Hey, everyone!

Are you ready to give your home décor a spring glow up? To me, nothing clears out winter cobwebs quite like a change of seasons and a fresh project to go with it. Despite the mess, spring eventually has a way of making everything feel new again, so in honor of that, today I’m making good on my promise from Tuesday’s post and celebrating with a look back at some of my favorite springy Primitive Gatherings patterns designed with warmer days in mind.

To kick things off, meet Primitive Picnic. Have you ever made a quilt specifically with the intention of actually using it? Primitive Picnic is begging to be that quilt. Don’t let its captivating design fool you — this pretty yet practical quilt stitches up much easier than you’d expect, which means more time enjoying it and less time stressing over a grass stain or two. Plus, it’s jelly roll and fat eighth friendly, which makes it a fantastic way to show off your favorite fabric line.

Primitive Picnic originally appeared in our now out of print book All Things Primitive, and after enough requests, it earned its own standalone pattern, which is now available on our website as both a printed pattern and a downloadable PDF. The pattern calls for 28 different dark fabrics and finishes at a generous 60″ x 70″ — plenty of real estate for an actual picnic — and you’ll only need 4 yards of fabric for the backing.

If spring has you itching to stitch something full of bright color and beautiful texture, Lisa’s Flower Garden is a great choice! Influenced by Florence Peto’s quilt Calico Garden, this magnificent floral masterpiece has the potential to be exactly that kind of showstopper. I took one look at Calico Garden and my wheels started turning. I thought — what would this look like with a primitive twist? That’s when the idea for Lisa’s Flower Garden was born.

Got a fabric stash full of 5″ charms just waiting for their moment? Lisa’s Flower Garden calls for 63 medium and 63 dark reproduction prints, all cut from 5″ squares — or if your scrap stash has enough 5″ pieces hiding in it, this is a great way to put them to good use. For anyone who hasn’t ventured into wool appliqué on cotton yet, the manageable size of 34″ x 42″ makes it a great place to start!

Spring has a way of bringing all the best critters out of hiding, and Lulu Lady Bug is no exception. This fun and whimsical quilt features everyone’s favorite spotted guest surrounded by big, bold daisies — a simple, playful design that comes together with minimal fuss thanks to its large pieces and straightforward construction.

Lulu Lady Bug Quilt finishes at 51½” x 51½” — the perfect size to toss over your favorite chair or porch swing for a little splash of spring color. You’ll need 3½ yards of fabric for the backing, and don’t forget to grab an 18 degree Dresden Ruler by Creative Grids by clicking HERE if you don’t already have one in your collection — it’s the one specialty tool this project calls for and makes all the difference!

Looking for something a bit smaller to work on this spring? If you love hand work, the Spring Crazy Table Mat is about to become your new obsession. Done with Primitive Gatherings hand-dyed wools, this 22″ x 15″ mat is rooted in Victorian crazy quilt tradition — irregular patches of fabric with every seam embellished in decorative handwork stitches.

The design itself is packed with all the best parts of spring — flowers, busy bees, a cheerful kite, a bird in its nest, all the essential garden tools, and the word “spring” stitched right in. Every element is embellished with beautiful fancy stitching that makes each section its own little work of art. I’m going to warn you now… this mat is addicting. Once you start working on the Spring Crazy Table Mat, it’s going to be hard to put it down!

If there is one flower that absolutely owns spring in Wisconsin, it’s the tulip — and the Triumph Tulip Table Mat is my love letter to them. This 22½” x 22½” wool appliqué mat comes in two versions: a light version featuring red tulips with green leaves on a cream wool background, and a more subtle grayscale version, with white tulips and gray stems on a dark wool background.

My favorite feature of this mat is the alternating blanket stitch that edges every appliqué piece — a beautiful detail that adds even more texture and depth to the design. Never tried it before? I just so happen to have a how-to video all about the blanket stitch posted on my STITCH with Lisa Bongean YouTube page that walks you through it step by step (click HERE to watch)! Love the pattern but don’t have quite enough wool in your stash to make this mat happen? No problem! Kits are available for both color versions, so all you have to do is pick your favorite one and start stitching!

Pretty quilts and table mats aside, if you ask me, I think pillows are the unsung heroes of seasonal decorating. They’re small, they’re effective, and swapping them out is about the fastest way to give any room a fresh new look without moving a single piece of furniture. My Spring Tulip Pillow is a perfect example of that, featuring six colorful wool appliqué tulips spelling out the word SPRING on a cotton background.

Spring Tulip Pillow isn’t limited to couch duty, either — with a little creativity, it could work just as well as a wall hanging or table runner. It finishes at 12″ x 22″ as a pillow, but feel free to adjust the length to suit your needs. As always, I love my pillow PLUMP so I used a 16″ x 24″ pillow form in our shop sample to make sure it stays nice and squishy!

One thing I love about spring is that all the birds come back from flying south! Keeping the seasonal pillow theme going, my Birds of Spring Pillow might have spring in the name, but I personally think it looks right at home in any season. It features two brown birds perched among beautiful blue flowers and lush leaves, all worked in wool appliqué on cotton. At 20″ x 20″ with a 22″ x 22″ pillow form, this one is just flat out pretty.

Find anything new to add to your “must make” list? If not, don’t worry — we have an entire website full of fun projects to peruse — but don’t take too long shopping because today is the last day to take advantage of our St. Patrick’s Day promo! Remember, through the end of the day today — Friday, March 20th, 2026, if you spend *$50 or more in the shop or online you’ll score a *FREE “Just My Luck” seasonal décor PDF pattern and project kit on us! PLEASE NOTE: Purchase total does not include tax, shipping, pre-orders, subscriptions, BERNINA, or CommentSold purchases.

And just like that… it’s the weekend! After dealing with Snowstorm Elsa and a full week at retreat, I’m definitely looking forward to warmer weather, sunshine, and putting my feet up in the comfort of my own little shack on the lake that I spend all week working so hard to have. I can’t wait! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I will see everyone next week — happy shopping, stitchers! ~Lisa