Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Carolina Lily

 I haven't posted about about my Carolina Lily quilt since April but they have't been out of mind. I had planned to make 100 lily blocks but then I thought perhaps I should decide how I want to arrange them before piecing more blocks.

Originally I had thought I would arrange them like Sue did in her From Small Things, episode 11 video. Many of you commented that the green stems overshadowed the red lilies in that arrangement. The more I looked at Sue's quilt, the more I agreed with you so that arrangement is not happening.

The blocks finish at 6", on point they measure 8.5" across. I'm going to use an on point arrangement. There will be sashing and yellow cornerstones between the blocks. With this arrangement I will need 80 blocks, 50 blocks have been completed.

I'm going to use yellow cornerstones because red or green would blend in with the blocks. An one inch yellow square will add some nice contrast but won't overwhelm.

In June, 30 more stems were pieced using 8 different green fabrics. In this picture the stems are sorted by the fabrics. On the side, beside the stems, are the triangles for the bottoms of the lily sections. There are three lily sections for each stem.  Beside the one stem I just put some small leftover pieces. 

The lily sections will probably be pieced in August, July is very busy.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, I Quilted This!, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall FridayPatchwork & Quilts

23 comments:

Cherie Moore said...

Lovely to see the lily blocks again!

Linda at Texas Quilt Gal said...

I can't wait to see these all laid out!

Kate said...

Sounds like you have a very workable path forward for those pretty blocks.

Rebecca Grace said...

Your Carolina Lily blocks are delightful! I like the game plan you've settled on for the setting, too.

Lin said...

Sounds like a good plan. x

Claudeb Henryj said...

Your Carolina Lily quilt is coming together beautifully! I think the new on-point layout with yellow cornerstones is a great choice—it really lets the red lilies stand out while adding a bright, elegant touch. It's always interesting to see how a design evolves during the creative process. When I'm taking a break from crafting projects, I also enjoy relaxing with a bit of entertainment at https://spin-winera.eu/.

VernonnPerkinsd said...

Your Carolina Lily quilt is coming together beautifully! I love how thoughtfully you are planning the layout before making all the blocks — the on-point arrangement with yellow cornerstones sounds like it will give the flowers a lovely balance and make the colors stand out. It is always amazing how small design choices can completely change the feeling of a quilt. Thanks for sharing your progress and creative process. I also enjoy finding new sources of inspiration online, such as https://moro-spin.org/.

Andree G. Faubert said...

Hi Gretchen, your blocks are very cool. Thanks for explaining the process of putting them together. I think that it will be very lovely :-) Thanks for linking up to I Quilted This! Have a great day.

Michele McLaughlin said...

Love these blocks! The yellow will be a good contrast to the red and green. It's going to be fun to watch this one grow! :) Have a great day!

Sara said...

Wow! Beautiful blocks, and they look very perfect in spite of being small. I think the yellow cornerstones will be a good contrast.

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

That is a great plan for putting the blocks together! I sure like the array of greens you are using for the stems!

Nann said...

Your lily garden is growing beautifully. Your proposed setting will work out really well.

CathieJ said...

I look forward to seeing the arrangement and assembly of these pretty blocks.

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

These are very pretty

Gwyned Trefethen said...

Although Sue's layout is easier for piecing, I thought it didn't really showcase the lilies. Setting the blocks on point is the logical choice. 1" cornerstones will add just a touch of color and unify the quilt. This quilt will be stunning.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

So happy to see these again! I like your decision about a possible arrangement. Thanks for sharing on my weekly show and tell, Wednesday Wait Loss.
https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2026/07/08/wednesday-wait-loss-492

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

I love to see your lilies! A yellow cornerstone looks like a beautiful idea, and a on-point setting too. Thank you for sharing your work in progress and linking up!

VernonnPerkinsd said...

Che progetto meraviglioso! Mi piace molto vedere come un quilt prenda forma passo dopo passo, soprattutto quando dietro ogni scelta c’è tanta attenzione ai colori e alla composizione. L’idea dell’arrangiamento con le fasce e i piccoli angoli gialli sembra davvero azzeccata: darà contrasto senza togliere protagonismo ai gigli rossi. È bello anche vedere quanta pazienza ci sia dietro ogni blocco cucito. Dopo una sessione creativa, una piccola pausa rilassante è sempre meritata, magari facendo un salto su https://casino-realz.it/.

EmmaBrown said...

I think the yellow cornerstones are a smart choice because they separate the blocks without competing with the lilies. While looking for different quilt layouts, I came across playjonny casino , which had some helpful ideas for using contrasting sashing and setting blocks on point. It's always interesting to see how a small color change can make the whole quilt feel more balanced and cohesive.

Oleksandr said...

The Carolina Lily quilt sounds like such a lovely project to return to. Planning the arrangement before making all 100 blocks is a smart idea, especially when the final layout can completely change the overall look of the quilt.
It can be fun to experiment with different placements, colors, and spacing first, then continue piecing once the design feels right. Sometimes taking a little pause leads to a much more satisfying finished quilt.
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Madison Miller said...

I think deciding on the final layout before making all 100 blocks is a smart idea, especially with a pattern as distinctive as Carolina Lily. I’ve found that arranging a few finished blocks in different ways can completely change how the colors and shapes interact. I came across https://play-jonnys.com/ while looking for quilt layout inspiration, and it gave me a few ideas for experimenting before committing to the final arrangement. Sometimes that planning stage ends up being just as enjoyable as the piecing itself.

Claudeb Henryj said...

I really like the decision to pause and work out the layout before making all 100 blocks. The on-point arrangement with yellow cornerstones sounds like a much stronger choice—the little flashes of yellow should separate the red lilies and green stems without competing with either one.

And 50 finished blocks already means the quilt has a solid head start! Sorting those stems by fabric is such a satisfying stage too; you can really see how the different greens will add depth once everything comes together. It’ll be fun to see the lily sections take shape when you get back to them. In the meantime, a little browsing atbullibet casino can be a nice break from the sewing table.