Do you know what I love? Cutting fabric into little squares. I just love the how this simplest of shapes conjures that timeless patchwork charm and how the prints look so adorable in little vignettes. Plus, it’s a great way to use up all those leftover bits at the end of a project.

I am finishing my Nineteen Thirty quilt with a border of patchwork squares. By alternating dark and light values, this border harmonizes the full range of fabrics in the quilt and gives it a restful frame.

Restful sewing too! After the fanciful center medallion and elegant orchid blocks, it is a nice contrast to move into more familiar patchwork piecing.

Now that my quilt center is joined, it’s all I can do not to just sit and stare! Good thing I wasn’t quite done yet. Sewing the border is a nice opportunity to meditate on the elegant dame this quilt has become.

My favorite border element is those on point squares. I love how they reach out toward the center of each orchid flower and, in so doing, bridge the visual gap between the border and the quilt center.

So, that’s a quilt top! And what a journey it’s been - from inspiration to design to construction method, this one has been a real growing experience for me.

Those of you who embark on your own version of Nineteen Thirty with our upcoming sew-along will find the experience transformative as well, I do think. It’s a different quilt and one that invites contemplation. I want you to slow down and fully live into the process, so I’ve set aside 4 months for the sew-along. We’ll approach Nineteen Thirty in four stages, taking our time with each one. I hope you’ll join us!

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