A Garden Party of Quilts was written to bring fun and pleasure to fellow quilters who love gardens and flowers. The genesis of this book can be attributed to Todd Hensley (former Publisher, now CEO, of C&T Publishing). He knew I had a large garden (usually out of control), loved flowers, and had designed many flower patterns in the past couple of decades. He asked if I would consider making a book of flower patterns to be published by C&T Publishing. How could I resist? Hence, A Garden Party of Quilts was born.

I began this project with the thought that I had more than enough designs in my archival collection of flower patterns to fill the book. I misjudged my creative nature. I found that I wasn't satisfied with just pulling designs from my collection. Instead, I wanted to create a garden full of new designs. In the end, only one quilt project in this book uses the same design as one in my collection. I updated or changed the designs slightly on three quilts, and the remaining quilts have been made specifically for this book. You will notice that the projects are as varied as a neighborhood of gardens. I have purposely included designs that vary in both style and required skill level. I hope the quilts from this garden party will pique your imagination.

-- by Joen Wolfrom, excerpted from A Garden Party of Quilts

Springtime Tulip Garden
This is a traditional quilt at heart that cheerfully brings a vision of spring to any room it adorns. Created with soft and subtly colored fabrics, the blocks are set so that each interacts beautifully with the others.

Mad About Poppies
Poppies are loved throughout the world. Having a poppy quilt allows you to enjoy their beauty well beyond their blooming period. The strong angles and vibrant colors make this the most contemporary, brilliant flower quilt in the entire garden.

Climbing Clematis
To create this quilt, Joen designed a flower block and leaf block, with the leaf block left open to give the design a feeling of spaciousness. The clematis block features a beautiful flower that makes a perfect partner to the other block.

Summer Reflections
This quilt represents four bouquets of flowers in a cheerful summer sky and is a simple quilt that can be made quickly. You'll notice that a row of blue-sky filler squares and rectangles has been added to each outer edge, which allows breathing room for the flower bouquets.

Flower Pot Fantasy
Joen loves flowers that are cute and happy and bring joy to all. Flowers in pots often fit these characteristics. If, like Joen, you are a "disastrous" flower pot gardener, this quilt is a perfect way to bring one of these gardens to full bloom in your home.

A Splash of Tulips
Tulips bring joy to spring and early summer gardens. This quilt features a vibrantly colored tulip block with its pieced stems coming together in each block center, and a soft color wash for the quilt's background. The tulip colors are randomly placed throughout to add spirit.

A Garden Party of Quilts
7 Pieced Projects for Flower Lovers
by Joen Wolfrom

Pick a bouquet of garden quilts

• Color expert Joen Wolfrom shows you great color choices for spectacular flower quilts
• From traditional tulips to whimsical modern florals - let these blooming beauties grow in your own quilt garden!
• 7 stunning flower quilt projects
• These fabulous flowers are completely machine pieced!
• Projects for quilters of all levels

80 pages, color, softcover, ISBN: 1-57120-301-X