since dd is at horse camp all summer I came up with a brilliant idea. I'm going to make her a horse quilt! I'm not sure if I'll do applique horses (probably) or find a panel. I saw some beautiful horse fabric in the Hancocks of Paducah catalog though and it even looks like where she is. But for the border or sashing I'm thinking French Braid. I've not done that before though so how hard is it? Like I said I'm still just playing with the idea in my head...haven't set down to draw anything out yet. If I do the applique horse though I can put on the names of some of her favorite horses and I can use fabric I already have instead of buying any so that idea is way out front right now.

awesome idea, wow, that will be a cool quilt with horses

This fabric is really pretty: http://www.clothworks.com/collection.asp?ID=179

French braid is very easy and looks great as a border!

oohh that is pretty. I've bookmarked it. I think our finances are going to require me to make the quilt with what I have though I will talk to dh tonight and see. If I could do a photo quilt that would be neat but I think that is way above my skill level and my equipment level. Now I really need to go draw this out!

edited to add: DO NOT laugh at my drawing skills! Ok you can if you want....I am not the artist of the family! But this is a basic idea of what I have in my head. What do you think? I just emailed the lady at the camp to see if she will help me out with the signature blocks.

What a great quilt! Your DD will love it!

If you have pictures of horses that you want to put in. JoAnn's carries June Tailor picture fabric. All you do is print the picture onto this fabric from you printer and use it like any other piece of material.

Do you have any fabric with rope, or saddles and bridles on it? That would be a cute border.

She will have to love it. Great idea.

Try this site for western fabric

http://www.e-prairiegirls.com/

I think it will look great. The signature blocks are a good idea. :thumbup:

This sounds like such a fun project. You will find the french braid quick and easy, it just looks hard. Please keep us posted with pictures.

The braid borders are very easy to make and the french braid is not really harder, just more cutting and sewing, but very pretty! BTW, great idea.

thanks! I'm getting excited about this.

Awwwww what a cool idea

I love your idea and the drawing is wonderful!!!
I can't wait to see it :D:D:D

Your DD will be sew surprised!! Keep us posted!

Oh, what a great idea. Shes goona love it!

Love your idea. I have it in my head and can't get it down on paper. You did a brilliant job.

well this one went on paper amazingly easy. Now if it will just turn out close to how it looks!

Here is one I did for my granddaughter in bright colors.

I love that one Kathy!

Okay! I've been playing in Gimp and trying some colors. I will have to buy the fabric that looks like wildflowers but I can come pretty close to the others myself. The border though is just way past my Gimp talents!

love this quilt ! What is an french braid pattern?

For Kathy N:

When I saw this line of fabric, I just fell in love with it - ordered it online and had to get it from a couple of different stores - got the earth tones. Still haven't figured out what I want to do with it (hmmm have a lot of that happening!) but your design looks great!

Laurel Burch has beautiful, magical horses. Her fabric is expensive but you could add other pieces. My niece loves horses and just adfored the pierce I made her. I bought it at equilter.

this is what i thought was a french braid.....some of the other sites I googled show a small square in the middle of it. this is what I have in mond though.
http://www.quilterscache.com/B/BraidBlock.html

I think this should be included. LOL whqat girl doesnt love a good looking cowboy.

hmmmm.....you're right! I might just have to consider adding that in somewhere!

The one on the left is the cutest, dont you think lol

he is something else lol! Wonder if he cooks?

thinking more about that cowboy fabric...lol. She would probably get a kick out of that being the backing! I can hear her now..."See the quilt my momma made? she got my friends to sign it and put my favorite horses on it...AND she put HOT cowboys on the back to keep me warm! lol! DD likes her farmboys and cowboys....no city boys for that girl. She will tell you real fast though that horses are better cause boys break your heart.

That would make him extra special, lol hope your quilt goes well.

How old is this young lady? Some of those cowboys...!

It sures lets me know I an't dead yet. Woooho

she's 19...

You might check out some of the patterns on fatcatpatterns.com. Sindy Rodenmeyer has some awesome free patterns for all kinds of quilts.

i just got the new keepsake quilting catalog (volume 23 summer 2010 ) & they have (on page 59) a book called "horsing around" 56 pages 31 different applique horse designs item # 1003 $21.95

i'm looking at it for my dgd, who loves horsies.

I bought some of the laurel birch horse fabric a couple months ago and plan to make a quilt with it. It is really pretty fabric!!

Great idea!! she will love it. I like your design idea too. I just started a horse themed quilt for myself. I have had horses all my life but I can't ride any more but I still have my horses. I am making a quilt and on some of the blocks I am machine embroidering a horse in the center. Then on 8 of the blocks I am embroidering the names of my horses I have had thru out my life. I am really excited about making this quilt. I will have to take a photo of the one block I have finished. I have been embroidering some of the horses the past few days. Tomorrow will work on adding the rest of the blocks together. The blocks are 12 inches with some flying geese and half square triangles around the 6 inch block with the embroidery on it. I found some beautiful fabric with horses running thru the snow in real pretty shades of blues, white and black with the brown horses. I am looking forward to how your quilt is coming along when ya get started. I will send some photos of my blocks tomorrow.

Thanks for this advice! I will be looking for this as the next quilt i do I want to do a few photos on it.