"Flower of Scotland"
(Started in 2000, finished March 2003)
by Janis Kenderdine

email: fifer@fifedrum.org
http://www.fifedrum.org/fifer


14 January 2004

Since I've gotten 3 people who've actually emailed me for this pattern, I figured I should finally
get together a packet I can post.  I know I, for one, am impatient and don't even bother emailing 
if there isn't a pattern right then and there... so I'm impressed that people have been coming 
forward looking for it.

History of the quilt/pattern:

This started out as an "easy" quilting project.  I figured I'd throw a fairly simple pattern 
together, use the graphics of the fabric to enhance the ideas, put some high-loft batting in it 
and tie it.  Something cheap & easy for the silent auction at our pipeband's annual ceilidh (pron. 
kay-lee - a big celtic party), or they could sell raffle tickets for.  Of course it never got done 
by the time we had our ceilidh, and it turned into something of a monstrosity when it came to the 
quilting because I kept adding and adding to it...

First I quilted the thistles, which seemed harmless enough.  Then I outlined all the pieces... 
then I stuck a little knotwork thing in the middle of the cross... then some celtic birds in the 
crosspieces... then some ivy in the open white corners... then some knotwork along the edges of 
the border knotwork... oi!

So... by the time I actually finished the quilt, I had moved and left my beloved pipeband behind.  
I never actually keep any of my quilts... unless they're too ugly to bestow upon my worst enemy.  
(Let me tell you about the salmon pink Irish Chain quilt I have in the middle layers of my 
bedding...)  So, as a "thank you" to my former pipe major and his wife (one of my drum students) 
I sent my quilt back west to them.

What you're getting in this package:

Unfortunately, not a whole lot.  This was my own pattern, not a professional pattern, so you've 
got what I had to work with.  I included the "complex" leaf and thistle head patterns, as this 
was the original, slightly more involved version.  I dumbed it down to the ones actually used.  
The "thistlefuzz" (purple stuff on the head of the thistle) can be one piece of fabric (like mine) 
or several pieces of purple/violets.  The thistle head, for that matter, can be a solid circle 
(like mine) or pieced squares or whatever you want to do.  For the stem, I just made some piping 
that lay about 3/8" wide flat.

"Full Quilt Layout" is my master plan for the quilt.  Whatever my measurements were are my guess 
as well as yours.  You should be able to make them out on the scan, for the most part though.  
Everything is in standard/inches, as I'm one of those non-conformist Americans.  ;-) (Why do they 
call it standard if... ?)

I've also included some photos of my finished quilt to give you some ideas.

I'd love to see photos of any progress you're making or finished quilts you make based on my 
pattern.  Send them to fifer@fifedrum.org.

Thanks!

--Janis