Desert Cove Quilt Pattern

I could not be happier to share my first quilt pattern of 2022!  The Desert Cove Quilt.

This quilt pattern is a fun and relatively fast quilt to make that uses strip piecing and mixes up your fabrics twice.  I love that no matter how many times you make this quilt, you get a different look every time.

You can get your copy of the Desert Cove Quilt Pattern here!!

Release Details & Sew-along

I have a bunch of goodies lined up for this release!  There’s kits, a free downloadable progress tracker and a sew-along!

Quilt Kits!

Let’s talk about the kits first!  There are three kit options available in the shop, thoughtfully curated to go with the pattern and provide versatile options.  There’s spring blooms, summer berries, and autumn vibes.  

Spring blooms is the baby-sized kit in a soft, muted pastel palette.  

Next up, is summer berries.  This kit is bright and happy!  It makes the throw sized Desert Cove quilt and is screaming to be taken out for a summer picnic when you’re finished sewing it up.

Autumn vibes is lovely mix of fabrics I cannot get enough of with an unexpected pop of color. This kit also makes the throw sized and nothing makes me happier than when I come across the cute marshmallows on a stick when I come across them in a block.

Free Downloadable Progress Tracker 

Okay, how have I not created one of these before!?!???  This little freebie might be one of my favorite parts about this particular pattern release.  I’m planning an unofficial sew-along over the course of 5 weeks and created a check list for tracking my progress.  But…no matter your timeline or when you start sewing your Desert Cove quilt, this sheet will be really helpful!  

Sew-along

And now the fun part - let’s sew up a Desert Cove quilt together!!  This sew-along will be a bit different than my other sew-alongs.  There will not be a weekly blog post, prize, or mandatory social media post…BUT…there will be helpful tips in the newsletter, a couple instagram lives, moral support (I’ve available for any question along the way), and a prize at the end of our 5 week together.

The 5-week sew-along will begin on January 24, 2022.  There’s no sign up, tips will be included in my newsletter.  You won’t need to post your progress each week on Instagram; however, at the end of the 5-weeks, I will select one winner who will receive a fabric bundle!  You can make any size you’d like and post your progress with where you are at the end of the 5-weeks.  

Inspiration for the Desert Cove Quilt 

I’ve been thinking about designing a quilt using 2 1/2” strips for a while none of the designs I was working with felt right and had a bunch of small pieces.  Then one day while showering, inspiration struck — and I can’t be the only one that does their best thinking in the shower….right?

This quilt is all about the color play within the sub-blocks, and I tweaked the sashing around a bit before it felt perfect.  You know I love a good mix and match pattern and this pattern mixes things up twice!  It is yardage, fat quarter, and jelly roll friendly so grab your latest favorites and dive in!

A peek into my process:  Once I have the quilt design and math worked out, I start planning and sewing.  This quilt has been one of my favorites to plan samples for, it’s so versatile!  It simply looks great no matter what style and fabrics I planned.  It looks great in monochromatic and with an explosion of prints and colors!!

When working on a quilt pattern, I like to plan out all of my samples at the same time.  This allows me to see and demonstrate how the design looks using different fabric pulls.   

Inspiration behind the name - Desert Cove Quilt

You may or may not know, but all Nollie Bean quilt patterns are named after street names in Phoenix.  When I design a quilt, sometimes I know right away what the name will be - perhaps a friend inspired the pattern - but sometimes the name doesn’t immediately stand out.  This quilt design fell in that category and went unnamed for a bit longer than my other patterns.

As I was getting started with sewing my first sample quilt, our dog Vanilla Bean passed.  She’s half the name sake of Nollie Bean and meant the world to me.  She was close to her 15th birthday and lived a wonderful life. I was simply devastated to lose such an important part of our family.  I spent that weekend sewing up all of the strips for this quilt and found it very therapeutic.  I wanted to name this quilt something meaningful to her legacy.  Desert Cove is the street we live on now and where Vanilla Bean spent her last days; it was only fitting.

Pattern Release pictures!

This pattern release has two sets of release pictures to talk about!  I had been thinking about having professional pictures taken for Nollie Bean for a while and and decided to give it a go!  I had a fun and only slightly awkward time and received several beautiful pictures of Desert Cove quilts and bundles to update the website!

Then, I always use a pattern release as an excuse to get the family outside for some beautiful quilts in the wild pictures and this release lined up with a trip we had planned for Sedona - scenery that never fails! 

We have an annual New Year’s tradition with friends and I am beyond thankful for their patience and assistance taking some breathtaking pictures of two of the quilts.

I’m so excited to share this quilt pattern with you and hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  If you make a Desert Cove Quilt, I’d love to see it!  Use #nolliebeanpatterns and/or #desertcovequilt if you share on Instagram.