Skip to main content
Knitted Blooms is NOW available!
  • Afghanistan

    Afghanistan

    (AFN ؋)

  • Åland Islands

    Åland Islands

    (EUR €)

  • Albania

    Albania

    (ALL L)

  • Algeria

    Algeria

    (DZD د.ج)

  • Andorra

    Andorra

    (EUR €)

  • Angola

    Angola

    (USD $)

  • Anguilla

    Anguilla

    (XCD $)

  • Antigua & Barbuda

    Antigua & Barbuda

    (XCD $)

  • Argentina

    Argentina

    (USD $)

  • Armenia

    Armenia

    (AMD դր.)

  • Aruba

    Aruba

    (AWG ƒ)

  • Ascension Island

    Ascension Island

    (SHP £)

  • Australia

    Australia

    (AUD $)

  • Austria

    Austria

    (EUR €)

  • Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan

    (AZN ₼)

  • Bahamas

    Bahamas

    (BSD $)

  • Bahrain

    Bahrain

    (USD $)

  • Bangladesh

    Bangladesh

    (BDT ৳)

  • Barbados

    Barbados

    (BBD $)

  • Belarus

    Belarus

    (USD $)

  • Belgium

    Belgium

    (EUR €)

  • Belize

    Belize

    (BZD $)

  • Benin

    Benin

    (XOF Fr)

  • Bermuda

    Bermuda

    (USD $)

  • Bhutan

    Bhutan

    (USD $)

  • Bolivia

    Bolivia

    (BOB Bs.)

  • Bosnia & Herzegovina

    Bosnia & Herzegovina

    (BAM КМ)

  • Botswana

    Botswana

    (BWP P)

  • Brazil

    Brazil

    (USD $)

  • British Indian Ocean Territory

    British Indian Ocean Territory

    (USD $)

  • British Virgin Islands

    British Virgin Islands

    (USD $)

  • Brunei

    Brunei

    (BND $)

  • Bulgaria

    Bulgaria

    (BGN лв.)

  • Burkina Faso

    Burkina Faso

    (XOF Fr)

  • Burundi

    Burundi

    (BIF Fr)

  • Cambodia

    Cambodia

    (KHR ៛)

  • Cameroon

    Cameroon

    (XAF Fr)

  • Canada

    Canada

    (CAD $)

  • Cape Verde

    Cape Verde

    (CVE $)

  • Caribbean Netherlands

    Caribbean Netherlands

    (USD $)

  • Cayman Islands

    Cayman Islands

    (KYD $)

  • Central African Republic

    Central African Republic

    (XAF Fr)

  • Chad

    Chad

    (XAF Fr)

  • Chile

    Chile

    (USD $)

  • China

    China

    (CNY ¥)

  • Christmas Island

    Christmas Island

    (AUD $)

  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    (AUD $)

  • Colombia

    Colombia

    (USD $)

  • Comoros

    Comoros

    (KMF Fr)

  • Congo - Brazzaville

    Congo - Brazzaville

    (XAF Fr)

  • Congo - Kinshasa

    Congo - Kinshasa

    (CDF Fr)

  • Cook Islands

    Cook Islands

    (NZD $)

  • Costa Rica

    Costa Rica

    (CRC ₡)

  • Côte d’Ivoire

    Côte d’Ivoire

    (XOF Fr)

  • Croatia

    Croatia

    (EUR €)

  • Curaçao

    Curaçao

    (ANG ƒ)

  • Cyprus

    Cyprus

    (EUR €)

  • Czechia

    Czechia

    (CZK Kč)

  • Denmark

    Denmark

    (DKK kr.)

  • Djibouti

    Djibouti

    (DJF Fdj)

  • Dominica

    Dominica

    (XCD $)

  • Dominican Republic

    Dominican Republic

    (DOP $)

  • Ecuador

    Ecuador

    (USD $)

  • Egypt

    Egypt

    (EGP ج.م)

  • El Salvador

    El Salvador

    (USD $)

  • Equatorial Guinea

    Equatorial Guinea

    (XAF Fr)

  • Eritrea

    Eritrea

    (USD $)

  • Estonia

    Estonia

    (EUR €)

  • Eswatini

    Eswatini

    (USD $)

  • Ethiopia

    Ethiopia

    (ETB Br)

  • Falkland Islands

    Falkland Islands

    (FKP £)

  • Faroe Islands

    Faroe Islands

    (DKK kr.)

  • Fiji

    Fiji

    (FJD $)

  • Finland

    Finland

    (EUR €)

  • France

    France

    (EUR €)

  • French Guiana

    French Guiana

    (EUR €)

  • French Polynesia

    French Polynesia

    (XPF Fr)

  • French Southern Territories

    French Southern Territories

    (EUR €)

  • Gabon

    Gabon

    (XOF Fr)

  • Gambia

    Gambia

    (GMD D)

  • Georgia

    Georgia

    (USD $)

  • Germany

    Germany

    (EUR €)

  • Ghana

    Ghana

    (USD $)

  • Gibraltar

    Gibraltar

    (GBP £)

  • Greece

    Greece

    (EUR €)

  • Greenland

    Greenland

    (DKK kr.)

  • Grenada

    Grenada

    (XCD $)

  • Guadeloupe

    Guadeloupe

    (EUR €)

  • Guatemala

    Guatemala

    (GTQ Q)

  • Guernsey

    Guernsey

    (GBP £)

  • Guinea

    Guinea

    (GNF Fr)

  • Guinea-Bissau

    Guinea-Bissau

    (XOF Fr)

  • Guyana

    Guyana

    (GYD $)

  • Haiti

    Haiti

    (USD $)

  • Honduras

    Honduras

    (HNL L)

  • Hong Kong SAR

    Hong Kong SAR

    (HKD $)

  • Hungary

    Hungary

    (HUF Ft)

  • Iceland

    Iceland

    (ISK kr)

  • India

    India

    (INR ₹)

  • Indonesia

    Indonesia

    (IDR Rp)

  • Iraq

    Iraq

    (USD $)

  • Ireland

    Ireland

    (EUR €)

  • Isle of Man

    Isle of Man

    (GBP £)

  • Israel

    Israel

    (ILS ₪)

  • Italy

    Italy

    (EUR €)

  • Jamaica

    Jamaica

    (JMD $)

  • Japan

    Japan

    (JPY ¥)

  • Jersey

    Jersey

    (USD $)

  • Jordan

    Jordan

    (USD $)

  • Kazakhstan

    Kazakhstan

    (KZT 〒)

  • Kenya

    Kenya

    (KES KSh)

  • Kiribati

    Kiribati

    (USD $)

  • Kosovo

    Kosovo

    (EUR €)

  • Kuwait

    Kuwait

    (USD $)

  • Kyrgyzstan

    Kyrgyzstan

    (KGS som)

  • Laos

    Laos

    (LAK ₭)

  • Latvia

    Latvia

    (EUR €)

  • Lebanon

    Lebanon

    (LBP ل.ل)

  • Lesotho

    Lesotho

    (USD $)

  • Liberia

    Liberia

    (USD $)

  • Libya

    Libya

    (USD $)

  • Liechtenstein

    Liechtenstein

    (CHF CHF)

  • Lithuania

    Lithuania

    (EUR €)

  • Luxembourg

    Luxembourg

    (EUR €)

  • Macao SAR

    Macao SAR

    (MOP P)

  • Madagascar

    Madagascar

    (USD $)

  • Malawi

    Malawi

    (MWK MK)

  • Malaysia

    Malaysia

    (MYR RM)

  • Maldives

    Maldives

    (MVR MVR)

  • Mali

    Mali

    (XOF Fr)

  • Malta

    Malta

    (EUR €)

  • Martinique

    Martinique

    (EUR €)

  • Mauritania

    Mauritania

    (USD $)

  • Mauritius

    Mauritius

    (MUR ₨)

  • Mayotte

    Mayotte

    (EUR €)

  • Mexico

    Mexico

    (USD $)

  • Moldova

    Moldova

    (MDL L)

  • Monaco

    Monaco

    (EUR €)

  • Mongolia

    Mongolia

    (MNT ₮)

  • Montenegro

    Montenegro

    (EUR €)

  • Montserrat

    Montserrat

    (XCD $)

  • Morocco

    Morocco

    (MAD د.م.)

  • Mozambique

    Mozambique

    (USD $)

  • Myanmar (Burma)

    Myanmar (Burma)

    (MMK K)

  • Namibia

    Namibia

    (USD $)

  • Nauru

    Nauru

    (AUD $)

  • Nepal

    Nepal

    (NPR ₨)

  • Netherlands

    Netherlands

    (EUR €)

  • New Caledonia

    New Caledonia

    (XPF Fr)

  • New Zealand

    New Zealand

    (NZD $)

  • Nicaragua

    Nicaragua

    (NIO C$)

  • Niger

    Niger

    (XOF Fr)

  • Nigeria

    Nigeria

    (NGN ₦)

  • Niue

    Niue

    (NZD $)

  • Norfolk Island

    Norfolk Island

    (AUD $)

  • North Macedonia

    North Macedonia

    (MKD ден)

  • Norway

    Norway

    (USD $)

  • Oman

    Oman

    (USD $)

  • Pakistan

    Pakistan

    (PKR ₨)

  • Palestinian Territories

    Palestinian Territories

    (ILS ₪)

  • Panama

    Panama

    (USD $)

  • Papua New Guinea

    Papua New Guinea

    (PGK K)

  • Paraguay

    Paraguay

    (PYG ₲)

  • Peru

    Peru

    (PEN S/.)

  • Philippines

    Philippines

    (PHP ₱)

  • Pitcairn Islands

    Pitcairn Islands

    (NZD $)

  • Poland

    Poland

    (PLN zł)

  • Portugal

    Portugal

    (EUR €)

  • Qatar

    Qatar

    (QAR ر.ق)

  • Réunion

    Réunion

    (EUR €)

  • Romania

    Romania

    (RON Lei)

  • Russia

    Russia

    (USD $)

  • Rwanda

    Rwanda

    (RWF FRw)

  • Samoa

    Samoa

    (WST T)

  • San Marino

    San Marino

    (EUR €)

  • São Tomé & Príncipe

    São Tomé & Príncipe

    (STD Db)

  • Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia

    (SAR ر.س)

  • Senegal

    Senegal

    (XOF Fr)

  • Serbia

    Serbia

    (RSD РСД)

  • Seychelles

    Seychelles

    (USD $)

  • Sierra Leone

    Sierra Leone

    (SLL Le)

  • Singapore

    Singapore

    (SGD $)

  • Sint Maarten

    Sint Maarten

    (ANG ƒ)

  • Slovakia

    Slovakia

    (EUR €)

  • Slovenia

    Slovenia

    (EUR €)

  • Solomon Islands

    Solomon Islands

    (SBD $)

  • Somalia

    Somalia

    (USD $)

  • South Africa

    South Africa

    (USD $)

  • South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

    South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

    (GBP £)

  • South Korea

    South Korea

    (KRW ₩)

  • South Sudan

    South Sudan

    (USD $)

  • Spain

    Spain

    (EUR €)

  • Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka

    (LKR ₨)

  • St. Barthélemy

    St. Barthélemy

    (EUR €)

  • St. Helena

    St. Helena

    (SHP £)

  • St. Kitts & Nevis

    St. Kitts & Nevis

    (XCD $)

  • St. Lucia

    St. Lucia

    (XCD $)

  • St. Martin

    St. Martin

    (EUR €)

  • St. Pierre & Miquelon

    St. Pierre & Miquelon

    (EUR €)

  • St. Vincent & Grenadines

    St. Vincent & Grenadines

    (XCD $)

  • Sudan

    Sudan

    (USD $)

  • Suriname

    Suriname

    (USD $)

  • Svalbard & Jan Mayen

    Svalbard & Jan Mayen

    (USD $)

  • Sweden

    Sweden

    (SEK kr)

  • Switzerland

    Switzerland

    (CHF CHF)

  • Taiwan

    Taiwan

    (TWD $)

  • Tajikistan

    Tajikistan

    (TJS ЅМ)

  • Tanzania

    Tanzania

    (TZS Sh)

  • Thailand

    Thailand

    (THB ฿)

  • Timor-Leste

    Timor-Leste

    (USD $)

  • Togo

    Togo

    (XOF Fr)

  • Tokelau

    Tokelau

    (NZD $)

  • Tonga

    Tonga

    (TOP T$)

  • Trinidad & Tobago

    Trinidad & Tobago

    (TTD $)

  • Tristan da Cunha

    Tristan da Cunha

    (GBP £)

  • Tunisia

    Tunisia

    (USD $)

  • Türkiye

    Türkiye

    (USD $)

  • Turkmenistan

    Turkmenistan

    (USD $)

  • Turks & Caicos Islands

    Turks & Caicos Islands

    (USD $)

  • Tuvalu

    Tuvalu

    (AUD $)

  • U.S. Outlying Islands

    U.S. Outlying Islands

    (USD $)

  • Uganda

    Uganda

    (UGX USh)

  • Ukraine

    Ukraine

    (UAH ₴)

  • United Arab Emirates

    United Arab Emirates

    (AED د.إ)

  • United Kingdom

    United Kingdom

    (GBP £)

  • United States

    United States

    (USD $)

  • Uruguay

    Uruguay

    (UYU $)

  • Uzbekistan

    Uzbekistan

    (UZS )

  • Vanuatu

    Vanuatu

    (VUV Vt)

  • Vatican City

    Vatican City

    (EUR €)

  • Venezuela

    Venezuela

    (USD $)

  • Vietnam

    Vietnam

    (VND ₫)

  • Wallis & Futuna

    Wallis & Futuna

    (XPF Fr)

  • Western Sahara

    Western Sahara

    (MAD د.م.)

  • Yemen

    Yemen

    (YER ﷼)

  • Zambia

    Zambia

    (USD $)

  • Zimbabwe

    Zimbabwe

    (USD $)

5 tips to create a Vintage-Inspired Quilt!

5 tips to create a Vintage-Inspired Quilt!

One of the things I love about quilting is mixing old with new. Quilting has been around for centuries, yet we still find ways to "modernize" the craft and make it unique and current. I do love the history behind quilting though. The rich tradition of it all makes me proud to create in the same way that women before me have created. 

I love that quilts are usable pieces of art. They can be statement pieces that also keep you warm on the couch. If I had to describe the living space in my house, I'd say it's feminine, rustic and chic. I love old items that are repurposed as home decor statement pieces. Antiques and vintage finds are some of my favorites! So I figured it was time to make a quilt that had that same "vintage" inspiration!

So then I started thinking....how do make a quilt that is "vintage-inspired"? I compiled a list and went from there. I go into each point more specifically in this post, so be sure to keep reading!

  1. Nostalgic fabrics
  2. Traditional pattern (I'm using my Christmas Joy quilt pattern)
  3. Don't prewash fabrics
  4. Scrappy background
  5. the Quilting

 

Nostalgic Fabrics

When I saw Bonnie Christine new "Her & History" collection with Art Gallery Fabrics, I fell head over heels! According to the "Her & History" LookBook, it was "inspired by stories and memories from our elders. It celebrates the moments shared with our grandparents that are near and dear to our hearts. This collection reminds us of our heritage, where we came from, and what we hope to leave behind." How special is that?! I love it.

.

..

.

.

.

While this collection is perfect for this project, really any group of fabrics that feel "old" would work great. Think florals, faded colors, maybe even look into reproduction prints?

.

Traditional Pattern

I'm using my Christmas Joy pattern which is my most traditional pattern in my shop. The block is very simple, which is part of the reason why I love it so much! Any sort of star pattern would work great for this! 

Fun fact: Peter made this quilt himself! This was his first time sitting down at the sewing machine, but he did it! And I'm so proud of him! He was a little reluctant to learn how to sew/quilt, but since he hasn't been working at his normal job due to the quarantine, he's had more free time on his hands to learn a new skill. 

.

.

Once he finished all of the HSTs he thought that that was the end of it. He wasn't happy to learn that we then had to trim them and make sure they were nice and square. Thank goodness for that because some of those seams were a little questionable, haha. If you're looking for a tutorial for how and why we trim HST's you can find that here!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He was SO happy to finish his first block!! This might be a little exaggerated, but not by much!! haha But for the most part, he did great with this pattern! The biggest issue was consistent seams....but I think with a little bit of practice, he'll be good to go! 

 .

.

Once he finished one, he cranked them out! He now loves chain piecing and did so listening to his favorite podcast!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Don't Prewash

I never really prewash my fabrics. I don't like the extra step, but also, I really enjoy the crinkle of a quilt after it's first wash. If you prewash your fabrics, they'll shrink and not crinkle as much. Just be sure to use Shout Color Catchers with your first wash!

Scrappy Background

I'm so thrilled with this idea. I basically used various white/cream fabrics for my background to accentuate the patchwork this quilt. Back in the day, quilters would use whatever they could find to piece into their quilts. Each fabric has a slightly different texture which adds a lot of depth and interest.  Overall, I feel like it adds to the "handmade/vintage" feel. It might be my favorite part of the quilt!

TIP: Ideally, you'd use fabrics from your stash, but if you're looking to purchase fabrics to create this "scrappy background" look, read your patterns cutting instructions first. Say your pattern requires 4 yards of fabric, you don't want to just purchase 4 seperate one yard cuts of fabric. This may not work best with the pattern. (Or it might work perfectly, it just depends on the pattern). But look at the specific cutting instructions/ diagram to see how to divide out Background fabrics. You might need a smidge extra than you normally would.

 

.

.

Sewing the blocks and rows together was a little interesting. Since some of his seams were inconsistent, the rows kind of "bowed" a little bit. It wasn't the end of the world, we created a few little pleats to help everything line up. I think every quilt need a little bit of wonkiness to help you remember that it was handmade, am I right? ;)

..

.

.

Traditional Quilting Design

We sent this quilt top to my friend Andrea of Walker Quilt Co. for quilting. I wanted something classic and timeless...so we chose these traditional Baptist Fans. Other "traditional" pantographs to consider are feathers, florals and meandering stitching. 

If you plan to quilt the quilt on your domestic machine, consider hand quilting, or machine quilting straight lines. I love cross hatch designs! Remember, the more quilting you have, the more crinkly it'll be. I usually prefer dense quilting with lines that are about an inch apart. 

.

.

OH MAN, I am a HUGE fan of this texture!

.

.

.

.

For the backing and binding, I decided to go with a print that I didn't use on the front. Those ferns are just the prettiest! I love that there are two styles of this print, a light and dark variation. It's just so earthy and vintage and perfect!

You can find my machine binding tutorial here! 

 

 

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Overall, I'm SO proud of this quilt, and of Peter! We are definitely keeping it for ourselves... A) because I love the fabrics/quilting/pattern and B) because it is Peter's first quilt!! We made some fun memories with this thing, and we will always remember it as a fun project that we created together (in the middle of a global pandemic, nonetheless). haha. 

. 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

After our little photo-shoot, we came home and gave this quilt it's first wash. I had to snap some more photos of the crinkly-ness to show ya'll this yummy texture, but photos don't do it justice!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

We have some Her & History fat quarters in our shop! (UPDATE: we are currently sold out and hoping to restock soon!) And the Christmas Joy quilt pattern is available as an instant download (PDF) or as a printed paper copy

 .

.

What about you? How would you make a quilt feel "vintage-inspired"? Let me know in the comments!

Happy sewing!

.

.

.

 

Brittany