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Ride West
Ride West, our Quilt of Valor for Love of Quilting July/August 2018, has several interesting design elements, in addition to the amazing fabrics.
The quilt block is one of those blocks that yield a strong secondary design. That framed star, with the postal code-print center and brown star points, pops so clearly that it may take you a moment to realize it’s not the actual quilt block!
The border is also fun. Piano key borders can be tricky to design correctly. A designer needs to ensure that the math works out to create an even distribution of colors. In addition to that, the designer needs to calculate correctly so that the rows fit the center without any of the keyboard rectangles getting cut off. (Nice work, Pam!)
The fabrics really make this quilt. The sepia-toned or tea-washed color palette—maybe the term is “antiqued”—is spot on for the Pony Express prints, with the postal codes and suggestion of leather. If you know an American history buff, this is a quilt for him or her, no doubt.
Interestingly, even though the fabric line is antiqued, the reds and blues are vivid. They seem to glow, and bring out the American-flag feel of the piano-key border, and let the stars shine.
Pattern Details
Quilt by: Pam Boswell
Skill Level: Intermediate
Finished Size: 58″ x 58”
Finished Blocks: 16 (10”) Blocks
Fabrics: Fabrics in the quilt shown are from the Pony Express collection by Deborah Edwards for Northcott.
