How to Quilt with Liberty Florals: 5 Project Ideas for the Tudor Celebration Collection
Liberty Fabrics has been synonymous with fine floral cotton since 1875, and the Tudor Celebration collection brings that heritage to modern quilters. Screen printed on Liberty's soft Lasenby cotton, the Rossellie Blooms print is a tribute to Liberty's world-famous flower shop: dense clusters of loosely painted roses, daisies, lilies, tulips, and anemones arranged in charming florists' buckets, drawn from a curated selection of 1930s-style archive botanicals. It is 100% cotton, measures 43"/44" wide, and is suited for classic patchwork quilting, apparel, and craft projects.
What makes Liberty cotton special for quilting? The Lasenby base is finer and more tightly woven than standard quilting cotton, with a soft, silky hand and crisp print definition. It presses beautifully, seams stay true, and finished quilts drape with a luxurious feel. Here are five ways to put this botanical print to work.
1. Feature It in a Large-Block Quilt
The dense floral clusters of Rossellie Blooms deserve room to breathe. Cut it into 10-inch squares or larger blocks — a simple big-block design, like a chunky nine-patch or an alternating plain-and-print block quilt, lets the roses, lilies, and tulips show at full scale. Because the print is busy, pair each floral square with a restful solid or low-volume tone to give the eye somewhere to land.
2. Make It the Star of a Medallion Quilt
A medallion layout — one large central square surrounded by border frames — is tailor-made for a print this rich. Cut a generous center panel of the floral, then build concentric borders in coordinating solids or a tonal small-scale print. The result reads like a framed botanical painting and showcases Liberty's 1930s archive styling beautifully.
3. Fussy-Cut the Florists' Buckets
Look closely and you'll spot the charming florists' buckets the flower clusters are arranged in. Fussy-cut these motifs into 4- or 5-inch squares and alternate them with plain blocks, or use them as the centers of economy or log cabin blocks. Because the design is screen printed, the edges of the motifs are crisp — ideal for fussy cutting.
4. Pair It with Solids for Sashing and Borders
A densely patterned floral can overwhelm a quilt if every block is full-strength print. Use the Rossellie Blooms fabric for the block centers and frame everything with solid sashing in a tone pulled from the print — a soft blush, leaf green, or warm cream. The solids calm the composition while the floral does the talking. The same trick works for a bold border on an otherwise simple top.
5. Sew a Quilted Throw or Table Runner, Not a Bed Quilt
Liberty's finer Lasenby cotton makes exceptionally soft throws. If you hesitate to cut into this premium fabric for a large quilt, start smaller: a table runner that runs the floral down the center with narrow solid borders, or a lap quilt backed with flannel. Both show off the print, and the finer weave quilts beautifully by hand or machine with minimal bulk in the seams.
Cutting and Care Tips
The tighter weave of Liberty cotton rewards a few small adjustments. Use a fresh sharp rotary blade and cut slowly so the finer fibers don't shift; press seams open or to the side with a moderate iron rather than high heat. For washing, follow the care instructions: machine wash cold and tumble dry low, and pre-wash your yardage if you're mixing it with standard quilting cottons so everything shrinks — or doesn't — together.
Shop the Liberty Tudor Celebration Rossellie Blooms 01667444C 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
