How to make cowboy quilt

Cowboys

For Ryan, who loved cowboys

Simplified Premium Star blocks

Original design

59" Square

Partly from stash

Close-up

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"I'm really glad I made this quilt."

How I did it: Ryan, the 8-year-old son of co-worker Sharon, is a very sick little boy.  I wanted to make a quilt for him.  Although Sharon is on leave to care for Ryan, I was able to get in touch with her to ask about making a quilt.  I found out that Ryan likes cowboys and his favorite colors are purple, blue and yellow.  He especially likes purple and yellow because he and his dad like the Vikings.

I couldn't find any purple cowboy fabric, but I was able to find a cowboy print in yellow, a lasso print in tan, and a light purple star print.  I had lots of purples in my stash, including a print that reminded me of barbed wire, and another that looked like snakeskin, both of which seemed to fit the cowboy theme.  To tie both colors together I added a button fabric in multi colors against a brown background.

I found I could get four 10.5" cuts from each width of cowboy fabric so I chose Premium Star, a five-patch block which works well for the 10" finished size.  The block looks similar to a Bear's Paw block, with small triangles on the edges that look like claws.  To make the piecing easier and faster, I modified the block by removing the triangles.

I alternated the simplified Premium Star blocks and large plain blocks of cowboy fabric.  I added a narrow border of button fabric, then a wide border of dark purple.  I did a pillowcase finish, top-stitched all around the edges of the quilt, then tied with embroidery floss.

I called Sharon yesterday and told her that the quilt was finished.  I'll be taking the quilt to Ryan today.  I hope he'll like the quilt, and that the quilt will bring a bit of cheer to him.

Lessons & tips: When you get a prompting to do something nice for someone, follow it.

Keep an open mind when looking for fabrics for a theme.  You may not find exactly what you're looking for, but with a little creativity you can make other possibilities work.  The barbed wire was actually vines.  But it worked in my head, and that was enough.

Design notes

Update:  I took the quilt to Ryan on Friday, July 15.  He seemed to like it and his mother Sharon really appreciated me making the quilt.  Sadly, Ryan lost his battle with cancer on July 16, just one day after I delivered the quilt.  My heart goes out to his family.

Resources: Electric Quilt quilting program

It took me 10 days.

It made me Glad

See more progress on: Make cowboy quilt