Behind the Scenes With Designer Jocelyn Karran
When we saw designer Jocelyn Karran’s impressive traditional bed quilt design, we immediately knew that our readers would love it! We asked Jocelyn to share her behind-the-scenes experience, and she agreed to detail her process. Complete instructions for Jocelyn’s Carolina Blooms bed quilt design are available as included in the Love of Quilting March/April and May/June 2024 double issue, or available as an instant digital pattern download. Read on for Jocelyn’s insights!
My Quilt Design Is Accepted
I was over-the-moon excited to have my quilt design accepted for publication, and it just kept getting better from that day forward. Next, I was to select fabrics and place them in my quilt design. Finally, once my fabric choices were approved (from Cocoa Pink, Cocoa Blue, and Green Thumb collections by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts for Andover Fabrics), I just couldn’t wait to get started; it felt as though it took forever for the fabric to arrive!
My Fabric Arrives
The gorgeous fabric designed by Edyta Sitar was generously provided by Andover Fabrics. It’s here … now where do I begin?
Making the Quilt
I decided to start with the centerpieced flower blocks. After I fondled and pressed each of the fabrics, admiring them all, I then got started. The center flower blocks went together very nicely, and I was pleased with the look and value placement of the fabrics. I organized and cut the fabric choices for the outer corner flower blocks.
Four Corners
After piecing these next four blocks together for the quilt corners, I was overwhelmed with pride and approval. I love that these blocks are similar, but have their own individuality—like flowers in my garden, shining separately but part of something beautiful.
My design wall in my sewing room enables me to sneak a peek. The creative vision I pictured comes to life as I add pieced blocks and sashing strips around each block. My garden becomes landscaped as I follow my plan and place each block around the center flower blocks.
I believe that an on-point design adds so much interest. Once the setting triangles surrounded the patchwork blocks, wow: My quilt came to life like the first flower blooming in spring. After adding the outer border, I stood back to admire my design. I felt so many emotions: pride, accomplishment, and glee. “I DID IT!”
Now, I must machine-quilt it—another passion of mine. I need to select quilting designs; does this quilt want an edge-to-edge design, or possibly custom quilting? One of the things I do is always try to accent and or enhance the beauty of the piece maker’s hard work. I settled on an edge-to-edge design, a traditional look with feathers and swirls, giving me an old-fashioned feeling of my granny’s quilts. It became a vintage-look beauty, which transformed into more than I had ever imagined.
Mission Accomplished
Designing and finishing a quilt for publication in Love of Quilting was such an amazing journey. This Carolina Blooms quilt will always be a treasure to me, like my grandchildren who call me “Granny” and love to come to my garden.
I am thankful for this amazing adventure. I will return to my happy place now … AKA my sewing room, where I am free to create and bloom like my flowers in my garden.
Learn more about Jocelyn Karran at Mountain Custom Quilting.
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