This time of year there’s a lot of talk about “the holidays” and that typically refers to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Channukah, and New Year’s. But at Quilt Market in Houston, Anne Sutton was talking about a different season all together: her new Block of the Month (BOM) is all about springtime and a breath of fresh air after a long winter. It combines her newest fabric line, Jubilee, with Moda basics for a charming composition that includes chicks wearing galoshes, trying on bonnets, and pulling larger-than-life eggs behind bicycles. We asked Anne, who typically creates two BOMs each year, how she comes up with these whimsical ideas. 

“I pick a theme I’m inspired by and that often includes animals,” says Anne. “I just love little yellow chicks. If they stayed that size, I’d have one for a pet.”

Rather than envisioning the entire quilt, Anne designs one block at a time, drawing them first in black and white. Once she’s satisfied with her composition, she adds color. “Putting in the fabric is so fun,” she says. “I love watching appliqué quilts come to life.”

Some of the blocks in this quilt, including the chick trying on a bonnet, were inspired by vintage postcards. Others come from favorite imagery. “I love topiaries and put them in a lot of my quilts.” In this one, a sprightly chick is perched atop an egg-filled shrub. “I started with the eggs in the center, but had to re-do that block twice because the leaves were too small. Each block has to stand on its own, like little individual quilts.”

While Anne enjoys the challenge of creating Block of the Month quilts, she also knows that customers appreciate those "individual quilts," because stitching one block at a time makes finishing an entire quilt less daunting. “They give people the chance to complete a project they might not undertake if they bought the pattern,” she says. “If you keep up each month, Block of the Month quilts provide you with a little guidance and built-in discipline.” 

Though your mind may on winter just now, it's good to know that once these holidays have passed, you and customers can look forward to friendly fauna in cheery colors—a springtime delight!