Orphan Blocks to Quilts, Day 2

I can't remember how I acquired this lovely and LARGE vintage block, but I loved it at first sight. I named it One Block Rose Wreath because, well - that's what it is!

It's a whopping 36" x 36" and I decided to give it a minimal treatment for borders.

One Block Rose Wreath: 45" x 45"

I think it's interesting that the maker put red squares in the 4 corners and the green leaves overlap in a casual sort of way. This was hand appliquéd. My 3 strips and 9 Patch borders don't take away from the beauty of the center block.

Here is what I said about it when it was published:

A special friend (whom I’ve never met!) buys, sells, and trades old quilts, quilt tops and blocks in Kansas City, Oklahoma. In fact, DottieMae Groves travels around the country in her quest for special quilting items to add to her antique shop’s inventory. In one of her forays she discovered a whimsical, folk art quilt block that is bigger than many wall quilts! There was nothing known about the maker, the date (though it appears to be at least 50 years old), nor from where it originated, but this much she was sure of, she wanted to give it to me for my birthday last year. She carefully folded it up and packaged it and mailed it to me. As soon as I opened it I gasped! It was delightful to me because I have a special place in my heart for Americana folk art.I hung it on my sewing room wall and waited for inspiration. What would do it justice, I asked myself daily. Each of the five flowers was slightly different from the others, almost as though they were cut freeform without a template. The four corner flower buds were not symmetrical in their shape and each of the sixteen leaves seemed to have a mind of its own. I had never seen a 36” quilt block with such personality! I finally decided to add some simple borders, following the colors reflected in the block. This is most definitely at the top of my quilt favorites list and it never fails to bring a smile to my face whenever I walk by it where it prominently hangs over my stair railings for all the world to see.

Rose Wreath blocks have come into my hands many time. How about some simple panels? Again, I surrounded them with simple 3 strip borders.

Panels to a small quilt

And lastly (but these were NOT orphans). I actually made these four blocks and it was published in Quilt Magazine (as were the two shown above).

Oak Leaf and Rose Wreath: 51" x 51"

This also is about 25 years old and I still own it. I bring it out every year about this time as it contains the colors of Christmas without all the dancing mice and santas and elves!

I'm sure that I have another one or two in my quilt vaults, but these classic quilts in classic colors remain some of my favorites!