I'm so excited to share the story behind my Night Bloom design! Night Bloom is now available in my shop and available to color on QuiltInk.
Back in early 2020, as the pandemic was in full lock down mode, I designed and created a small medallion quilt that I aptly named “Medallion”.
The design for this quilt was a more literal interpretation of a cactus, which I had on my desk at the time. I wanted it to be a perfect octagon in the center and to have pieces that represented the leaves. For this small quilt, I made my first own foundation paper piecing template using graph paper, a straightedge, and a pencil. I then assembled it! I loved the result so much. During the design process, I found myself playing around with the foundation paper pieced portions of it. I put those shapes in the back of my mind to ruminate over later.
For Medallion, I tried big stitch hand quilting for the first time to both accent and soften the sharp geometric design of the piecing.
You might have seen Medallion in QuiltCon Together 2021! It was my first acceptance into QuiltCon, along with Treetops, shown below. You can read more about Treetops here. I'm planning to release it as a pattern later this year or early next year!
But before all that, I saw the call for submission that The MQG put out in 2020. As I scrolled through the possible categories, I decided to try submitting my own quilt design. I knew that I had some fun ideas bouncing around inspired by Medallion. Plus, I was in the process of releasing my very first pattern (Green Lake) so I knew I had it in me to write my own pattern.
I then used EQ8 to recreate the specific block I so loved from Medallion. After some trial and error (and extensive color tweaking) I created what we all know as Night Bloom. I then submitted the throw size to The MQG for consideration as a Quilt of the Month.
It’s funny, I actually emailed them first because I wanted to get started on independently releasing it but wanted to make sure that was okay. I just assumed there was no way Night Bloom would be chosen. But to my great delight, they told me my design was accepted!
My first design used five colors, but I needed to incorporate two more to fit the MQG color scheme. This was a great creative challenge for me, and helped to expand the interpretation of the base design.
I immediately got to work writing the pattern. In the meantime, they sent me the Moda Bella Solids fabric that I needed, and a deadline :) I pieced and quilted the first sample in about two weeks! I was really truckin’. Nothing like a deadline to motivate.
The quilting I used is inspired by the design in Walk by Jacquie Gehring (who’s the keynote speaker of QuiltCon 2024!)
Photo: Lauren Dafoe
I then sent my precious quilt off to The MQG headquarters! They photographed it and formatted the pattern it to their style. I had to keep that secret for months, but when the fourth quarter of 2021 finally arrived there was my quilt in the limelight! I felt so proud to see my first design published in a quilting publication.
Now, over a year after November 2021, I’m finally releasing Night Bloom independently! In this re-release, I’m adding three new sizes and a new colorway. Night Bloom is offered in crib, throw, twin, and bed sizes. It’s available in a five- and a seven-color colorway. The pattern includes full foundation paper piecing instructions and diagrams, so is appropriate for FPP newbies!
I so hope you all enjoy the Night Bloom pattern!
-Julia