This pattern was on the cover of a Fons and Porter magazine in the summer of 2005. I don't usually like bright colors, but saw this quilt and knew that I just had to make it. I bought all the fabrics and, when my then 17-year-old daughter saw the pattern, she claimed it right away. I jokingly said, "Yeah, right! You MIGHT have it by the time you turn 21!"
I took it to my guild's retreat in March 2006 and got started on it. However, after getting home I realized that I had sewn some of the blocks incorrectly (using the wrong colors, as the cutting directions weren't very clear), so I set it aside. Luckily, I went to a quilt show that year that had more of the fabrics I had chosen (it's a line by Timeless Treasures), and I picked up quite a few 1/2-yard pieces.
Earlier this year my daughter reminded me that her 21st birthday was coming up and that she wanted her quilt, so I got it out, tore the mis-sewn blocks apart, cut more fabric and finished making all the blocks. I then took it with me on my guild's retreat this past April and managed to get half the top sewn together. When I got home, I finished putting it together, and managed to send it to have it quilted, get the binding on and sew a sleeve to the back in time to put it in our county fair, where it won first place at the end of July. My daughter is thrilled with it, but it currently resides on my bed since the dogs like to spend too much time on hers, and she doesn't want to take any chances. Hope y'all like it :)
Jewel of the Praire - 1st place in county fair
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Jewel of the Prairie on my bed
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Jewel of the Praire closeup
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