Questions on Turning Twenty Again

    An email reader asked about the pattern I used for the retirement quilt.  It is the Turning Twenty Again  pattern...not the first Turning Twenty.  This pattern is based on using fat quarters----9, 12, 15, 20, etc.  The number of FQs  you use determines the size.   The block ends up 18" and has about 12 pieces of various sizes in it.   Each block has an 8" square as a focal point.
    The trick is the cutting instructions....read and follow them to have just the right amount of fabric with very little waste.    Of course, you can use your stash yardage, just be sure to have enough fabrics.  Variety is  key for this.  I did not cut from fat quarters on this one.  I made 12 blocks and used 15 or 16 different fabrics.  Some of my pieces were not large enough---I had already used some of the FQ----so I substituted a similar fabric for one or two pieces in different blocks.    You can easily cut it all in a couple of hours and put the blocks together over a weekend.

   This is Autumn's Carpet that I showed part of recently.  Same pattern and I used batiks for this one too.  But it is the appliqued leaves that everyone notices.  Those large 8" squares are perfect to use for applique.
  So....what if you love applique and want a way to show it off? This pattern would work.
  What if you want a quick and easy Christmas quilt?   Applique those large squares and finish in a weekend.

  A second question was on picking out the fabrics.
  A few thoughts on fabric selection-----choose carefully.  This pattern does not really offer a good discussion of picking the right fabrics for this pattern.   If you are thinking of novelty fabrics for the large square, be sure to select calming, less busy prints or tonal pattern  fabrics for the smaller pieces and include light and dark  values.  Too busy is just too much in all these  pieces  that are  this large.  When you flip through the pattern  booklet, you will see what I mean.
  A main theme fabric is a good starting point.....it gives you the main color and hopefully one or two colors for your over all scheme.   Even I would not use 12 different colors in this pattern.....just too overwhelming.  The leaves quilt was based on fall tones of green, gold, and blue for sky.  I used lighter and darker tones of those colors.   Batiks work so wonderful for this!!
  You get contrast and tonal blending in them.  I also made this pattern early on using very old----early 80s type print fabrics and calico prints---and it worked.  The prints were not large and the colors were almost muted, and it has a "shabby chic" appearance almost.  It is worn, washed and well used.

  So, easy pattern that goes together quickly in a weekend.  Choose fabrics carefully to create your own style of  Turning Twenty Again.   Thanks for the questions.

Happy stitching.