What This Fabric Is
The Hush Hush 5 Love & Friendship print is a 100% cotton quilting fabric from Riley Blake Designs, designed by Amy Smart as part of the Hush Hush 5 collection by assorted designers. It measures 43"/44" wide and is sold by the yard. The print features blossoms with heart petals — a sweet, low-key floral that reads soft and gentle up close, yet calm and uncluttered from across the room. That balance is exactly what makes it so useful: it adds texture and interest to a project without competing with the fabrics you want to feature.
Like the other prints in Hush Hush 5, this one was made for quilting, apparel, and home decor. Its cream-toned, blossom pattern works especially well anywhere a busy print would overwhelm your design but a flat solid would feel a little plain.
Why Use It as a Background?
Background fabrics do quiet, important work. They give feature prints room to breathe, separate blocks so each one can be read clearly, and set the overall mood of a quilt. A blossom print like Love & Friendship does all of that while rewarding a closer look — the little heart-shaped petals are a lovely detail for a quilt made as a gift, where the theme is right in the name: love and friendship.
Use it behind applique, around framed feature blocks, or as the alternate block in a two-block design. Because the motif is small and scattered rather than large and directional, you do not have to worry about matching the pattern across seams, which makes cutting and piecing simpler and reduces waste.
Cutting and Piecing Tips
Start by pressing the fabric before you cut. A light press smooths fold lines from the bolt and helps your rotary cuts stay accurate. Since the blossoms are multidirectional, you can cut strips, squares, and rectangles in any orientation without turning pieces to keep the flowers upright — one less thing to track when you are chain piecing.
For background duty, cut your largest pieces first: sashing strips, borders, and setting squares. Then cut smaller units such as half-square triangle halves and corner squares from what remains. Sew with a consistent quarter-inch seam, and press seams toward the darker neighboring fabric where you can, so seam allowances do not shadow through the lighter background. If a seam does show, pressing it open is a good alternative on blocks with several points meeting.
Pairing Colors and Prints
The soft, creamy ground pairs naturally with pastels, dusty mid-tones, and gentle florals. Try soft pinks, sage greens, and pale blues for a springlike palette, or warm it up with coral, gold, and terracotta for an autumn friendship quilt.
A useful rule: let this fabric be the quietest voice in the quilt. Place bold prints in block centers, mid-tones around them, and Love & Friendship everywhere you need rest for the eye.
Project Ideas
- Friendship and signature quilts: the light ground gives friends space to write messages in the blocks, with blossoms framing each one.
- Baby quilts: pair it with soft feature prints for a gentle quilt that still has visual texture.
- Table runners and pillows: use it as the background around appliqued hearts, flowers, or seasonal motifs.
- Garments and decor: the collection is suited to apparel and home decor too, so try a simple gathered skirt, a cushion cover, or a lined tote.
Care
Care follows the instructions given for this fabric: machine wash cold and tumble dry low. Washing in cold water and drying on low helps preserve the print and limit shrinkage, and many quilters pre-wash background yardage for the same reason — just be consistent and treat all the fabrics in a project the same way.
Shop the Hush Hush 5 Love & Friendship Cotton 43"/44" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
