One of the very best parts of pattern writing for me is getting to work with a team of talented testers to see the design brought to life. So much of designing and writing a pattern is solitary work, and it's so rewarding to finally see your design in the hands of quilters as they pick fabrics and stitch them up into their own version of something that started as an idea in your head.
When it came time to put Auriga and Albireo out into the hands of testers, I was once again fortunate to have so many wonderful people reach out to help. I have such fantastic support from the creatives around me! If you're looking for some inspiration for your own version of either (or both) quilt(s), look no further than these gorgeous makes!
Haven't picked up a pattern yet?
Team Albireo
Albireo features nine square in a square blocks to show off your favorite large-scale patterns. It's the perfect opportunity to tell a story through your fabrics or show off a print that has multiple different scenes!
Meet Kirsten!
Kirsten grabbed blues from her stash to compliment these adorable bears from the Woodland Tribe line by Jessica Flick. The darker blues make a wonderful backdrop for the lighter feature fabric, and the black accent is so striking.
You can follow Kirsten and find more of her lovely work on Instagram: @betweentwolakesquilting
Meet Delia!
If you want a quilt that tells a story, this is it! Delia used Snow White fabrics from Heather Ross to showcase a fairy tale with Snow White herself in the middle feature block, and the dwarves surrounding her. There are also tiny apples and laundry on lines, all offset by florals and tree trunks from the line that really evoke the feeling of being in the forest, surrounded by trees.
Find Delia and her gorgeous makes at @a_stitch_is_a_stitch.
Meet Hannah!
This cozy, fall-vibes Albireo is sweater weather approved! Hannah featured fabrics from Bonnie Christine's Wild Forgotten line, and mixed in blenders to really amp up that fall feeling. As a Canadian, I am absolutely in love with the mustard beaver print, so I was pretty pumped to see it in five of the feature blocks!
You can find Hannah at @merrillywesewalong to check out her fun makes and inspiration!
Team Auriga
Auriga mixes it up, shifting the color placement and replacing five of the feature blocks with sixteen patches, making it perfect for using up those bits that are leftover when you fussy cut your feature blocks.
Meet Emily!
Seasonally-inspired, Emily's spooky Halloween quilt is vibrant and fun! Emily embraced her stash pulling solids, blenders, and even a mens' striped dress shirt to get the look she wanted. And for her feature blocks, she pieced together fussy cuts of Peppermint and Friends from AGF's Sweet and Spookier line since her stashed yardage wasn't quite large enough for the inner square, and it's AMAZING!
Check out Emily, her cute kids, and her fun finishes on Instagram: @emilygmcclintock
Meet June!
Well, if you've been here a while, it's not so much "meet June" as "say Hi to June" since she has tested for all of my previous patterns as well. She keeps coming back, and I'll keep having her, because she's so dang good! For this Christmas version, she cut up a panel that had been hanging out in her stash, and combined it with festive blenders to really make it feel jolly.
Find June and all her fun, funky makes at @june.lum2020 on Instagram.
Meet Julia!
Despite some early flying geese setbacks (a video with large-scale flying geese tips is on my list of to-dos) Julia persevered to make this vibrant, floral version of Auriga. Featuring Everlasting by Sharon Holland, the bold colors of that large floral really offset the bluebird print in the feature squares.
Julia has a pile of closeups of her project as well as a ton of other darling projects on her Instagram @apieceoflovequilting.
A True Unicorn
Meet Whitney!
They say "You'll never know unless you ask," so when I was preparing to release two patterns, I asked if anyone was available to make two quilts. On a short turnaround. With similar fabric pulls.
Not only did Whitney say "Yes," but she did it despite being struck down by sickness right in the middle of things. And her quilts are *chef's kiss*! Using Ruby Star Society's Food Group collection and a multicolored Starry background (be still, my beating heart) she absolutely understood the assignment!
You can follow Whitney (who I will forever refer to as a real-life unicorn) on Instagram @frenchfryquilter.
I can't say enough thank-yous to this absoluely phenomenal group of rockstar quilters. Not only did they make some gorgeous quilts, they were so wonderful to work with!
If you're interested in future testing opportunities, you can find more information and the form to apply here.
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