Grab those sunglasses....'cause this quilt is BRIGHT! It's also my current favorite...which I say every time...but really, I love this one, brightness and all.
This quilt is a different version of Wallflowers, with smaller 14" blocks and no sashing. I've wanted to make this version for years...right after I made the first. The block is a traditional Castle Wall block, which is normally English Paper Pieced, or is made with 5 templates and a lot of Y seams. This version has no Y seams (yay!), no templates (double yay!) and is actually pretty easy to put together (another yay!) despite it looking kinda hard.
All but maybe one fabric in this is Cotton and Steel, mostly from the new Picnic collection from Melody Miller, in stores now. Some of the prints are big...but pairing them with some near solids and less busy prints evens them out (a bit!).
This one was quilted by Melissa with the modern twist pattern.
Even though I love the way this one turned out I'm kicking myself for not making it in Hazel (which comes out this month... finally!). WHAT was I thinking???!!! To be fair to myself I ran out of my sample yardage...so I have to wait a couple more weeks to get more, but still...this quilt would be SO good in Hazel. I even made a quickie mock up:
The cover quilt is a Twin size (30 blocks) and the mock up above is Throw size (20 blocks). The pattern also includes a Baby size (9 blocks square) and a Queen and King size.
The pattern for Shimmer is in my shop, the PDF is available now and the paper will be here in a few days to send out.
I'm sure going to miss these summer nights at the beach while the big boys fish.
Thank you for your kind words about the Mini Quilts! It's nerve wracking to put so much time into something and not know how it will be received...so thank you for your ongoing support and quilt love, it means the world!
Ada
I love the bright colours and with this pattern they really stand out
Hildy
Love this quilt! I have the 'original' Wallflower version but never made it ... now I'm tempted to make this one:-)
Allison
It would be really easy to make the original Wallflowers into this....just make the corner squares HST's and leave out the sashings! ;)
terri
You have done it again. Another incredible pattern I have to add to my project board. I too see it in your HAZEL fabric.But Halloween would be spooktacular.Thank you for sharing your talent and quilting passion with all of us..
Allison
Oh man Terri....now all I can think about is making this in Halloween fabrics! Such a good idea!!!
Helen LeBrett
So pretty!! And I'm waiting for Hazel: it looks wonderful and I can't wait to see it for real!! Hugs, H
Stacey Gonzalez
Love your style of quilting. I love how complex this quilt appears. The colors are amazing.
NeverJustJennifer
what a great finish. I love the bright colors all together!
happyquiltingmelissa
Love, Love Love this Quilt!!!!!
Carrie Wikanderr
This is drop dead gorgeous - love it! Great job!
Debbie Miner
Funny how the next collection can sometimes look better than the last :-) Love the pattern!!
Erika
the colours you chose are beautiful! i love how colourful it is!xxx
Erika | Just That DIY
Pam
This is beautiful, love the last photo...
Pam
Love the colors of the fabrics you selected and love the Shimmer design!
Jennifer S.
Brilliant Allison! This is stunning!
Darcy
I'm going to need you to offer a bulk discount if you're going to release a bunch of awesome patterns all at once! LOVE!
Aileen
Holy wow! As soon as I saw the pic I recognised that it was all,cotton and steel and it looks fabulous. Looks like you're going to have to make another one! Lovely work.
Jude Jones
Oh Al, this is fab! you knocked it out of the park! i will have to get this!!! 👍
Melissa Reilly
No Y? No templates? Must try it - and thanks for the mini tutorial on fabric combining. It works beautifully.
Judith Blinkenberg
My Wallflowers quilt is almost done but I love this one even better! Another fantastic pattern, and I know how to ale it now!
Carie
Oh isn't it gorgeous!! And I think you're going to have to make one in Hazel too because it's just too pretty not to!
Rebecca Grace
What a coincidence -- this is MY favorite quilt now, too! :-) Love, love, LOVE it! Great block, gorgeous happy fabrics, it makes me happy just looking at it. And I'm so intrigued that you did it without Y seams!
Jamie
Fat quarter shop needs to have both of these as quilt kits!!!!!!!!
Allison
I just emailed FQS all the info Jamie! I had to make a couple of fabric substitutions but I like it even better with them! :)
Cindy Lou (@cindylou1381)
Do you have a list of the fabrics you used or is FQS going to sell this as a kit?
Allison
Cindy I haven't listed all the fabrics...but all but one of them are Cotton and Steel on the FQS or Hawthorne Threads website (you can look under all the CS fabrics). Most of the main prints of this are from the Picnic Collection for CS by Melody Miller. Thanks!
Katie Belle
Just added another quilt to my "one day" list! I'll be watching Fat Quarter Shop for the kits. Can you please tell me how you made the Hazel mock-up? Did you use quilting software?
Allison
Hi Katie! I use Adobe Illustrator for all of my quilt mock ups. :)
Lois Stephens
Great beach shot:))
Candy Radford
Oh my gosh!!! I love, love, love this quilt! I had to comment before I rush to purchase it. Thanks!
Allison
Thank you Candy! Happy quilting!
Jana
I think, the picture of this beautiful quilt hanging on the driftwood, the beach behinderte it...May be one of the. ..no, make that THE most wonderful quilt pictures EVER. I think about printing it and hanging it on my sewingroom wall. ...to adore it daily and for Inspiration and just because ;)
I'm Jana from Germany and I spent the last 2 weeks reading your whole blog. It's so bright, happy and inspirational, thank you!!!
Peggy
So beautiful!
Marla Whalen
My next 'new start' (my UFOs are giving me the side-eye)--who knows when that will be--is going to be a Castle Wall done the *hard* way (I like hand piecing, good while watching TV). I love how you've broken the design down from something a lot of quilters would never attempt to something that is very do-able. That's awesome, and the finished quilt looks great.
Allison
Good for you Marla that's awesome! I'd love to attempt a "real" castle wall someday too!
Mary Willis
Just received my patterns for Shimmer and the Mini quilts! Sew excited to start on them!! 🎉👍😀
Cindy
Absolutely beautiful and your pictures are too!!:)
Cindy
I can't thank you enough for posting a binding tutorial! Having the photos next to me ensured I would finally get the corners correctly sewn!
Paula
This quilt is stunning! Beautiful! I love you colour combinations, but I can imagine a few more ... I don't think one could make it look bad ...
Laura Bishop
I'm making this quilt now, using all Kaffe Fassett fabrics. I'm afraid it might be too busy, with some "shimmers" a little less defined. No doubt it will be colorful!!! Is there a gallery of finished quilts somewhere? I'm thinking of doing this in blue and aqua batiks - hoping for a water like effect. So, I'm hoping to see something similar.... Thanks!
Allison
I wish there was a gallery of this quilt! Try a shimmer quilt hashtag maybe on Instagram? I'm the worst at social media LOL.