Tumbleweed {Blogger's Quilt Festival}

No.   No need to rub your eyes.

Yes, this is another quilt for the

I had to show you my Tumbleweed Quilt, my favorite quilt so far this year. 

 The quilt for ME!

I have to admit. This is my absolute favorite quilt right now.   It is not at all my normal taste of fabric, but it was FREE!   I won it from another quilter on her blog!

I love the Houston Rodeo and really wanted to not lose the novelty of the prints so that I could have it out during the time it is in town.  However, I also wanted to have a bit of modern flair, so I tried something new with the tumbler pattern.

 End to end horizontally instead of vertically. (you can see the layout at the top photo).

But the reason this is my most favorite quilt and why I am sharing this quilt for the festival is the QUILTING!!!!

 Yeehaw!!! 

Cowboy hats!

 Horseshoes with loops

 More loops with....horseshoes.

Last but not least, boots....with spurs.
Cute no?

I had a TON of fun doing these freemotion all over the quilt on my longarm machine.  

I did not have enough of the free fabric for a backing so I chose this brown fabric.  

The flowers reminded me of Texas bluebonnets.

 I am pretending the roses are some sort of Texas rose too! 

Don't burst my bubble, okay?

I had enough of the scraps to do a binding, but I really liked this print when I saw it at the LQS.
It is Moda Grace Bias Stripe by 3 Sisters 

I had intended to just put the label in a random corner, but I just didn't like the way it was glaringly popping out on the brown fabric.

 I decided to piece some scraps at an angle and then needle-turned it to the center of the strip where I had a large expanse anyway.

Worked out brilliantly.

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Quilt Stats:

Measures: 54" x 63"

Pattern: Tumblers (end to end horizontally)

Fabric:  Various floral and cowboy motif fabrics from 

Moda and other high quality quilting fabric lines (fabrics were all scraps)

Quilt Pattern: Loops with Rodeo motifs by myself on my HQ Avante 18" 

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I have to laugh because as I was editing the pictures I noticed a stray thread from my EPP project on the left of the backing strip a few photos above!

Proof that I have already snuggled under this with Button!

Who has somehow managed to steal MY rodeo quilt and renamed it from my awesome name of Tumbleweed quilt to

Little Horsey's quilt.

Nothing is sacred in this house.

P.S.  Thanks for stopping by if you are from Blogger's Quilt Festival.
To return to the Festival, click on the image at the top!!!!!!!

Tumbleweed Quilt

My first April finish (because I am secretly hoping for more this month)

My rodeo quilt!!

I have to admit.  

I had reservations if I could make this into a quilt I love.  I am am still not exactly over the moon about all the fabric.  But free fabric?  FREE fabric?

It'll do!  

I think I mentioned it before, but I won a bundle of cowboy/cowboy inspired fabric last year on Carla's blog, Lollyquiltz.  I guessed her least favorite color!  Magenta

I am really happy with the tumbler pattern layout. It really showcases the more novelty prints.

 Yeehaw!!! 

Cowboy hats!

 Horseshoes with loops

 More loops with....horseshoes.

Last but not least, boots....with spurs.  Cute no?

All of the above quilting was freehand by tracing pencil on paper, over and over, the images I pulled from the internet.

Except for the boots.  

 I needed a little guide for the first few to get a rhythm. 

 The toe/shoe angle was tough for me to get right on my own.

My trick?  I moved my laser for pantographs to the front and traced the boot off to the side.  You might have noticed I ran over loops in the image above because I was busy trying to race the pattern the first time!  But I finally got the hang of it and didn't need it anymore.

 Side note: I love the pattern so much that it is on my wish list for the next batch of pantographs I plan to buy soon!  I am sure that I will need it for a few Texas clients!

I did not have enough of the free fabric for a backing so I chose this brown fabric.  

The flowers reminded me of Texas bluebonnets.

 I am pretending the roses are some sort of Texas rose too! 

Don't burst my bubble, okay?

I had enough of the scraps to do a binding, but I really liked this print when I saw it at the LQS. 

I definitely used it to bring interest to the backing.

I had intended to just put the label in a random corner, but I just didn't like the way it was glaringly popping out.

 I decided to piece some scraps at an angle and then needle-turned it to the center of the strip where I had a large expanse anyway.

Worked out brilliantly.

------------------

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 54" x 63"

Pattern: Tumblers (end to end horizontally)

Fabric:  Various floral and cowboy motif fabrics from 

Moda and other high quality quilting fabric lines

Quilt Pattern: Loops with Rodeo motifs by myself.

 -------------------

 

I have to laugh because as I was editing the pictures I noticed a stray thread from my EPP project on the left of the backing strip a few photos above!

 

Proof that I have already snuggled under this with Button!

Who has somehow managed to steal MY rodeo quilt and renamed it from my awesome name of Tumbleweed quilt to

Little Horsey's quilt.

Nothing is sacred in this house.

Woaaah! Chuck Wagons!

You've seen it in pictures, but you have never seen Button's live and in action... 

"Wooah"! 

He was in the middle of eating, so excuse the bib and food on his mouth.  He was so excited about the Chuck Wagon races!

I cannot get enough of my little guy!

Note: I meant to have it on yesterday's post but I couldn't upload the video from my phone.  I tried three different times, with no luck.  Who knew I just had to email it to myself and save it?

Are We Texans Yet?

"Boots, chaps and cowboy hats…. nothing else matters."

~Unknown

We have been in Houston for 8 years now and have attended the Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show every single year. 

This year, we put our gear on.

Jeans and a newly designed applique onesie for Button!

  I designed from a picture of an over priced boutique outfit online.  It was done at late night so I want to work on the stitching before offering it in the Etsy Store!  I now have four or five designs that I need to get working on! 

 He also had his special rodeo quilt from last year.

Do you like?

 First thing when we arrived at Reliant Stadium?

Making a decision on what to do first!

 Livestock show it was!

Button was fascinated by the cattle, chicks hatching, goats, and sheep!  For some reason, we had bad timing and it was extremely crowded, so we made the decision to do the petting zoo next year.  He was happy enough to watch from a distance!

The older boys pretending to be annoyed for a photo shoot..

the Carnival was waiting!

As always, impossible carnival games....love these bottles though!

 Usually we are successful at the Roll-a-ball game, but no luck there.

 Thank goodness for big brothers that can play basketball.

WOW!

 WOAH! 

The older boys weren't interested in rides this year. The lines were extremely long and they were anxious to get in to see the rodeo.

But Bunny fit in a little sliding fun.

Wait! What's that?

Crazy stuff mom!!
 
Okay..time for the best entertainment ever!

The RODEO!!!!

We just adore it.  

It always begins with a rousing Star Spangled Banner.

It always amazes me what is a football stadium in the fall/winter is completely transformed into a place for Steer Wrestling, Team Roping, Bronco Riding, Barrel Racing, Bullfighting, Calf Scrambling, and Mutton Bustin'.
Update:  A video of Button cheering for the Chuck Wagons here.

 We are vastly becoming fans of certain competitors.  We were excited when a rodeo record is broken, we cheer for our favorite riders, and we groan if someone gets a penalty for "breaking the barrier" or getting "bucked off" before their allotted time!

We also eat some great food!

Before you know it, a stage is brought out to the middle of the stadium.

 And we enjoyed the show.  This year?  The Band Perry!  
Considering they have only a few songs that are popular, they did a fabulous job of entertaining over 70,000 people! They had a lot of energy and have made us very interested in watching their career in the music business grow!

Oh...and to all my good friends and followers?

 I remembered to wear better shoes this year....especially after last year.  

I even received a text message from my friend who was at the rodeo herself the other day.  

 "At the Rodeo thinking of your broken shoe from last year!"

Yes, everyone, I am just here for my friends' entertainment!