The Weird Maple Leaf Quilt

Some time ago, maybe as long as five or six years ago, my friend Lori shared a picture of some leaf blocks she was making.

They are called Ozark Maple Leaves and came out of a book published in 2002 called Nickel Quilts: Great Designs from 5 Inch Scraps

It caught my attention, you know how that goes with butterfly brain, "Oooh pretty!" quickly followed by "I want!" I had the book so a quick rummage in my scrap box allowed me to get started on yet another new project.

These are not your standard Maple Leaf block, they tessellate, or interlock. Two little triangle wedges of the background in every leaf and two triangles of the focus fabric in the setting squares. Not as complicated as it sounds because you make them in pairs, or four patches.

I made quite a few blocks from the scrap bag, put them away and forgot about them. I rediscovered 20 of them last year, I could have sworn there were more and they may show up one day yet as these things do when you live in one place too long.

After throwing two away as beyond ugly (and warped) this was the best setting I could come up with so as not to have to make more. I didn't buy any fabric, setting triangles and borders came from stash.

I think my quilt (above) looks weird because the blocks are set on point. The strong and dark outer side setting triangle fabric overwhelms the blocks while making the light setting squares pop, but not attractively. The sample quilt in the book, shown at right, is approximately 74" x 98" and much prettier. Her blocks are the same size as mine, they just look much less clunky in a straight setting. I have seen a beautiful table runner made from a similar block too.

Lori quilted it and bound it for me, she likes it. I think she has to say that because she is my friend and doesn't want to hurt my feelers. I will let you know what I think about it when I get to South Dakota next month! I do know the quilting will be flawless and the binding will have invisible hand finished stitching because that is what Lori does.

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O Happy Day!

I think!

This was a UFO. About five years ago (maybe more) Lori was making an Ozark Maple Leaf quilt from Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth & Charlene Thode and I thought "I like that" so I made about 20 blocks and put them aside. You know how that works, right?

Images should enlarge when clicked.

I was inspired by Judy Laquidara to dig through my sewing shelves and find a UFO and finish it.

Yes, well. One down and I'm not telling so don't even ask.

The Fabrics

The blocks were made with scraps from stash and a white on cream for background. Two of the blocks were distorted horrors and IMO unusable, that left 18, so after considerable head scratching I thought if I set them on point 4 x 3 I would get a usable throw. This was perhaps not the best setting choice for this particular block, but too late now!

The setting triangles are Connecting Threads "Fox" from their Quilters Candy Mirage line, which was quite a surprise for me when it arrived because I bought on the picture not the description. We live and learn every day.

The inner border is an older Moda, still available if you search diligently. The little circles compliment the Fox (which does not play very well with others) and added a little foo-foo to what was otherwise an unloved project.

Final border fabric was bought for the purpose, the name is "Stockinette" and it looks exactly like knitting! Cool! Super-duper sale from Connecting Threads again also available in red, green and blue, I bought 6 yards for backing border and binding at $2.48 a yard and used it all.

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