A Special Nappanee Quilt Garden

                              Connie's Bloomin' Stitches

                          Nappanee Indiana Quilt Garden

                                               2018

Isn't this a beautiful quilt garden!  The garden is 30' x 30'.  It has thrived thru the heat and rains with the loving care given by the 11 quilt garden committee members that weed, fertilize and water when needed.  It is a big commitment of time and energy.  A lot of creativity goes into each garden from choosing the block layout, the colors, flowers, mulch and how it is all displayed.  Planting, maintenance, and plant removal at the end are all part of the job.  This year the quilt design is the Spool pattern with a large wooden spool and needle and thread in the center.

I was on the Quilt Garden Committee for two years and since then have continued as a "friend of the garden", to help plant the gardens each year.  I also make a wall quilt each year to commemorate the garden.  These wall quilts belong to the Nappanee Center/Heritage Museum which is directly behind the garden and all ten of the garden quilts are displayed inside.  The Nappanee Center is a Visitor Center with a museum inside that is free to the public and very worth your while to stop in and look around.  There is also a quilt show displayed in the Museum this summer.

This is the garden quilt for this years garden.  (photo taken inside the Nappanee Center)

I always place the garden block design in the center of the quilt and add a border around it.  This year I added a variety of spools around the border.  Each spool is a different color with different colored striped fabric for threads.  Every quilter needs a variety of thread colors!

Because of the quilts I've made, the Quilt Garden Committee has honored me this year by naming the garden after me!  The garden is named Connie's Bloomin' Stitches.  What an honor!

Here I am with the garden that is near and dear to  my heart!

If you are near this area (Northern Indiana) yet this summer, I invite you to stop by take a look.  Also include the other 17 gardens in the Elkhart County Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail (18 gardens all together). This makes a wonderful one or two day trip to drive around and see the beautiful quilts in the area. All gardens are free to view and are on display until Oct 1