Quilting brings out the squirrel in me. I see a shiny nut and think, “Oh, that’s pretty! I need that.” Moments later, I see another nut and think, “Oh wait, that’s pretty too!” Scrappy quilts set my heart on fire, but so do two-color quilts. When it comes to color, I love soft pastels, but I also love deep rich tones. When shopping for fabric, I admire traditional, contemporary and vintage prints alike. Squirrel!
For the past year, I have been drawn to quilts sewn entirely with Robert Kaufman’s Essex Yarn Dyed Linen. Made of 55% linen and 45% cotton, these yarn dyed fabrics have a wonderful texture and appearance that is timeless and natural. There is a depth to them that just can’t be replicated by regular printed cotton. Whenever I see one of these quilts, I long to make one!
I gave into my squirrely desires and ordered several half yard cuts in various colors from Fat Quarter Shop. When they arrived, I laid them out in my sewing area and just studied them for a while. (They are all so lovely.) Finally, I decided to sew up a single block from my Pumpkin Run tablerunner pattern, and I’m thrilled with the results. I added a slim background border so that the star would float, and then surrounded it all with a wide border. I’m not sure if this will become a pillow or a wall hanging, but it’s cute either way!
Here are the colors that I used:
Pumpkin and background: Flax (E064-1143)
Pumpkin Stem: Nutmeg (E064-1255)
Star: Charcoal (E064-1071)
Large Star Corners: Graphite (E064-295)
Small Star Corners: Mocha (E064-1237)
I will definitely make a full-sized quilt with Essex Yarn Dyed Linen in the future. I plan to do some research regarding washing and drying requirements, since the fabric is a blend. I was pleasantly surprised that the Essex Yarn Dyed Linen did not fray during sewing. I have worked with 100% cotton wovens (intended for quilting) that frayed a lot during construction, which can be a nuisance. The Essex Yarn Dyed Linen was soft but firm, and very easy to work with.
As I wrote this post, I realized I’m not at all ashamed of my squirrelly moments. The creative process brings us joy, doesn’t it? If part of the process means chasing down a few shiny nuts to find out which ones are the tastiest, that’s just fine by me.
Thanks for stopping by!
~Taunja
P.S. Pumpkin Run is available as a PDF pattern on my Etsy Shop.
Love this block and I too love Essex Linen! In fact, I made your Journeys pattern using Essex Linen and it is one of my favorite quilts!
You did!! Oh my gosh I would love to see that! Would you mind emailing me a photo! Also, would you want to weigh in on washing/drying? Thanks Marsha!
Taunja I adore all your pumpkin quilts! (I have two patterns I just purchased and I am trying to finish some projects so I can start them.)
This linen one is so gorgeous! I do love the oranges for sure, but the white on charcoal is perfect! And floating the star creates a whole new look. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Thanks for your kind words and for supporting my Etsy Shop! I went back and forth on orange or white pumpkin, but in the end I’m glad I leaned white. Choices choices! 😉
I was so taken by the lovely soft shades of the fabrics you chose that I didn’t notice the pumpkin in the center! Love it! 🧡
Your new version of the pumpkin star is beautiful (I love the other versions too!!) You’ve now presented me with a shiny nut to chase down! 😀 Hugs, H
Oh thank you Helen! And your comment made me giggle, as I’ve been doing my fair share of squirrel running lately too! ha ha!