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Friday, May 18, 2012

Bloom Where You Are Planted

While living in Las Vegas, we became great friends with a couple, Jeremy and Laura, that lived just down the street from us. We had SO much in common and spent much time together. We even vacationed together!


Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

Jeremy was in the Air Force, which required them to move regularly. Laura lived by the motto, "Bloom where you are planted," in order to make the most of each place they lived.

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Flora fabric by Moda by Lauren and Jessi Jung

When it came time for them to leave Las Vegas, I knew a quilt would be the perfect gift!

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

I first found the pattern, "Lissy's Flowers" by Mary's Cottage Quilts while participating in the Southern Nevada quilt shop hop in November 2011. I then found the "perfect" fabric at the Fabric Boutique quilt shop in Las Vegas (store closed around 2014). The fabric was "Flora" by Lauren and Jessi Jung for Moda. I did not have the pattern with me when purchasing the fabric, so I guessed at what I would need. After getting home, I realized the charm packs I purchased would not result in the cuts needed for the pattern, so I decided to just use the pattern as a guide, but figure my own math. Once well into the quilt, I ran out of charm squares. The local quilt shops were out, so I had to order another charm pack online!

I pieced the entire quilt with white all-purpose thread by Coats & Clark. I even sewed down the applique pieces with white thread too!
 Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

I started working on the quilt in January 2012 and finished the top on February 29. I decided I wanted the quilt to be quilted "professionally" on a longarm machine. My mom had a woman local to her that often quilted my mom's quilts, so I mailed the quilt top and backing fabric to my mom. She had it quilted by Belinda Ochs with an all-over stipple design (this one!) with a light yellow thread, then mailed it back to me. The cost of the quilting was $33.26.

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

Several of the raw fabric edges had gotten stitched down as a result of the quilting, but overall, it was so much nicer than anything I could do!

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

I put the binding on the quilt in April, but held onto the quilt until our final dinner together in May. After it was finished, I washed the quilt in cold water with 1 cup of vinegar. I hoped this would set the colors so they wouldn't bleed. I dried it in the dryer to fray the raw edges of the flowers.

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

For our goodbye dinner, we ate at TGI Fridays (the same place that was our first dinner together!) and I gave her the quilt as a going away present. It was a complete secret up until that moment!

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

When gifting the quilt, I included the following poem:

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

Master Gardener, help me be
content with where You've planted me;
You carefully place each seed you sow,
and choose the soil to make it grow,
a shady nook or sunlit plot,
a wooded glen or garden spot;
and when you send the storm and shower,
You give me strength and inner power;
all things come that You might be
glorified, my God, in me;
and so I'll lift my flowers high,
to cheer and bless each passerby;
and may they see within my face
the beauty of Your love and grace;
so help me, Lord, to ever be
blooming where You planted me.
-Wm. Claire Greiner-

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

After gifting the quilt, I emailed pictures to the fabric designers and the quilt was featured on their blog on September 18, 2012!

Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt from Lissy's Flowers quilt pattern

I treasure the fabric scraps I have left from this project. They put a smile on my face every time I see them as I remember all the great times we had with our friends!


Bloom Where You Are Planted raw edge applique flower quilt

Updated to add: In 2017, I used some of my leftover fabrics from this quilt to make a baby blooms quilt! See that post here.


Bloom Where You Are Planted quilt




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