A Watermelon Quilt

     My daughter has an obsession with watermelon.  She loves to eat it and decorate with it.  She buys herself watermelon scented fragrances and shampoos and last summer, she even bought fabric to make herself a dress that resembled a watermelon.  When it came to making her a quilt, I didn't even have to think about it; watermelon was the theme.

     I started looking for fabrics with watermelon motifs, but most of what I found was too dark and realistic.  Other fabrics were really cute and colorful, but too childish; she's a teenager, not a little girl anymore.  That's when I began searching for a pattern and found one that was absolutely perfect!  It's Mod Melons by Suzy Quilts.  Not only does it look like watermelon, you can use whatever fabrics you want in mix-n-match style.  That's where I had the most fun, pulling fabrics from the stash to make those cute little slices.

     I decided early on that I would piece the back because I wanted to use a watermelon print fat quarter that my daughter gave me.  She purchased it for a project of her own, but ended up not using it.  So, I pieced it into the back of her quilt and surrounded it with green gingham.  Doesn't it remind you of a summer picnic?

     I find it amazing how several people can take the same pattern to make a quilt, yet each one can turn out so differently.  If you'd like to see what others have done with this pattern, check it out on Instagram by using the hashtags #modmelonquilt, #modmelonsquilt, and #modmelons.

     For the quilting, I couldn't decide whether I should do straight lines or follow the curve of the melons.  Instead, I went with a cross-hatch through the whole body of the quilt.  I had to think about who's going to use it and my kids are pretty rough on things.  So, I opted for a sturdy method of quilting that will provide more durability over a long period of time and use.  Plus, I like the pattern.

   

     For the batting, I repurposed a white blanket that had been sitting on the shelf for about a year.  It was one of those blankets that you just love when you first buy it, but then it starts to get those little pill-balls everywhere and doesn't look pretty anymore.  I took my sweater shaver and shaved off all those little pill-balls.  Now it has new life in a quilt.  I'm very happy with the results.  Sleeping under this quilt is going to be cozy and sweet!

     
The Wrap Up
Name:  Mod Melons
Size: 73 1/2" x 64 1/2"
Top:  261 pieces
Back:  10 pieces
Batting: repurposed blanket
Finished:  March 2020


* The poem at the beginning of this post was originally found on Pinterest and credited to Tricia Stohr-Hunt.