The Alpha pattern is available! And while it was my QuiltCon 2024 fabric challenge quilt that inspired the pattern, I want to share more about the second quilt that I made using these curvy alphabet blocks. I designed and sewed this quilt as part of my pattern-writing process, and it was so much fun!
I first mocked up this design last fall. I used to sing this song to my girls every night as they were going to bed, and I couldn’t wait to make this quilt reality. I had originally planned to use Kona solids, but decided that using a blender would be even more fun. I went over to Clothyard Fabrics (one of my local shops) and chose two shades of Ruby Star Society’s Specked fabric. I also found the *perfect* sunshine Ruby Star print for backing from Hawthorne Supply Co, one of my favorite online shops.
I used the “intermediate/advanced” version of my pattern, which uses larger pieces and requires fewer seams per block. Even though I was making 16 letters, they came together surprisingly quickly! I bought my fabric on a Saturday, and had a finished quilt top by Thursday.
The real fun came during the quilting and finishing process. I got my Intelliquilter installed on my longarm in March, and had done some practice in April, and finally felt confident to load an actual quilt for computerized quilting!! I used the Rolling Hills pantograph from Julie Hirt and I’m happy to report that the process went very smoothly. I have at least a dozen other quilt tops hanging around my sewing room and look forward to a lot more computerized quilting practice in my future.
I used the same sunshine print for binding, and was even able to incorporate a sunny Sarah Hearts label. This quilt is bright and sunny and just SO HAPPY! I really love it.
The stats:
- Quilt measures 42″ x 48″.
- Pattern is Alpha by me!
- Fabrics are Speckled by Rashida Coleman Hale for Ruby Star Society.
- Backing and binding is Sundream in Buttercup by Melody Miller for Ruby Star Society.
- Batting is Quilters Dream Blend White 80/20 cotton/poly.
- Pieced with Aurifil 50 wt thread in #2600 (Dove).
- Quilted on my APQS Millie with Glide thread in Military Gold.
- Pantograph is Rolling Hills by Julie Hirt.
Such a happy quilt! It makes me smile 🙂
Wow, the backing couldn’t be any more perfect, and a great choice to use it for the binding as well. How fun to have your longarm part of the process now. I look forward to seeing how it continues to evolve your quilting journey.
Thanks so much for linking up with May Favorite Finish!