I got into quilting fairly recently, and realized that I loved the weight and warmth of the ones I’d made for my couch. Obviously, this meant I needed to scale things up and make one for my bed. Six months later (and just in time for the new year), I get to go to sleep under a work of art!

My starting point – 20 shades of fabric to make a smooth gradient (about 1 yard of each)

Here’s the pattern I’m following – Supernova from Twist and Turn Bargello Quilts, by Eileen Wright

Step one of cutting done – everything in 2.5″ strips, with a fabric map of my gradient order to reference.

All the ragged cutoff bits!

Sewing strips together…

And sewing the sewn together strips together some more….

Until I have a full block of strips – one of each color.

I took some time out to properly make myself a design wall on the closet door. Each of those panels is made from extruded insulation foam covered with flannel, which quilting cotton will stick to with friction (but I can pin things if I need to).

Construction properly begins! Working from the center out on the top half.

My first big section is done! This is the center of the top half, about 25% of the finished quilt.

And the rest of the top half…already claimed by the kitty.

And now draw the rest of the owl…. Quilt top finished! It’s about 97″ square, I had to take this photo from the second floor loft, looking down to the living room floor.

Test fitting the quilt top on our guest bed.

Get the top back from the quilters and begin hand sewing on the binding (with help from my furry assistant)

You can see hints of the backing fabric as I’m nearly done. The cat was VERY helpful with this process.

It’s DONE!

I love this backing fabric.

It’s a full rainbow gradient, from burgundy red to dark purple, over 108 inches. Not at all what I’d had in mind when I went to get my backing, but I completely fell in love with it.

A close up look at the wonderful quilting job my local shop did

And a shot of the quilting from the back side, as well.

Cat testing…

…maybe over here is better?

Kitty approves!