From the moment I designed the strawflower quilt pattern, I knew this pattern would be perfect in a naturally dyed colorway. The warm and moody tones of the naturally dyed colorway I used paired perfectly with the strawflower pattern.
Natural Dye Kit 01
In the spring of 2022, I developed the Natural Dye Kit 01 for quilters to learn how to naturally dye fabric. This kit includes the mordant and 3 powdered plant dyes that create a range of beautiful, earthy colors. The inclusion of Iron in the kit allows for any of the colors to be shifted toward grey (e.g., yellow turns to green). This is a simple kit that is perfect for beginners, however, it also holds so many possibilities even for seasoned natural dyers.
For the naturally dyed strawflower quilt, I wanted to stretch myself to make a quilt top from all naturally dyed fabric with only the dyes in the Natural Dye Kit 01. The traditional version of the strawflower quilt pattern requires six fabrics plus a background fabric. Using just the three dyes and Iron in the natural dye kit, I actually created nine colors. It was difficult to choose only six, but after much debating I landed on the six you see below. For the background, I tried a new technique to get a creamy beige. Without using mordant, I soaked my fabric in a lukewarm tannin bath. Tannin can be clear or shift fabric toward yellows and browns. The short soak in tanningave my background a bit of color to match my earthy hues, but not too much.
Traditional Strawflower Quilt
The Strawflower quilt pattern has several options – there is a traditional option and a mix n’ match option. You can read about my cheery version of the mix n’ match in this blog post. Since fabrics have been dyed naturally for thousands of years, I tend to make quilts that look more traditional with my naturally dyed fabric – they make a good match.
The star blocks in the strawflower quilt pattern look amazing in these naturally dyed fabrics. If you have never used naturally dyed fabric, I must tell you, it has an excellent hand. The natural dyes make the fabric a bit sturdier which creates a perfect quilting fabric that is easy to handle. Sewing up these star blocks with good points was much easier with these fabrics. If you are diving into your own strawflower quilt and have questions about the block construction, you can hear more about this block in this video.
For this quilt, I added one variation that is not included in the pattern. As I was finishing up my quilt, I decided I would like this small throw to be a bit larger. I added a quick and easy border that gives the quilt just a tad more color. I love this part of quilt patterns – clear directions with the possibility of creating so much more. I hope you can find ways to make this pattern perfect for you.
I can’t wait to see what you make with this pattern. Don’t forget to share your progress with me through email or on Instagram with #strawflowerquilt.
For those of you looking to try natural dyeing, I would love to hear about your experiences. Get yourself a kit or send me an email to get started. You can also download our free natural dye infographic to learn more about natural dyeing.
