photo q1_zpscd9da648.png  photo dot_zpsb8876eec.png  photo q2_zps95da3dae.png  photo dot_zpsb8876eec.png  photo q3_zps747c53f9.png  photo dot_zpsb8876eec.png  photo q6_zps32c3ba5d.png  photo dot_zpsb8876eec.png  photo q4_zpse6214d9c.png  photo dot_zpsb8876eec.png  photo q5_zps8a7bdd1d.png

Saturday 16 August 2014

Texas Roadtrip QAL Quilt Parade!!


Hi Y'all!!! Today is the final day of the Texas Roadtrip QAL, and it's time to show off the lovely quilts you've been working on. It's a little sad for me today, because I really don't want this QAL to end! Everyday I looked forward to checking instagram and flickr for any new pics that had been added, and just loved seeing how each quilt told it's own story with the fabric and all the personal touches that were added to the quilts. Along the roadtrip we had 15 stops, with a different block designed for each city, and there were a few designers that added some bonus blocks, so when it was all said and done, I believe (if I'm counting right) we had 20 different blocks!

Texas quilt

At each stop I thought I had found my favorite block, and then I was just as excited when the next one was revealed. I loved reading about why each designer had chosen to create their blocks, and hearing their own personal stories, and finding out why Texas was important to them. I could seriously work on this quilt for the rest of my life, because is it really possible to capture a lifetime of memories and put it on a quilt in just a few months?


One thing that I feel my quilt is missing is something that represents food. I can honestly say (and I'm getting off on a tangent here) that the thing I miss most about Texas is all the delicious food--but I really couldn't make a quilt block that looked like a chopped beef sandwich, a breakfast taco, or a chicken fried steak. So I found these cute Texas shaped pancake molds and Melissa and I have decided to give one to each of the ladies who designed blocks for our QAL because, if I can't get Texas food onto our quilts, then the least we can do is give a quilter a Texas shaped food.






I hear from a lot of non-Texans how crazy they think we (Texans) are because of our overt pride, and I think the most obvious way a Texan shows their pride is to slap a Texas shape on anything and everything (ex. pancake mold). To me, these Texas quilts are a perfect testament to what our state means to us, and I just have to laugh when I think about all the people who have rolled their eyes when they hear a loud patriotic Texan preachin' about the best state in the Union, and how they'd roll their eyes again if they saw our Texas quilts all lined up.




So, how this is going to work is, go to the bottom of this post and link-up your Texas quilt. You can add the link to a Flickr pic or to your blog, and you'll be instantly entered to win a fabulous prize from one of our amazing sponsors.






There are still 2 Aurifil thread sets to giveaway, and I if you've seen these along the roadtrip you know how awesome they are--a thread color chart, a designer box of thread, and an additional pack of different weight threads in the same color.







Donna's Lavender Nest is offering up this beautiful bundle of Lecien's Old New 30's with a couple of fat quarters of coordinating gingham added in!










Lily Rose Quilts is an Etsy shop and has generously donated this jelly roll of Modern Roses by Stephanie Ryan--so sweet and pretty, right?








The Fat Quarter Shop is has given us this fat quarter exclusive bundle of the Pony Express from the newly sought-after Cotton + Steel line!







Fort Worth Fabric studio is offering up a $50 (yes, I said $50) gift card!








A Fancy layer cake by Lily Ashbury was donated by Moda. Fancy isn't released until October, so this is a good chance to make a quilt with it before someone else does!










And Urban Spools has created this custom bundle for one lucky winner!










I would like to thank all of the sponsors (most of whom are Texan I should mention!) who have graciously supported us in this QAL. We were overwhelmed by the number of sponsors who agreed to help us out, and if you followed along the QAL you know that several shops also designed blocks for the roadtrip.



To enter to win one of the lovely prizes above, just use the link-up below to show us what you made. And just so you know, your quilt tops are perfectly suitable for the link-up, and any version of a Texas quilt that you were inspired to make along this roadtrip. The link-up will close on Friday, 22 Aug, and winners will be revealed on Monday, 25 Aug. I can't wait to see what you've made!!!

And don't forget to stop by Melissa's blog, My Fabric Relish, and check out her Texas quilt. :)




15 comments:

  1. Your quilt turned out great! I know what you mean about TX pride, my husband is a Yankee and is always needling me. Maybe we have such pride because we fought so hard to be a part of the union and not Mexico.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am crazy about your TX quilt! I love how you added the trees and extra blocks in the background space ... It's just fabulous! Awesome job and THANK YOU for hosting this amazing QAL! xo, chelengeorge

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love the dark background of your quilt! Thanks for hosting such a fun QAL, it was my first QAL, but it won't be my last!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, man, Texas food. I swear, we lived in San Antonio for six months and I ate my weight in brisket. And now I'm a total BBQ snob. And my older son found it absolutely hysterical that the hotels had Texas waffle makers in the breakfast room. Your quilt looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your color choices! It turned out so great :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just adore your quilt! The piecing in the negative space is great and the black background is awesome! And when did you sneak in that cute cow? So funny and totally appropriate! Thanks again for hosting this QAL, probably my favorite one E.V.E.R!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't just want a Texas quilt, I wan't YOURS! The navy background was a brilliant choice. Love it.

    Hmmm. Think I can bust one out before Friday? I'm sorely tempted!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the extra blocks you added to the negative space. Such a nice touch :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yours turned out so great!!! I need to get busy. Yes, as a Texan living in Florida, non-Texans just don't get it. So much to be proud of - food, heritage, art & music, food... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've had so much fun on this QAL, you and Melissa did such a great job! I love your quilt, all your added extras are such fun :) and you've made me hungry now too! I'm excited too, I thought the linky was only open yesterday and I was sick last week and couldn't finish my quilt top. But now I'm setting myself the challenge to try and have it finished to link up before Friday!! Wish me luck :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Such lovely quilts! And Texans are quite right to be so proud of their state. I have travelled to quite a lot of states in the US (am from The Netherlands myself) but we totally fell for Texas! And have been back five years in a row on our summer (hot, hot!) holidays. We love the people, love travelling in this divers state, love the history and LOOOOVVVEE the food! You seem to have the best of everything, the best meat, the best seafood (oh, those buckets of crawfish) , the beste fruits and veggies. We always start and finish our trip in Houston, lovely restaurants there, such happy memories (helped by those great margarita's in my case ;-) )

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cristina, I *love* your Texas quilt!! That navy background was genius -- it really makes the blocks pop. And putting some blocks into the background?! Also genius!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love how yours turned out!!! The extra blocks in the margins are just so darn adorable.

    ReplyDelete
  14. These quilts are great! As a non-Texan, I decided not to QAL, but now I'm thinking I should make one for my Texan aunt. I've looked, and it's sometimes a little tricky to page back through all the more recent posts to find the original instructions. Have you considered posting them all in a single place, so that latecomers like me can QAL more easily? I can imagine it will only get harder to track them down as the months go by...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Genevieve,

      On my sidebar is the button that will take you to all the Texas Roadtrip instructions:) Hope you make one, and let me know how it turns out!!

      Delete

I love and appreciate all comments, and will respond to you as soon as I can:) If you are a no-reply blogger, please leave an email address so I can write you back.

XOXO Cristina