Have you ever experienced this: You are passionately sewing on a large quilt (like I was with my modern Christmas quilt), make hour glass block after hour glass block... only to realize in the end, that you miscalculated the number of needed blocks.

Well this wouldn't be a drama, if you just haven't made enough. You still can sew more. But in my case it was the other way round: I made a total of 256...

Mistletoe, a modern Appliqué Christmas Quilt Pattern by Zen Chic

Mistletoe is a reminiscent on traditional quilts: the setting, four by four rows with a pieced and intricate sashing, is indeed a traditional idea. Also the idea of appliquéing on some floral shapes. What makes this quilt still modern is the fact, that those floral shapes are very simplified and your eye starts to see groups looking like curved squares (I supported the impression with my quilting). The modern fabric collection also plays a role in the receiving of a rather modern quilt, as well as the B&W style.

I really do admire some stunning traditional quilts and like to transfer it in a way, that such a kind of quilt fits into a modern home.

And with the sewing technique I do the same:  transferring  it to modern, to the needs of a modern busy, maybe working woman, who doesn't have the time for needle turn appliqué, but still loves the look: We just do raw edge machine appliqué and get the same effect.

Now back to the story about my little sewing accident: As you can see by the picture above, I like to sew my hour glass blocks slightly larger and trim them off to the perfect size. It helps with getting more accurate results, even when it takes some extra time.
I'm totally willing to spend this extra time for my project, but not for some accidentally overcalculated blocks, umpf! Instead of the sewn and trimmed 256 hour glass units, I would have needed only 128 *arrgggrr*

To make the best out of it, I gave those extras to a friend of mine, who made a great table runner out of them. Yeah! Good for both of us.

How to quilt the Mistletoe Quilt

When I work on such a reminiscent of a traditional quilt, I like to do also a fitting quilting. An intricate one, supporting the layout structure of the quilt. And with appliqué shapes, you can always make them pop, make the leaves like kind of padding by stippling the background down.

BTW - this 64" x 64" quilt uses only 1 Layer Cake of prints. Can you believe it? The remaining needed fabric is a white solid - a very cost efficient project.

And now up to the new block of our project Blockheads:

FREE QUILT ALONG BLOCKHEADS 2018
BLOCK 10
DUCK AND DUCKLINGS

Last week's block #9 was a kind of classic block. This week we have a well known traditional one. It is hosted by Jo Morton and called Duck and Ducklings. 
Jo is our host for  Block #10 in our  Moda Blockheads 2018 (Round 2) quilt along

Block 10, Duck and Ducklings

This cute block with all the little half-square-triangles needs a larger size and is 12" square

Don't miss the other blockheads involved in this project:

Betsy Chutchian
Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilt
Jan Patek
Jo Morton
Laurie Simpson
Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings
Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles
Me & My Sister Designs
Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life
Stacy Iest Hsu
Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique
Carrie Nelson