I'm so excited to share the cover version of my newest quilt pattern, Smashing Petals! This bold, modern floral design really comes to life with high contrast fabrics. This version celebrates just that with graphic black and white fabrics paired with a vibrant pop of vintage Cotton + Steel, that speaks to my soul.

Fabric Details

For the petals, I used a long-stashed and much-loved print from the Panorama Sunrise collection by Alexia Abegg (originally for Cotton + Steel, now of Ruby Star Society). It has the perfect mix of pink and red tones with an organic, sketchy texture that adds movement and energy to the quilt.

The petal centers and background are made from a mix of small-scale black and white prints, which help the colorful petals shine even brighter.

The backing is just as special as the front, Bird Swallows from the Blue Jean Bird collection by Christopher Thompson for Riley Blake Designs. The soft white background with sketchy black birds ties in beautifully with the monochrome elements on the front, and it adds a sweet and subtle contrast.

Quilting and Finishing Touches

This version was quilted using the Clips pantograph by Urban Elementz, a playful design that echoes the petal shapes in a modern, rhythmic way. I used a rich pink thread for the quilting to complement the petal fabric and add a bit of extra punch. The quilting was done by Sew Special Quilts on a BERNINA Q 24 longarm, and I couldn’t be happier with the texture it added, clean, precise, and fun!

There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing this quilt come to life on the longarm frame. Each pass of the pantograph brought more personality to the piece, and the contrast between the structured petal blocks and flowing quilting gives the whole quilt a dynamic balance.

Make Your Own Smashing Petals Quilt

This quilt is everything I envisioned when I designed Smashing Petals—strong, vibrant, and full of movement. I hope it inspires quilters to play with contrast and color in their own versions. And if you’ve got a precious OOP fabric tucked away, maybe this is the project that’s worth cutting into.

Ready to make your own version?
Grab the Smashing Petals Quilt Pattern, by clicking here, and start stitching up your own bold bouquet!

Get PDF Pattern Here