A long time coming...

This quilt has been a long time coming and so glad to finally share it! It actually was finished several weeks ago and I hung it up on the wall in the future office/temporary playroom since I think it is kind of a quilty Texas map. Educational, right? The room has lots of light and took pictures of it in there. After looking at my pictures, I realized that they were pretty lame and weren't doing the quilt any justice. THIS quilt really deserved a good, purposeful, photo and since I needed to take pictures of 4 other quilts I decided to make an afternoon of it....

Texas Roadtrip QAL FINISH

Texas is an amazing State and I was born and raised here. I have no plans on ever leaving (unless my daughters convince me 20+ years from now). While I was taking this picture, I thought how much this image really depicted what Texas is to me. I grew up going camping and fishing all throughout Texas and have so many memories of being in the woods, swimming in lakes, riding my bike and just enjoying the outside. This reminds me of all that. I guess that is why I made this exact quilt for my dad for his birthday. His soul is tied to Texas just like mine and pretty much just like most other Texans. I'm really glad I made this effort to show it off.

Texas Roadtrip QAL FINISH

When I first made the half-ass joke about doing a Texas QAL with Cristina of Pretty Little Quilts, we really didn't think it would get much attention. Luckily, we had a great group of quilters from Texas and beyond participate. I am so thankful for them and Cristina! I love seeing all the versions that people have come up with and to see new groups of quilters making their own little QAL. Just nuts! I recently compiled the instructions for the QAL into a pattern form and you can now download it on Craftsy. You will still need to visit the bloggers to get the instructions for their blocks but you don't need to print anything additional to what you print from the pattern download. To get the full list of bloggers that participated, click here or click on the tab on the top of my page.

Texas Roadtrip QAL FINISH

I held off on quilting it for so long that by they time I finally got around to it, I was able to do it on my new longarm. To be honest, I am sort-of, maybe happy with the outcome. I really wanted to go for a graffiti look but not quite there. Still working on my free motion muscle memory and confidence. Practice, practice, practice.

Texas Roadtrip QAL FINISH

Texas Roadtrip QAL FINISH

I have decided to challenge myself to try to take more meaningful pictures of my quilts, my family, and my life. I not going to hang my Texas quilt back up on the wall just yet. I want to take more pictures of it, but in other memorable places just how the quilt illustrates for me. So, when I travel to Austin in two weeks and then Galveston and Rio Grande Valley this spring, it's coming with me and getting photographed. Like a Flat Stanley, but Flat Texas.

Texas Roadtrip QAL FINISH

Last week was a pretty crummy week with two sick kiddos and a poor puppy dog getting surgery to thinking all was okay again this week to waking up with one kiddo with an ear infection and finding out said puppy dog has a mass in her bladder. So here's to hoping the rest of the week goes much better and everyone gets healthy and we get positive news about sweet Dolly. Thanks so much for reading my blog and hope you have an amazing week!

Dining with Dresdens


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Comments

  1. it's gorgeous! and the quilting is wonderful. Feel better Dolly

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  2. So gorgeous! I love the idea of taking it with you to various places across Texas :)

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  3. Oh no, I hope this week picks back up again! :( If not, I promise to make the week after next as fun as possible for you!

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  4. Love the Texas quilt. I may make this for my granddaughter who lives in Dallas. Hope the kids and puppy get better soon.

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  5. What a beautiful finish Melissa! The QAL was a fabulous experience for me ... I'm forever grateful to you and Cristina! I love your blog by the way ;-) Hope this week is better!

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  6. This just makes me so homesick! I love this quilt. And your Flat Stanly Texas idea is awesome!!! So fun. :)

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  7. Great quilt - your father will love it! Hope everyone in your house gets well soon and you get great news on your beautiful Dolly. What kind of longarm did you get??

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  8. Love it and love the fabric you choose.

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  9. It turned out fantastic! Your quilting is amazing! There looks like a river flowing in the top left, and just by El Paso, those zig-zag type tight lines are to die for. I can't wait to see pictures of it on travels with you around Texas :)

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