For generations communities have been celebrating the bringing home of the harvest at Harvest Festivals. The festival derives from ancient times when a successful crop could mean the difference between life and death. It is still celebrated widely today but has rightly become focused on charity and specifically sharing food with people who do not have enough. For me it is also a real marker of the end of summer and the glorious months of Autumn so rich in colour and atmosphere!

When you print out your motifs make sure your printer is set to print same size and not ‘fit to media’ as this will distort the final size of the block. Now we have finalised our quilt layout the blocks will be 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 ins, cut them 10 ins square to protect the edges. Sharpen your iron-on transfer pencil and draw over the design, place it design side down to the calico and iron. Iron some interfacing to the back and stitch away. Alternatively use a light box or tape your design to a window and trace with a fine pencil onto the fabric, if you use this technique use the non reversed version of the pattern.