I have a weakness for vintage inspired children’s fabrics. They remind me of my favorite children’s books . . . tender stories of sweet boys and girls finding adventures in their everyday lives, learning lessons of kindness, honesty, resilience and even bravery. Every illustration was a small work of art, inviting me to another place and time. It’s no wonder that I couldn’t resist this darling Halloween themed fabric with a vintage vibe.
The focal fabric you see at the center of my blocks is from a Halloween collection by Belle and Boo, which is a company based in England. Besides designing art and fabric, they publish books and create toys, games, stickers, cards, coloring books, paper dolls and even free downloadable coloring sheets. I became familiar with Belle and Boo’s fabric collections on Instagram, through an online fabric shop based in the United Kingdom, Rose Garden Patchwork. I ordered a half yard of the Halloween fabric and it flew “across the pond” quite quickly. Thank you, Rose Garden Patchwork!
This past Saturday I spent several hours rifling through my stash, finding just the right fabrics to create some Economy Blocks that would feature the Belle and Boo characters. Fabric was flying. I was making a happy mess. In the end, I found just enough butterscotch orange and cool browns to begin cutting and sewing.
It tickles me that this quilt will include leftover fabrics I’ve saved from other completed projects, and it will represent several designers, including Fig Tree & Company, Lori Holt, Lauren Nash, and Patrick Lose. There’s even one I can’t identify. Never throw out scraps that you love. You’ll be sure to use them again someday.
Friends, I felt so inspired and cheered by this project, that I started taking notes and photos of my progress. I plan to publish a free tutorial that will include tools, tips, measurements and more so that you can dive into your stash and make a joyful mess creating your own Economy Blocks.
Someday I hope to be a cuddly, fun and much loved grandma. I picture an autumn day spent with little ones on my lap, reading treasured books while snuggled beneath a quilt that I made years earlier, just waiting for that special moment.
As always, thanks for letting me share my quilting journey with you. Now head over to your sewing room and get carried away quilting!
~Taunja
