There’s a new quilt pattern in my SHOP called Prickly Pear and you’re in for a real treat but first there’s a little notice I need to talk about that affect changes to my newsletter sign ups.

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Now, let’s get to the quilt show!

Prickly Pear Quilt Show

I’m thrilled to bring you the newest quilt pattern in my Shop called Prickly Pear. This PDF pattern comes in three sizes: Crib, Double (full), and for the first time ever offered in one of my patterns, a king-size quilt!

I ended up making two quilt samples; a crib and a double. The crib size was made first while I was testing the pattern and waiting for the rest of my Lilliput collection to arrive. Let me introduce you to each of the quilts I stitched, then have you meet the quilt testers who also made versions of this pattern.

First up is the cover quilt for the pattern. It’s the smallest size, finishing at 50” square and really an oversized crib quilt. I was excited to mix prints from my Spirited and Kismet collections for this quilt as I’d not had a chance to combine the two collections before. They were meant to be together! That pop of solid red is Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids PE-456 Aurora Red.

This is a very traditional color palette but looks fresh and modern in this quilt.

I’ve been wanting to try rayon as a backing fabric for some time now and had this AGF Luna and Laurel rayon on hand which was the perfect look with this palette. Brooke Becker of Lady Belle Fabric did the long arm quilting on this quilt as I have to admit I was a little nervous about quilting with a rayon backing on my own. Brooke took a little extra time and slower speed but said it quilted beautifully and when asked, said she’d absolutely do it again—which I take as the best recommendation to use rayon as a backing again in the future!

For batting, I used Hobbs Tuscany Silk Blend batting and together with a rayon backing and Art Gallery Fabrics percale-like quilting cottons this quilt feels like a cloud and the drape is amazing!

This crib quilt is available as a kit from Lady Belle Fabrics and Brooke can even do the quilting for it as well. I used the Ginger Flower quilting design she offers and I love the playful floral and curly-q design.

Get the Kit HERE

The second quilt I made was in the double-size (or full) and I used Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids and prints from my new Lilliput collection.

I took cues from the pattern name for this color palette and my Lilliput collection has the most amazing green prints and beautiful blushing peach prints paired with Snow and Tender Green AGF Pure Solids—it was a match made in heaven!

I’d set up the guest bed for photographing the quilt and it still remains on that bed—I love it so much and it feels like summer time when I walk in that room—it’s prettier than my master bedroom!.

Brooke Becker of Lady Belle Fabric also did the long arm quilting on this quilt and we selected the design called Peek Bloom. I backed and bound the quilt in the same Lilliputain print from Lilliput for a whole cloth-look backing if the quilt were reversed.

Lady Belle Fabric also has kits for this double-size quilt in this coloring/fabrics. Be sure to act fast if you’re wanting either one of the kits as they sell out fast!

Get the Kit HERE

I used Hobbs Heirloom Premium 100% Bleached Cotton batting for this quilt and it’s the perfect drape and weight for a classic quilt feeling. I like to use a bleached cotton batting with a white background for the brightest white quilt.

Meet the Testers

For sometimes a couple months before a quilt pattern release I have quilt testers stitching behind the scenes making versions of the quilt and of course double checking everything in the pattern as is it should be. These testers are the most amazing ladies and so talented! I say this every quilt release but they’ve really out done themselves this time and three of them even made the king-size version of Prickly Pear!

If you remember with the last quilt release, South Paw, I had not only made the normal Meet the Tester collage that I do for my tester’s quilts but we added an additional feature of including pinned inspirational images we’d gathered from Pinterest. The testers and I use the inspiration images to help with the quilt color story and the vibe we want our quilt to have. You’d be amazed how this helps us all stay focused on the mood of the quilt and even helps when it comes to photography time. Above is the mood board for the full size Prickly Pear quilt I made and you can see the southwest desert influence in my color choices and images.

For my crib quilt I went a mix of Victorian-Boho-Free People, if that’s even a thing, I don’t know but am hoping the added inspiration images help to convey that energy I wanted to capture in this quilt.

Mary Gove is a delight and always a surprise to me when I see what she creates from my quilt patterns. Mary made this king-size Prickly Pear for herself and her color palette is inspiration in itself! She used all AGF Pure Solids in the most sophisticated and cool-girl color way—it’s sublime! Be sure to follow Mary on Instagram @thecurlyquilter.

Brittany has a great eye for mixing prints and chose Amy Sinibaldi’s new Velvet line from Art Gallery Fabrics together with AGF Wicked Sky Smooth Denim for a quilt that really shines. This is the crib size quilt and is a kit available in Brittany’s shop White Plains Quilts. You can also find Brittany on Instagram @brittanytunison.

Joyce Ulm is a powerhouse quilter and fearless! This is another of the king-size Prickly Pear quilts made and is stunning. Not only did Joyce make the quilt but she made the entire bed ensemble complete with toss pillows from my pattern seen in the Fall 2020 issue of Quilts and More to the pillow shams. The entire look is perfection! If you’d like to make a quilt like Joyce has in a king or a double-size, Country Chick Fabrics is offering kits in both sizes, find the KING HERE and DOUBLE HERE. See more of Joyce’s work on Instagram @evamaecustomquilts, Etsy shop, and on her Facebook blog HERE, and does long arm quilting as well!

I love how working with my quilt testers I can start to see their personalities show through in their work and Marija Vujcic is a classic example of how knowing your style can translate through your work and create a signature look. Marija’s not intimidated by color and loves it pure and saturated. She used Katarina Roccella’s Aquarelle collection for Art Gallery Fabrics to create a crib-size quilt that looks picnic-ready for summertime. Her inspiration images bring the quilt full circle and makes me want to take a trip to Nantucket just to stay in that scene longer. Follow this talented lady on Instagram Marija Vujcic and on her blog at Mara Quilt Designs. Her passion for sewing and life has no bounds!

Megan Eckroth also made a king-size Prickly Pear quilt and is planning an entire master bedroom makeover around this quilt. I loved seeing how Megan took the Ruggable inspiration image and translated that room into a fabric pull for her quilt. She really nailed it and now has the dreamiest king quilt for her bed! Megan used a mix of Art Gallery Fabric Pure Solids, with prints by Bonnie Christine for her Her and History collection and the AGF Studio Luna and Laurel collection. Be sure to follow Megan on Instagram, FB, and her Etsy Shop and see more of what this gifted maker has to share.

Christine Trotta has a flare for florals and a sweet bohemian/coastal style that is elegant and casual all at once. Christine used Art Gallery Fabrics Aurus Pure Solid with Amy Sinibaldi’s new Velvet collection to make this crib-size Prickly Pear version. This captivating quilt is being kitted by Christine in her Serendipity in Love Creations shop. You can also follow Christine on her Blog as well as her Instagram account @serendipityinlovecreations.

Shannon Staton of Pennily Quilt Shop has made a double-size Prickly Pear quilt that she’s kitting. This bold and beautiful quilt is made using Art Gallery Fabrics new Adina collection mixed with coordinating Pure Solids. Find the fun kit at Shannon’s Etsy shop Pennily Quilt Shop. You will also find Shannon on Instagram @shannonsquiltingadventures.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the Prickly Pear quilt show today and are inspired to make one of the kit versions or strike out on your own and create something uniquely you!

For other sewing inspiration, be sure to check out the Art Gallery Fabrics Lilliput Look Book that was released last week. It’s a virtual magazine full of Lilliput fabric projects and ideas—you’ll love it! I’m planning an entire future blog post, maybe two to show you more behind the scenes and images of the Lilliput projects I contributed to the Look Book.

Find a growing list of your favorite quilt shops carrying Lilliput on the FABRICS page.

Happy sewing!

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