know how well it would go with this project! The paint has faded considerably from five years ago when I first spied it…in the Walkerville area of Windsor! No relation (drat) to the tycoon—Walker, as in Hiram, as in fine whiskey. 

As I made a test runner, I wrote up the pattern. Dayna had recently moved to Tennessee, as you may recall, and requested a new tablerunner in pinks. I was happy to comply, and extra-happy that she loved this design. I used all Island Batik fabrics, even the binding. 

So I wrote and stitched, and got hers all done...

The backing is the last of a main fabric I used in the quilt I made for my mum’s 70th birthday back in 2006. I’m so glad it ended up with Dayna. 

And then I sewed this one off the pattern I'd written. 

And then—! I asked Tish, who tests the Meadow Mist Designs Mystery quilts every year for Cheryl, if she would like to make it to double-check everything, and she said yes!

Made by Tish @tishnwonderland

I love the colours she used, and I can't wait to see it when she puts her beautiful quilting touch on it. 

Dayna has requested another, in traditional Christmas colours, so once I get her Christmas Tree Farm quilt done, I'll be making a third runner.

Quilt Stats:

Pattern: Rosebud Garland runner

Size: 48" x 48"
Fabric: Northcott Fabrics Angels On High by Cathy Squire

Batting: Hobbs Thermore

Backing: As above

Quilted: on my Bernina

Threads: pieced with Aurifil Dove 2600; quilted with Aurifil cotton and Sulky Metallica.

As always Make Modern #55 is full of wonderful designs, ten to be exact. There are excellent articles as always.

There are lots of options for the magazine: a single copy is $12AUD; an annual subscription (6 issues per year) is $50AUD/ $40USD and they have an All-Access Subscription for just $99AUD. All-Access subscribers get a year plus access to all the back issues Make Modern has ever published.🤯 That's crazy-good. Those are all affiliate links. Anyone can apply to become an affiliate.

I've been a subscriber for several years, I've had three designs published in MM, they've sponsored every one of my seven annual QALs, and... I just won a 6-month subscription to their magazine for participating in #wipsbgone2023! Now that's crazy-good!

Linking up

My Quilt Infatuation

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

From Bolt to Beauty

Alycia Quilts

Quilting & Learning-What A Combo

Songbird Designs