Rocky Mountain Range Quilt

I spent a significant amount of my middle and high school years skiing, camping and hiking in the mountains with my dear friend, Gina. When she called a few months ago to tell me she was pregnant I knew I wanted to create a mountain themed quilt for her new little one.

Mountain Range Quilt

I sketched out my plan and had to do a bunch of triangle math to figure out the sizes. There are four sizes of equilateral triangles in the pattern layered against each other to create a depth of field.

• Large mountain: 10-1/2” on each side
• Big medium mountain: 7” on each side
• Little medium mountain: 4-3/4” on each side
• Small mountain: 2-1/2” on each side

Sketchy mountains

Each of the mountains made up the colorful end of a long strip that I sewed together with the edges cut at a 60 degree angle. As the strips came together the mountains started to reveal themselves. Once the mountain range was formed, I added the yellow background fabric to the bottom of the quilt in large blocks.

The raspberry colored mountain gave me fits trying to align it so it would go behind the yellow mountain, but in front of the blue mountain.

Formation of the fabric range coming together

The quilting in the ground area of the quilt is green horizontal lines spaced an inch apart. The mountains and the sky are quilted at a 60 degree angle with blue thread. I like the contrast of land and sky.

Horizontal and angled quilting lines

Land and sky

The back of the quilt featured stripes using colors from the mountain range on the front. I also used a fabric with a cute owl pattern, and only after I got home did I realize that the pattern was called Night Owl. If Gina’s baby is up all night (or at least up more than the average baby at night), I’ll feel slightly responsible.

Night owl

Gina’s family and Denver friends recently threw her a lovely baby shower. It was so fun to see all the cute baby gifts as they were opened. I have to admit that I was nervous about her opening my gift since I had winged it on the colors and theme. Of course, I’m always nervous when someone opens my quilts in front of a group. However, Gina loved the pattern and especially loved the story behind the pattern. Now we just need to wait for the little guy or girl to arrive.