In 1875, Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened Liberty on Regent Street in London. He sold imported goods from the East such as ornaments, textiles, and artifacts. The imported goods went so quickly, Liberty opened an in-house studio in which to design and print their own fabrics. Now, 140 years later, Liberty is internationally recognized as a leader in print design and textile innovation.
Each collection designed by Liberty is inspired by some form of worldly art – architecture, history, music, florals, etc. A new collection is released each season and every season the fabrics tell a new story.
Each design is created by hand using a variety of techniques: paint, pencil, ink, and even computer textile packages. Their methods are very traditional with fine detail, intricate patterns, and original color palettes.
We’re happy to announce we now carry three Liberty collections here at Missouri Star!
Originally designed for Liberty Fabrics in 1933, the Wiltshirecollection has been transformed into a two-color silhouette creating the perfect blender. Tonal leaf and berry prints are available in multiple colorways, designed to coordinate with our vast archive of Liberty prints for a seamless mix-and-match effect.
The Winterbourne collection draws inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement – a creative period from c.1860-1910 when English designers led a return to high quality, handcrafted pieces, creating elegantly stylized interpretations of botanical and historic motifs. It’s available in three complimentary colorways.
The Flower Show – Spring collection drew inspiration from British flower exhibits. Traditionally screen-printed onto soft Lasenby cotton, the collection includes quintessential 1930’s florals, re-imagined from our print archive. Illustrating Liberty’s rich heritage of floral design, the collection offers a tonal palette that compliments Spring.
“The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.”
-Edwin Way Teale
Green is waving from the trees, yellow dandelions are popping, and our gardens are blooming. The year is beginning to look brighter, and not just because of spring colors. Though we may have missed weddings and graduations, we makers still know how to celebrate!
As you plan out your May projects for Mother’s Day, baby showers, and other life changing events – remember May represents new beginnings and anything is possible!
The Double Nine Patch was all the rage during the Civil War. Fabric was scarce—so scarce that every precious scrap was saved for quilts. Patterns like the Double Nine Patch transformed all those scraps into true works of art!
Back then, these quilts were hand stitched one itty-bitty scrap at a time, but now there’s an easier way! Click HERE to watch Jenny whip up a Mini Double Nine Patch quilt with quick and easy strip sets!
There’s no greater pleasure than sitting outside under a warm, cozy quilt and watching spring flowers blossom on a cool April morning. In an unprecedented time where all of us are spending more time at home, opportunity has presented itself to allow us to take a moment to appreciate the simpler things in life. When is the last time you truly stopped to smell the flowers?
Whether you’re inside or out in the garden, adding some flower power to your next quilting project is the best way to capture these peaceful spring mornings. Historically, quilters have immortalized their surroundings in their work; stitching things from the night sky to the natural growth of the Earth around them. These six free quilt tutorials will allow you to snip a bud from your very own garden (or maybe the garden you’ve always dreamed of!) and bring it into your home for years to come!
The first flowers of spring for many of us are often the reliable daisy! From the Chrysanthemum family, the daisy has long been a symbolic representation of the first days of spring. This adorable quilt brings those daisies indoors with the use of either 10″ squares or 5″ squares of precut fabric. Follow Jenny’s lead to learn how to quickly snowball corners and add sashing with cornerstones to create this beautiful project!
Following Jenny’s tutorial we suggest using 10″ squares to create this design, but if you have some favorite packs of 5″ squares they’ll work just the same. Capture the essence of the daisy by keeping your fabric selection in the same color palette of soft whites and luminous yellows. Marguerite 10″ Squares for Windham Fabrics is a great place to start, as the palette is true and the delicate addition of florals, foliage and intricate vines will give your quilt a real outdoor feel!
The outdoors aren’t for everyone, some of us enjoy the comforts of our own home and are wallflowers in our own respect. With the use of the Missouri Star Mini Orange Peel Template and some basic applique work, you can create a bountiful bouquet from your very own sewing machine! The Wallflower Quilt comes together quite simply with your choice of 10″ squares of precut fabric!
Blooming with vibrant blue and purple pansy flowers and brought to life with the addition of adorable butterflies, Pansy Paradise 10″ Squares for Timeless Treasures is the perfect selection for this project! The phenomenal spectrum of blues and purples in this fabric will create an outstanding design that is both reserved and comfortable while still eye-catching and bright!
Petunias are a wonderful addition to any garden as they are so simple to care for! The Sweet Petunias quilt is no different, grab your favorite roll of 2.5″ strips and you’ll be amazed by just how simple this quilt is to create! Piece your fabric together and create the illusion of sweet petunia flowers raising their blooms towards the sun!
Petunias compliment gardens so well because they come in a rainbow of different colors. Have some fun with your choice of fabric for this project and add an array of colors with Radiance 2.5″ Strips for Clothworks! These gorgeous fabric strips feature a bouquet of different flowers and vines in every color from petal pink to soft green!
The Dresden Flower Pot Wall Hanging is an adorably cute design! This fun piece of home decor is made by using the Missouri Star Large Dresden Plate Template for 10″ Squares and a pack of 5″ squares of fabric. When pieced together, the Dresdens form the petals of a fabulous flower pot! Hang it inside to brighten up the room or let it add an incredible ambiance to your garden, the choice is yours!
Keep your fabric choices fun and light for this project to keep that oh-so-cute ambiance! Consider Madison 5 Karat Crystals for Wilmington Prints to capture a beautiful contrast of yellow and blue with the added bonus of some green foliage for your stems! These packs of 5″ squares will not disappoint when creating this unique dresden wall haning!
For the real flower lovers out there, the Totally Tulips quilt is a bold design that will delight anyone who has the chance to snuggle up under it! By using a quick and easy method of making half-square triangles out of 10″ squares, you’ll have this project ready to stitch up in no time!
We can’t help but think how darling this quilt would look created with batik fabric! Go wild with Petal Party Batiks Stacks for Island Batik for an eye-opening burst of color and design that will make this design radiate creativity! The best part is, even with this batik fabric, you’ll still be adding natural elements to keep in the theme of a flower quilt!
Since you’ll need the full spectrum of precut fabric for this quilt, be sure to find a complete collection when selecting your fabric. Consider Modern Farmhouse for Riley Blake as your go to choice for this project. These pastel pink and black fabrics will add a modern flair to your quilt while keeping with the floral tradition!
Coloring never gets old, from our first crayon masterpieces, to scribbling in the margins of notes, there is something soothing and satisfying about coloring between–and sometimes outside of–the lines.
Quilt patterns lend themselves quite nicely to coloring, and we have three free quilt coloring sheets to help spark your creativity!
Dashing Stars Quilt
Rhombus Cube Quilt
Jack and Jill Quilt
Click HERE to download the free Quilt Coloring Sheets!
Dashing Stars Quilt (also known as the Big Star Quilt)
Watch the tutorial HERE, and find it in our 2016 Holiday issue of BLOCK Magazine HERE , pick up a pattern HERE.
Rhombus Cube Quilt
Watch the tutorial HERE, and find it in our second issue of modBLOCK Magazine HERE and in BLOCK Volume 3, Issue 3 HERE. You can pick up the pattern HERE.
Jack and Jill Quilt
Watch the tutorial HERE, and find it in our 2015 Holiday issue of BLOCK Magazine HERE. You can find the quilt pattern HERE.
Happy quilting and coloring from all of us at Missouri Star!
