Happy Fall Days Quilt with Traditional Blocks -

There’s something about late summer that makes me want to slow down and sew something warm, bright, and a little bit nostalgic in readiness for the autumn months. Kelsey Carlson’s Happy Fall Days collection for Riley Blake is just that! The prints are a perfect blend of rich pumpkin tones, playful motifs, and warm florals that instantly bring to mind apple picking, crisp walks, and cosy evenings under a quilt.

Making a quilt with traditional blocks

This collection felt like an invitation to let the fabric shine, so I changed up my usual approach. I typically work with 3 inch base blocks, but for this project I bumped things up to 4 inches. It was such a simple change, but it really let those adorable prints breathe – especially the florals and those sweet little illustrated pumpkins.

I kept to some of my favourite basic blocks: half square triangles, flying geese, and square in a square. With a little arranging, the flying geese became the petals of autumn flowers that seem to bloom right out of the quilt top. Meanwhile, the half square triangles came together to form a soft, secondary pattern of stars.

For the background, I used Dainty Daisy in Pumpkin, which added the perfect touch of warmth and texture without pulling focus from the main prints. It’s one of those background choices that doesn’t shout, but completely ties everything together.

Finishing the quilt top

This quilt came together on a quiet weekend – the advantage of using traditional blocks is that you can piece them together very speedily.

If you’ve been looking for a collection that captures all the goodness of autumn, Happy Fall Days might be it. I already have plans to use the leftovers for a table runner and maybe even a few matching coasters!