Orinoco Flow Pattern Release

This is my latest finish in my favourite colours. It is the throw-size version of Tinker Toys, which was published last summer in the September issue of Love of Quilting magazine.

Unfortunately, they hold the rights until August 2025, yes, the contracts are now two years, so I cannot publish the baby size pink and orange quilt. However, I contacted them to ask if I would be allowed to publish a throw size with a little bit different construction method than they use and different colours and they said, yes. So I am very happy to have this quilt available as a stand-alone pattern. Next year I will be able to release the baby size as well and will update the pattern. Know that I will send the updated pattern free to anybody who buys it this year. The pattern also has instructions to make a cushion cover.

This quilt uses two blocks cleverly coloured that, when put together, along with a pieced border, give the illusion of the quilt being on point. They also create a path that flows between the blocks. In the original quilt, I accentuated the path with ribbon quilting, and because I loved the effect so much, I reproduced the same quilting in this one.

I’m thinking the arbour MacGyver made this year for our wisteria and clematis is going to be making an excellent quilt ‘frame’ for photos!

A note about the name: it just popped in my head. I was thinking of water names because of the colours, and of the flow between the blocks, and how your eye roves around the quilt. The song, Orinoco Flow, is by Enya, but it's also the name of the studio in London, England where she recorded the album it's from. What I learned is that the Orinoco is actually a river, which inspired the song, the fourth longest river in the world! 65% of it flows through Venezuela and 35% through Colombia. So it seemed meant to be.

Here’s the back. If you saw my Instagram post @mmmquilts the other day you’ll know the history of this fabric.

So I've had this wonderful Northcott Fabrics piece for EVER, like more than 15 years, waiting to become a back for a quilt. I did used a yard of it as the lining for a bag I made for a dear friend's retirement about 15 or 16 years ago. I originally had pulled out another pretty turquoise chunk, and then I remembered this one and thought, perhaps the colours in it would work if memory served me correctly? 

Oh yes.

At first I wasn't sure about the cream with light tan floral motifs fabric for the background, (makes me think of a design in the whip on a latte) but then I thought, no, I think it might just add some depth to this quilt. And it does, but it also adds softness as compared to the flat hardness of a solid white.

I used polyester threads for all of the quilting.

Other favourite essential tools: my Bohin charm marker for use on dark fabrics, my Hera fabric marker and Slim, my 7" ruler from Angela Walters.

This indoor shot shows that latte-esque background as well as the quilting, which is mainly straight lines, 3/4" apart, and free-motion quilted ribbons. I did a little extra dot-to-dot in this one in the 4-patch HSTs. 

Here is the label with all the quilt’s information. 

Binding, as you can see, was done by machine. Another piece I’ve had for a few years with binding in mind, this got used in the quilt as well as for the binding. ☺️🩵

Several fabric companies are represented in this quilt: Island Batik, Northcott, Maywood Studio and Riley Blake.

Here are the two quilts for size comparison. The pink and orange one is Tinker Toys, which was in the magazine last summer. It's a baby quilt.

Quilt Stats:

Size: 51”x 51" 
Fabric: from stash; background is Watercolors by Diane Phalen for Maywood Studio

Batting: Hobbs Premium Fusible 100% cotton

Backing: Treasure of the Gypsies by Marilyn S Doleny for Northcott Fabrics

Quilted: on Avril 86 410 stitches

Threads: pieced on my Bernina with Gütermann 100% cotton; quilted with So Fine 100% polyester, Mettler (Isacord) 100% polyester and Exquisite 100% polyester; Bottom Line in the bobbin

The cushion or pillow, whatever term you prefer, uses one of the two blocks and adds a border around it.

Here is a flat shot before I assembled it so you can see the design fully.

I just had to fussy-cut that gorgeous fabric for the centre plus block

Again, several fabric companies work well together here. The back is a fabulous piece from Michael Miller Fabrics, called Kasbah. I got it as well as the turquoise dots one in a Craftsy sale several years ago.

Yes, I have a couple of quilt models: Rufus hiding, and Blake, a neighbour’s dog who we are dog-sitting this weekend. She is a big girl, outweighs Rufus by 15 pounds! They get along very well, but then Rufus gets along with pretty much everybody ! This was an afternoon play date getting her used to our yard. We used to let Blake out as a puppy and take her for a walk around the block when her ‘mum’ was working full-time. Now she's a full-grown 2.5 year old big girl, gentle giant.

Quilt Stats:

Size: 21”x 21" 
Fabric: from stash

Batting: Quilters' Dream 100% wool

Backing: Kasbah by Michael Miller Fabrics

Quilted: on Avril: 10 081 stitches

Threads: pieced on Tillie, my 1951 Featherweight with Coats & Clark cotton; quilted with So Fine 401 by Superior Threads, Bottom Line in the bobbin

This pattern is available in my Etsy shop, SandraJaneQuilts. It is on sale now and through the weekend for 25% off, just $9CA.

Linking up

My Quilt Infatuation

Alycia Quilts

From Bolt to Beauty

Songbird Designs