Gentry - Inspiration behind my fall quilt
I do love Fall! I know that many would qualify it as their favorite season. I would have to say that Spring is actually my favorite season - I just love that everything is new and alive again! But Fall is a very close second.
The Inspiration
When I set out to design a fall quilt, it was always on my list to do, my immediate inspiration came from a pumpkin patch that we visit every year, Gentry Farms in Franklin, TN. It is a long-standing family farm that has done well changing with the demands of Agriculture and therefore, stayed operational and profitable.
Yes, there are a lot of “pumpkin patches” around that have all the activities for kids, but this one is special to me because it just feels like time stands still. I grew up a farm girl in a small, rural town in TN. Sadly, that town is no longer small, rural, or any resemblance to home. It is hard seeing things change. My family has been here for generations, and sadly, we were all run out and schools now stand where I lived my entire life. I’ve heard a million times that “change and growth are good,” and “look at all the conveniences.” But seldom do people think about the people that have lived their entire life somewhere and are completely happy with things the way they were. The locals miss knowing everybody! We didn’t mind driving 30 minutes or more to the grocery store or to do a little shopping. We miss going “to town” and knowing every person we see.
Well, at Gentry Farm, although the world has grown up around them and the hustle and bustle of the city is knocking on their door, they have been able to stay traditional. When you visit, it is so peaceful, calm, relaxing and refreshing. The old barns still stand and have been preserved and repurposed. They have activities for kids, but those activities revolve around nature and farming, not bright flashy colors and inflatables. There are corn mazes, nature trails, hay bale mazes in a barn, a cabin and outhouse for pretend play, wagon rides, and an area to walk through to see and learn about different farm animals. Kids get to be kids, go outside, and use their imagination!
The birth of a quilt design
I wanted this quilt to embrace tradition. I wanted to incorporate traditional quilt blocks and traditional fall staples. I wanted it to be scrappy yet elegant.
With that, the Gentry Quilt was born. A quilt full or traditional blocks like and Ohio Star and a Nine Patch, along with staples to every fall landscape: pumpkins and fall leaves! This has been a quilt that is on the top of my list for must fun to design and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have.
Cover Quilt
For the cover quilt, I chose to showcase Road to Roundtop by Elizabeth Chappel for Art Gallery Fabrics. This collection had that soft, simple, traditional feel with a little quirkiness. And oh my goodness, the farm scene and little barns were just perfect! I used a very organic pumpkin and vine pantograph and quilted it on my hand guided Gammill longarm.
The fabric requirements and fabric used in the cover quilt are:
Fabric 1: Southern Stars - FQ
Fabric 2: Farm to Market - 1/2 yard
Fabric 3: Modern Vintage - 1/2 yard
Fabric 4: Freshly Gathered - FQ
Fabric 5: Roadside Fields - 1/2 yard
Fabric 6: Summer Blush - FQ
Fabric 7: Delicate Blossoms - 1/2 yard
Fabric 8: Village Lane - 1/2 yard
Fabric 9: Simply Stated - 1/2 yard
Fabric 10: Hidden Gems - 1/2 yard
Fabric 11: Make a Wish - FQ
Background: Pure Solids Snow - 2 yards
Backing: Village Lane - 4 1/2 yards
Binding: I used a scrappy binding from scraps from the quilt, but 1/2 yard is required
Special Touches
While I have done a lot better about labeling all of my quilts, I have really loved making hand embroidered labels for my special quilts. I had a lot of fun with the label for this quilt making it a little more dainty and elegant, while also adding the sweet little pumpkin as well!
The Traveling Quilt
This little quilt has also already taken a few trips with my family. My son and I took it to Dollywood with us for the Harvest Festival and we also took it on our yearly trip to Gentry Farms. We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the quilt overlooking the pond. One of my aunts just couldn’t believe I would put it on the ground and let my 5-year-old have a picnic on it. However, I pride myself on creating traditional quilts for families! I want my quilts to be used. One of my biggest love of quilts came from the family quilts that were worn and tattered and have been passed down through generations. I have one from my mother’s side, my father’s side, my husband’s mother’s side, and my husband’s father’s side all on display in our house among all the quilts I have made. I want my quilts to be able to be displayed in my son’s home one day and tell their own stories just by looking at them!
