There are some who make a strong connection between gardening and quilting. The two activities are very traditional and homey. One of the reasons that the two have such a deep connection could lie in the changing seasons each year. Avid gardeners may feel the need to create something during the winter months. It only stands to reason that those individuals would want to get inspiration for their quilting designs from the outdoors.

Quilting designs that are inspired by the garden can also hearken back to the creative process. Gardening involves a systematic approach. It is strongly tied to taking small, patient steps to finally arrive at a finished product. Creativity is not only limited to clothing fashion industry but as well as to traditional activities such as quilting. Creating a quilting design also takes a methodical approach that must be completed in specific steps in order for the finished product to be a success. 

Some quilters can find inspiration for their quilting designs through working in their gardens. As they complete each step, they can segue that step into a patch to be used in the final quilt. For example, the process of weeding would involve greens and browns and perhaps images of shovels and rakes. The next patch in the quilting design could represent water and sun light needed to help the garden grow. The elements can be represented with blues and yellows.  

Every garden has visitors and using butterflies and bees in the quilting designs will give the piece added color and magnificent detail. As the garden grows, more and more plants and flowers emerge. These can be represented in any number of ways in the quilting designs. A garden full of pansies and morning glories could have a rainbow of hues. In fact, a rainbow can be incorporated into the quilting designs as well.  

Color is not the only component to take into consideration. There are many fragrances and textures found in a garden that can be replicated in quilting designs. Swirls can represent movement and a hint of fragrance. Textures can be represented by using depth in lines and shading. This will create a multi-dimensional effect on the finished product.  

Not all gardens are filled with flowers. Some are purely vegetable gardens but this does not mean that there is a lack of color, texture or fragrance. The stark contrast between vine ripened red tomatoes and green stalks and leaves provide a creative person a great opportunity to introduce drama into the quilting designs.  

Consider your quilting designs as you work in the garden. If you like to work from the inside out, you could have the beginnings of your brown and green efforts in the center of the quilt and as the quilt progresses outward, you move from step to step in the gardening process. The quilting design is an iconic representation of the growing garden; one that will not recede as winter approaches.