Regency Zarafa: when you need to make a giraffe quilt

In a previous post I wrote about devious plans for a new quilt and a search for the perfect chintz floral border. In addition to heading to Mary’s Quilt Shop I also did some damage online, buying some beautiful borders from Moda’s French General lines, Bon Voyage & Jardin de Versailles.

While searching for a fabulous floral border, I came across Christopher Wilson Tate’s Regency Zarafa line. His inspiration was a giraffe that was gifted to the King of France in 1826, the giraffe took Paris by storm becoming a cultural icon. Just like the people of Paris in 1826, I went giraffe crazy, and decided I needed this fabric and needed to start a quilt.

I wanted to keep in the reproduction style of the fabric and decided to design a strippy quilt alternating the flower border with on-point stars. The giraffe print will be used a border pulling everything together. I made the stars from a mix of reproduction scraps including Collection for a Cause, Love also by Moda. In the pics below you can see my progress from EQ8 to the finished star blocks. I really like how this quilt is turning out. At time of writing I have one “strip” sewn. Should have the other done in the next month or so.