Create harvest quilts for gorgeous seasonal displays.
September ushers in a new season of possibilities for quilters. Think of all the things you can make using the rich colors of autumn and the familiar harvest themes.
Now is a great time to start those projects so they’ll be ready for your fall displays.
Harvest quilts can show up in many guises within the home. In the dining room, they most typically appear as placemats, table toppers, and table runners. For the kitchen, fall makes an appearance on quilted hot pads, oven mitts, and aprons.
With home decorating, there are boundless ways in which harvest quilts can be used to enhance a room’s décor. Start with the obvious - bed quilts. Smaller lap quilts and throws add seasonal color to a room. Smaller fall quilts can also be used for door banners, and wall hangings. Tiny quilts can decorate doll cradles, and doll beds. Or drape them on a shelf when displaying an antique doll.
Last but not least, be sure and add some quilted pillows with harvest motifs.
When the fall weather arrives, you’ll need some heavier clothing on those colder evenings. A quilted vest decorated with harvest scenes would be just perfect.
As far as the harvest motifs are concerned, certain ones evoke the spirit of the season. For small projects, miniature pumpkins are an ideal choice. Gourds, winter squash, and regular pumpkins also work very well on large quilted items.
Fall really reveals the beauty of corn to its fullest. So, use ears of corn—especially colorful Indian corn—as a motif along with corn stalks. Other ornamental grains, such as broom corn, are also a welcome harvest theme.
What could be more appropriate than apples for fall? The harvest begins full force in September and October. Red apples are certainly portrayed more often on quilted items. However, yellow and other colors are also suitable.
Fall foliage is one of the highlights of the season. The leaves of oak and maple are among the favorites for quilts.
The richness of nature is most evident in the autumn with the multitudes of acorns and nuts along with the decorative berries and fruits that are ripening in the landscape. Use these forms freely to add accent and variety to your quilts.
For fall quilts, take your color cues from nature. The richly saturated autumn hues transform the outdoors into a vivid scene of purples, reds, burnished gold, and bronze along with burgundy, cranberry, and orange. Yellow is also seen during this season. However, this is more of a golden yellow rather than the sunny tones that greet summer days.
