Autumn Fall Quilt – Vibrant and Warm

Autumnal Leaves Quit

With the arrival of autumn, I decided to embark on a creative adventure that would encapsulate the spirit of the season. I picked Moda Fabrics Robin Picken Forest Frolic sponsored by Missouri Star Quilt Company (MSQC) to work for my autumnal or fall quilt project for the month of October. If you have never been on the MSQC website before, you’re missing out! They have so many fun tutorials and I vividly remember my early days of quilting watching Jenny on YouTube. Currently,  they’re offering my readers a 20% off order using this link, so if you like something you see there, make sure to use this link to get an instant 20% off in the cart. 

When I was planning for the fall quilt project, I knew it wasn’t going to be just about the fabric; it was also about conquering curved piecing. It has been a while since my last curve piecing project and one of my biggest one was the double wedding ring quilt HERE> , So it is about time again to sharpen up the skill, but oh boy it did not go as well as I thought it’d be! Let’s chat about that in this post.

Picking the Perfect Fall Fabrics

Imagine strolling through a forest, and you see those vivid hues of red, orange, and green leaves underfoot. Well, that’s what the fabrics I chose felt like – a perfect match for an autumn-themed quilt. The materials had that warm, inviting texture that got me all fired up to create something that echoed the essence of fall.

Isn’t just perfect? I just love the vibrant hues.

I started planning out the quilt in Electric Quilt 8, and I am so glad I did! This helped me so much in getting to where it is right now. Having the visual idea clearly printed out really helped laying out the patchwork units. 

Curved Piecing: A Wild Learning Curve

I started by cutting out my fabric pieces and here is where I went wrong!

So instead of printing the template straight out of EQ8, I decided to use the acrylic templates I already have in stash. Little that I know that in order for my pattern to work, I would need a bigger pie than the L shape background. The standard drunkard path templates were not going to work unless I cut it wisely. 

So, I had to trim off a lot in order for my pieces to form the leave shape. But I finally figure out that having the “L” piece cut to the exact size is not helping either as I find that it was so fiddly to sew the pie onto the L shape with such thin piece. So, I ended up make the “L shape slightly bigger anyway and trimming the units to size later. 

Piecing curves was definitely more challenging, but I took my time to pin meticulously and sew with a slow, steady hand. I discovered that it’s essential to use a slightly shorter stitch length, which helps maintain the shape of the curve. After some practice, I began to see improvement, and my confidence grew.

Current Progress of My Fall Quilt

Now, after lots of practice, a few mishaps, and some enthusiastic exclamations of “I got it!” (and the occasional “I messed it up again”), my autumn quilt is finally taking shape. The falling leaves design, with its whimsical curves and the forest of vibrant fabrics, truly captures the beauty of the season.

I love how it looks like on the design wall. I decided to make the quilt by piecing them into blocks of 8 patches or block of 12″ finished size. Some were various shape as the background piece are larger in the area of the falling leaves. 

This journey was indeed a learning curve, filled with laughter, frustration, and those “Eureka!” moments when it all clicked. While getting the size right was quite the challenge, it was a gratifying experience. The satisfaction of pushing my creative boundaries and mastering new techniques has been an adventure in itself.

Embracing the autumn vibes with the Forest Frolic collection and mastering the art of sewing curved units while perfecting the size was a wild and fun journey. It’s a reminder that creativity thrives when we step out of our comfort zones and tackle new challenges.As I continue to sew more curvy units, I look forward to more thrilling twists and turns in my creative endeavors. So whether you’re a seasoned quilter or just starting out, take a leap, embrace the unexpected, and enjoy the wild ride of quilting. You’ll be surprised at the laughter and joy that awaits you!

Shop for fabrics – 20% off link

and don’t forget, if you’re looking for fun fabrics, use this link for a 20% off by shopping at MSQC! Happy Shopping!