Birmingham Special in Christmas prints

On Sunday, I took a short break from the Quilted Snowman project to cut into some fabric I gifted myself last December. Aren’t these prints glorious? I always enjoy cutting fabric and organizing the pieces into tidy stacks. When the fabric is this heavenly, it doesn’t seem like work at all. I am so excited about my plan, so naturally I had to share it with you!

Last year I came across a pattern on Instagram that I fell in love with ~ Birmingham Special by Anna Dineen of Moda Fabrics (pictured below).  If you are on Instagram, you will know Anna as @mywanderingpath.  Anna’s inspiration was an antique quilt top stored in the Moda Design Team’s collection. Her fresh take on that vintage quilt features a 2024 fabric collection called 30s Playtime by Linzee Kull McCray. The result is a cheerful but nostalgic quilt comprised of rail fence blocks surrounded by flying geese. Both the paper pattern and a kit are available from Fat Quarter Shop.

As much as I adore Anna’s quilt stitched up in the sunny 30s prints, I knew from the get-go that I wanted to use Christmas prints. My vision was to use traditional reds, greens and soft whites, with the whites being part of the drama and not just a background. Birmingham Special fits the bill!

If you look back at Anna’s quilt, you’ll see that the pattern does call for a background fabric surrounding the flying geese, and it is a lovely shade of green. I plan to use a pinkish red Tilda woven for my background fabric. I think it will set off the red, green and white prints very nicely!

The Birmingham Special pattern calls for (34) quarter yard solids and coordinating prints for the rail fence blocks and the geese. To begin with, I had (11) half yards, as shown in my ”Christmas present from Taunja to Taunja” photo below. To this original grouping, I added another green so that I had (12) half yards. (I also ended up changing out one of the whites and one of the reds for other half yards in my stash that I preferred.)

You may be concerned about my math. If the pattern calls for (34) quarter yards, how will (12) half yards suffice? Here’s the answer: the Birmingham Special pattern calls for cutting your binding from the quarter yard prints, for a finished scrappy binding. Instead, I will just purchase yardage for binding.

I have everything cut and ready to sew. I think it will come together quickly, and I’ll keep you posted. Please don’t let all of my shenanigans with this pattern derail you from considering it. This is a lovely, classic pattern that would look fabulous in so many color ways and styles. You could follow the fabric requirements to the letter, or you could be a rebel like me and put your own fresh take on it. Either way, I think Anna would approve.

Thanks for stopping by quilting friends! Wish me luck!

~Taunja

My fabric selections for Birmingham Special

REDS

• Collection for a Cause Etchings Red by Moda (words)
• Essential Dots Country Red by Moda (dot)
• Christmas Carol by 3 Sisters (snowflakes with flowers)
• Creating Memories by Tilda (gingham)

GREENS  

• Creating Memories by Tilda (tiny stripe woven)
• Christmas Carol by 3 Sisters (words)
• Jingle Bells by Laundry Basket Quilts (tiny berries)
• Flower Girl by Heather Briggs (stripe)

WHITES/LIGHTS

• Christmas Carol by 3 Sisters (vine)
• Sophie by Brenda Riddle (gingham)
• Bliss by 3 Sisters (tiny floral)
• Christmas Eve by Lella Boutique (dot)

BACKGROUND

• Creating Memories by Tilda (pinkish red woven)