Rhoda's Tea Time Quilt Pattern

This pattern was inspired by my dear friend, Rhoda Forbes, who had passed away unexpectedly in the early part of the year of 2017. As a way to help mourn the loss of our friend, and more importantly, remember what a wonderful person she was, I created this pattern and hosted a Rhoda's Tea Time Swap in the online quilting group she created: Life's A Quilt.  

She was always thinking of projects to keep us busy and loved to host swaps. For Rhoda, it was a way for us group members to get to know one another, a fantastic way to learn a new skill or highlight a new pattern. Rhoda had mentioned several times how she wanted to host a Teacup Swap. She imagined it all; a large teapot surrounded by teacups. She even had an image of teacups stacked with a bird perched on the stack. 

Dedicated in Memory of Rhoda Forbes, this pattern was designed around a few of her favorite things. Her favorite colors are Purple and Pink. She loved making scrappy quilts and she loved to grow her flower garden.

All patterns are available as a digital download. For directions on how to print onto fusible web, visit my tutorial on Printing Applique.


Rhoda's Tea Time Pattern can be purchased by clicking here.

• This pattern includes the templates needed to make three different Teacup styles, the Teapot and the Stack O Cups and Bird blocks.

After the swap, there was a call for Sugar N Cream canisters to be added. They can be purchased as an add-on by clicking here.

• This pattern includes templates needed to make the Sugar N Cream block. 

At the same time, I wanted to create a large label for the quilt top and I wanted it to read, "Rhoda's Tea Time". The words can be downloaded by clicking here.

• This pattern includes the templates needed to make the Rhoda's Tea Time words block. You could even use part; Tea Time.

As I finally had a chance to make my quilt and put together all of my teacups, all one hundred eleven  (111) of them - I felt that the addons I had made for the quilt seemed to get lost in all of my teacups. I had to really look and search for them in order to see them. I mulled over it for a few days and woke up with the idea to place my special addons onto a shelf. I drew out some wrought iron swirl shelf braces and added a two-piece board to give it a 3rd dimension. 

Rhoda's Tea Time Shelves can be downloaded by clicking here. 

• This pattern includes the templates needed to make the three different shelves and the flower/vase. 

Slapping a plain border onto the teacup quilt seemed to minimize how truly spectacular and delicate all the teacups actually are... I had figured it out! I was going to add a flower garden! 




Rhoda's Tea Time Floral Borders Pattern can be purchased by clicking here. 

• This pattern includes a total of 12 pages: 6 pages of printer-ready applique templates, 2 pages of the quilt top and border assembly directions and 5 layout keys. 

I have included several photos below, enjoy!

Don't forget to take a minute and check out my other patterns:
They can be found at
Aunt Judy's Attic NM
under the Digital Downloads.

UPDATED: I have since quilted both of my Tea Time quilts. 

My Large Swap Tea Time Quilt won Sweepstakes Award at my 

local county fair in 2019. 

At any time, you can click on the photos in this post and view them larger...

Tea Time Quilt made by Bev Burmmond with Leader and Ender Piano Key Border. 

Tea Time Quilt made by Sandy Rice with a beautiful piano key border.

These two lovely Tea Time wall hanging quilts made by Renee Chester, 

check out all her cool stuff over at Renee Chester's Quilting Addiction.

Rhoda's Tea Time Quilt made by Me using Symphony Rose fabric.

Quilting included swirls to represent steam, and each of the teacups was stitched around to make them look raised.

The label was part of a placemat that was sold along with the blue Symphony Rose fabric Collection.

Hanging in Aunt Judy's Attic for display.

Rhoda's Tea Time pattern made with 50 teacups from the swap plus 61 made by Yours Truly.
By including the shelves, it made the special blocks easier to see.

The label is made with an Iron-on Tshirt Printer paper. I am loving this new way to make labels.
I was able to include the names of everyone who sent me teacups.

Looked great on the purple backing. I stitched the binding down with my machine, but Judy Billings was the one who did the beautiful hand-stitched binding to the back of the quilt.

I had an opportunity to grab a photo of both my tea time quilt next to my mom's tea time quilt. Both are BEAUTIFUL!!!
One day, I hope to run outside to get another, better photo of my quilt.

Replica of my large quilt I made using 111 teacups.

Quilt made using the pattern for the Rhoda's Tea Time Floral Borders pattern. 

Pretty excited to show off my Mom's quilt - 

Tea Time by Brenda Richardson

Tea Time by Brenda Richardson

At first, I was worried about the quilting going over the applique teacups and thought it would take away from the quilt. For both my mom's quilt and mine, we did a very open, edge to edge, floral quilt pattern using an off white thread and they both looked beautiful.

Blocks below are the special ones I have made one for each of my quilts. 

As this quilt, Rhoda's Tea Time is my tribute to Rhoda Forbes, I was really looking to add meaning to the quilt. I liked the representation of the five petal flower, and in addition to the color purple. :) There were a couple of pages online where the color purple was mentioned to represent the empress, the queen. One of the symbolic meanings for a five-petal flower:

"In the lives of women, we can see five distinct phases; birth, menstruation, motherhood, menopause, and death. The Empress represents the middle of this pentad; she is the nurturing mother who is the fertile and creative queen of the world. She is the down-to-earth version of the cosmic World card, which also symbolizes the creative mother in the maiden-mother-crone triad of the triple Goddess. The numbers five - related to the Empress - and three - related to the World - have always been connected to the ancient Goddess, and by extension, to woman..."