My America 250 Commemorative Quilt

This week we wrapped up the Fly the Flag Quilt Along designed to make a flag quilt for the America 250th anniversary commemoration. I was so glad to have this challenge to motivate myself to make and finish a commemorative quilt this year. I've been wanting to make myself a new version of the Fly the Flag quilt as well as make a project in honor of a historic year. Thanks to all those who sewed along with me! Here's a look at my finished Fly the Flag quilt.

If you've been around these parts for a bit, you may know that I've been making quilts inspired by American folk art, the US Flag and other Americana-inspired motifs since 2001. And I love that a red, white, and blue color palette never goes out of style.

For this version of my Fly the Flag quilt I wanted to go pretty scrappy. I loved pulling favorite pieces from my stash. I also wanted to use a faded "beachy" color palette because I love the look of old Americana.

And this quilt is extra sentimental to me because I incorporated prints from my last three fabric collections: Portsmouth, Albion, and Mary Catherine.

I purposed designed those collections to play nicely with each other - especially the reds. This is the first time I've made a quilt using all three of them in one quilt. 🥰 (I'm sorry to say my collections are all out-of-print, but you can still find some pieces available in my shop or on Etsy.)

This time I went with a dark woven fabric for the background/sashing color. I love how it lets the faded colors of the flags, pop in contrast. I wanted to use a woven and I found the perfect woven navy using Fableism's Watercolor Wovens in the color Cosmos.

Riley Blake's Oxford Blue Confetti Cotton is also the perfect warm solid navy with my collections.

The quilting was done by Melissa of Sew Shabby Quilting using her Hypnotic Stars pantograph. I love the curved texture it juxtaposed with the strait lines and angles of the flags. Makes me think of fireworks. And also Captain America, a little bit. 😆

For the backging I used the blue plaid from my Albion collection. I decided to go with a busy print so that if this quilt is used for future firework-watching, the plaid will camoflauge any dirt. Binding is the red gingham from Mary Catherine cut on the bias.

I had fun taking this quilt to different locations for some glamour shots. Shout out to my favorite quilt holder for helping the quilt pose with a little "purple mountains majesty" in the background after a hike.

For me, the American flag will always be a symbol of a country who chose to reject monarchy and embrace a democratic form of government "by the people" and a represents a place where oppressed people from around the globe - including my own ancestors - could have a fresh start with new opportunities that weren't available to them in their old country.

It's a symbol of the sacrifice of the best of us - especially our military - to bring or restore freedom to other oppressed people around the globe as evidenced at the American Cemetery in Normandy.

A few people who quilted-along shared that they are making quilts with this pattern to be donated to Quilts of Valor. That makes me SO happy to hear. 🥰

Where to find the Fly the Flag Pattern

The Fly the Flag pattern (both print and PDF options) is available in my Pattern Shop.

There is a simplified PDF version of this quilt for only $3, but it does not include the star blocks.

Where to Find All of the Quilt Along Information

If you missed the quilt along or would like to find all of the weekly break-out steps in one place, you still can find all of the information for the Fly the Flag Quilt along here.

The page includes all of the weekly assignments as well as tips and tutorials for each of the different steps along the way, such as: cutting techniques for accurate and straight WOF (width of fabric) strips, half square triangles, flying geese, adding perfect borders.

More variations of the Fly the Flag quilt

Here are a couple of past versions that I made of this quilt so that you can see the options for styles and colors. The one on the left uses a solid white stripes, sashing and border. The one on the right is a lot more scrappy. I love them both!

If you're looking for kit for the Fly the Flag pattern check out this version (kit found here).

A Tradition of Quilting to Mark Historic Moments

Quilting has a long tradition of commemorating special occasions or historical events with handmade keepsakes. Here's a look at the quilt my mom made in 1976 for the Bicentennial. It was her first quilt, made with simple patchwork. It's been the "4th of July quilt" in my family ever since, still pulling it out for firework watching every year. (Fun fact: this quilt was also the inspiration for my first fabric collection.)

If you're looking for more quilting/sewing inspiration as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary this year, I put together a list of more ideas here. Some are full quilt patterns, some are free tutorials, and some are small projects perfect for seasonal decor.

America's history has never been perfect. It has been marked by flaws, struggles, and missteps, but also by generations of people who have continued to build, repair, serve, sacrifice, and hope. Quilting feels like a fitting way to remember that kind of perseverance - work that requires the patient, piecing together of something that will last, created from a variety of perspectives and multi-color contributions. I still have hope in "the better angels of our nature," and in the people who keep bringing care, courage, and goodness into the world around them.