McCall’s Quilting March/April 2019
I’m not much of a gardener. My siblings may have gotten the master gardener gene from my dad, but that doesn’t mean flowers can’t surround me. It’s just that my flowers come in the form of floral fabric prints, appliquéd quilts and quilting motifs. Oh, I can keep plants alive in a pot (generally), but when it comes to planning agarden—planting bulbs in the fall, weeding and pruning—well, I leave that to others.
However, this is the time of year where I long for the pop of color that fresh blooms bring to a dreary landscape, bringing with them the promise of warmer weather. If this describes you too, well, then you will love this issue of McCall’s Quilting. We packed this issue full of floral appliqué, gorgeous floral print fabrics, and even dimensional flowers. If you love handwork, there are several projects that will entice you to grab your needle and thread (seven quilts feature appliqué and two quilts have embroidery!).
Award-winning quilter Claudia Pfeil graces our pages with one of her gorgeous designs. Don’t miss the quilt designs from three members of The Quilting Company team: Tricia Patterson, Eileen Fowler, and Annette Falvo. What I love is how different they are from each other—which shows you how our staff differs in style.
Read about Debbie Beaves of Maywood Studio, and Jackie Robinson who designs for Benartex – these women are design powerhouses! We also have a fun article on the history of the hexagon.
We hope you love this issue as much as we loved putting it together for you. Happy Spring!
Tracy Mooney, Editor
McCall’s Quilting March/April 2019 Table of Contents
Up Front
- Editor’s Letter: Even if you aren’t a gardener, you can create a “garden” of quilts!
- Fresh Picks: Check out our latest finds.
- Quilter to Quilter: See what your fellow McCall’s Quilting readers have been making.
- McQ&A: Flowers inspire our editorial team in so many ways!
- Quilt Basics: The quiltmaking techniques you need to make the patterns in this issue.
Special Interest
- Let Inspiration Bloom: The Secrets of Designing Floral Fabric: Flowers are a source of never-ending inspiration for two leading fabric designers.
- Grandmother’s Flower Garden: A Perennial Favorite: The history of the shape that has enchanted quilters since the 1700’s.
- But Wait! There’s More! These online articles and free patterns will help you master the techniques in this issue.
- I Love This Quilt! Annette Falvo falls for a new fabric collection and uses a McCall’s classic to showcase a large-scale print.
Patterns
- Patio Posies: Flower appliqué surrounded by star points creates a design that wows!
- Wildflower Meadow: Use a floral border print perfectly for dramatic effect with this easy design.
- Sunshine and Daisies: Dimensional flowers and Yo-yo’s are the focal point for this cheerful design by Annette Falvo.
- Baby Blossoms: Simple piecing creates the look of flowers in the latest patterns by Jen Daly.
- Terra Cotta Garden: An upcycled wholecloth quilt is the perfect foundation for Tricia Patterson’s whimsical flower pots.
- Lotus: Award-winning quilter, Claudia Pfeil shows us how to stretch our skills using easy piecing and appliqué.
- Delft Blooms: A classic design in blue and yellow, with yellow tulips has us dreaming of Holland.
- Perpetual Motion: Your eye dances across this quilt top in this dynamic design by Marilyn Strowmatt.
- Climbing Clematis: Pieced stars, appliquéd vines, and large flowers combine in this showstopping design by Pam Nourse.
- Kew Garden: Patchwork trees and appliquéd birds adorn this feminine quilt.
- To Do List: Hand-embroidered resolutions are a great way to meditate on positive affirmations while you sew.
- Reverberation: Eileen Fowler’s twist on a traditional Pineapple block really shines.
Pattern Pull-Out Section
This section contains the templates and foundations for the quilts in this issue.
