I don’t know about you, but I am more than ready to finally get my hands on some serious yardage of my latest Moda fabric line release, Garden Gatherings. It feels like it was a lifetime ago since we started talking about the arrival of this highly anticipated new collection, so it will be nice to see it filling up space in the warehouse any day now.

Anyone who knows me also knows that aside from quilting, another one of my true passions in life is gardening. I’m especially happy with my Garden Gatherings fabric line because with it, I’m able to bring the fresh and colorful essence of a flower garden right into my home. This new collection features a timeless look and a unique color palette, including shades of Rose, Sunflower, Moss, Lavender, and Lily. These aesthetically pleasing fabrics have a primitive feel, yet they step outside the box with an added splash of vibrant color. I incorporated tiny, shirting-style prints that are perfectly suited for the small-scale piecing type projects that I love so much. Mini floral designs like Tulips, Carnations, Roses, Posies, and more, make this beautiful collection the perfect embodiment of a summer garden in full bloom.

Garden Gatherings is so pretty, I’m absolutely thrilled with how it all came together! When I first saw the strike-off’s in person so many months ago, I was immediately inspired to also design quilts specifically dedicated to the line. My Garden Gatherings book is an assembly of colorful geometric patterns, each created to go hand-in-hand with these amazing fabrics. It contains eight delightful large quilt designs – all of which are some of my personal favorites. I know, I know. You must be wondering – how can they all be my favorites? …but really, the question is more like, how can I pick just one!? Compositions range from timeless shapes like the tumbler in “Seedlings“, to the more contemporary feel of “Flower Box.” If you’re more into the scrappy look, “T-Quilt,” “Reap What You Sew,” “Party of Four,” and “Wild Prairie“ are all excellent choices.

Unsure where to start your Garden Gatherings journey? Let’s take a look at all eight of these beauties one-by-one and see what each has to offer. Listed first in the book is “Change of Course.” This quilt is actually a reproduction piece designed based off an antique in my personal collection. To make this basic quilt I combined conventional Shoofly blocks with half square triangle blocks.

I love how the two different designs play off each other, making the overall design much more interesting than it would have been if they had only used just one. Despite the “white space” the scattered Shoofly blocks seem to leave behind, intricate quilting gives open areas a dimensional feel as well. Finished, “Change of Course“ measures at 82 1/2″ x 97 1/2,” making it a great size to display on a guest bed or couch.

Next in line is “Flower Box.” If you love bright, saturated colors, this is the quilt for you! This radiant quilt vividly displays all the colors of the rainbow, kicking the happiness level up a notch for anyone who looks at it.“Flower Box“ is a larger piece at 90″ x 90″ when finished. Because of the size and square shape, I like to use “Flower Box“ as a table runner or hanging wall décor. I think this quilt would also make a great gift for an older child or grandchild going off to college next fall, don’t you think? Eyes will be green with envy when they catch a glimpse of this cool quilt folded up on the end of a bunk, or hanging on a dorm room wall.I know I’ve been saying all the quilts in the Garden Gatherings are my favorite, but if I was forced to chose just one, it would have to be “Party of Four.” This quilt is not as large as some of the others in this vibrant collection, but it makes just as much of an impact with its colorful array of multiple spinning pinwheels.

Super scrappy projects = super FUN in my book, which is another reason why this quilt is my ultimate favorite of the group. Measuring in at 72″ x 80″ when finished, this feisty scrap buster will be a stylish addition to any room in your home or guest house.

Moving along, next we have “Reap What You Sew.“ Another awesome quilt recreation inspired by a smaller, previous version we did where I used 1″ triangles. For“Reap What You Sew” we bumped the size up a bit and used 2″ triangles to create this eye-catching, large-scale masterpiece. Measuring 94″ x 112″, “Reap What You Sew” is the easily the largest quilt in the Garden Gatherings book. The colorful triangle motif represents rows of garden flowers in abstract form.

This monster quilt might be on the larger side, but it’s still easy enough to do with not a lot of time required. Plus, it’s a perfect project for our Primitive Gatherings 2″ Finished Triangle Paper which will make the process ten times easier (You can find Triangle Paper on our website by clicking HERE!). The sheer size of this glorious quilt alone makes it an obvious choice if you need something that fits a King-sized bed or large couch.

Do you love shirtings? I sure do – which is why “Remember When“ gives me the warm and fuzzies. Using mostly shirtings, this subtle design appeals to me because it has a very faded and old look to it even though it was just made.Built with big, easy, chunky blocks, this is a project perfectly geared toward beginners and seasoned quilters alike. “Remember When” is not as big as some of the other quilts in the book, but it’s still a good size at 77 1/2″ x 77 1/2″ when finished.

On the other end of the color spectrum from “Remember When“ is “Seedlings.” This traditional style quilt was designed using a classic tumbler shape. In case you’re not familiar, tumblers are 1-patch units that are easy and fun to make. These historic shapes are created with the top being narrower than the base and the sides being of equal length.

Don’t worry, if you’re not quite yet a master at the Tumbler shape, we have included a couple of templates in the book in case you’d like to use them. Don’t let it intimidate you, it’s easier than it looks! Trust me, you’ll get the hang of it – and once you do, you’ll get yourself on a roll and be done before you know it!

If you like the bright colors and geometric style of “Seedlings,” “T-Quilt“ is bound to be right up your ally as well. I was particularly excited about this one because I’ve always wanted to do a T-Quilt, and until now, I just never have.I found this style of quilt to be super easy and simple to make. You basically just lay out your rows, make your T’s, flip them, and sew them together! I didn’t use an acrylic template for my tumbler shapes. I really didn’t feel the need since even when using a paper template, this pattern is a snap (several paper templates are included in the book for your convenience). Finished, “T-Quilt“ is 74″ x 90.”

The last quilt in this book is really a dandy. If bright, bold, saturated colors are your thing, “Wild Prairie“ will not disappoint. This project is especially appealing if you like to do different style units throughout your piece. The center has a quarter square triangle square in the middle, with half square triangles around the outside edge that create a vivid and aesthetically pleasing motif that screams, “here I am!”

Measuring 70 3/4″ x 82″, “Wild Prairie” is not an overly large quilt, but still a nice size to display in several ways around the house. Wow, what a stunner!

Well? See anything you like so far??? I know you do… And hey! I actually have more good news to add. If you’ve been following my blog over the last few months you’re probably already aware that in addition to my Garden Gatherings quilt pattern book release, we’ve also got a really awesome Quilt-Along planned! “Meet Me in the Garden“ is a summer Quilt-Along that will feature a custom quilt project designed by my good friend Val Krueger – exclusively with my Garden Gatherings fabrics in mind. Check it out!

I seriously can’t wait for this Quilt-Along to start! I have so much going on right now, but I don’t even care! This quilt is so exquisite, there’s no way I’d miss out on this one.

If you would like to participate in our, “Meet Me in the Garden Quilt-Along,“ we’d love to have you! We will post more information on how to join once we have a better idea of when the collection is going to arrive here at Primitive Gatherings. We will also be doing a post on what you’ll need for the Quilt-Along closer to the event that includes pattern & ruler details, so keep an eye on my blog for that.

Remember, the Garden Gatherings line doesn’t release until late April/May, 2022, but you can pre-order what you’ll need for the Quilt-Along in advance! DON’T WAIT – PRE-ORDERS of GARDEN GATHERINGS fabric are 20% OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!!! These fabrics will go back to being listed as full-price soon, so if you plan to participate in the Quilt-Along, stock up now! You will need the FQ Bundles of each Garden Gatherings and Garden Gatherings Shirtings, along with a Layer Cake of the shirtings as well. (please remember each pre-order needs to be ordered separately as an individual order – it should be the only item in your cart).

Alright, time to get back to my sewing room where I have plenty to do and not a lot of time to do it! I will see you all tomorrow during “Shop Talk with Shelley.” Shelley and the girls will be showcasing a couple of super cute  kid’s quilts that we have in the shop right now, along with some great quilt book suggestions for your sewing room collection. She also has some recommendations on a helpful notion or two, specifically designed to make your quilting life easier – yes please! Catch us LIVE at 9AM CST tomorrow by clicking the link below! And don’t forget to leave me a comment for a chance to win a cool prize! We love it when you win, so keep those comments coming! See you soon ~Lisa