The Quilt Diaries - You Are My Sunshine

This sunshine quilt is the first quilt for The Quilt Diaries. This quilt ‘s story was pieced together much like the quilt itself. There were several things that inspired this cheerful quilt. A favorite quilting technique, the Dresden Plate, started the idea for this quilt. I had just designed a Sunflower Dresden Wall Quilt, using different batik yellow fabrics for the flower’s petals. I loved making this project and was looking for a reason to use this project’s scraps in another Dresden Plate project. 

As I was making the quilt, I was thinking about how bright and cheery the colors were and the song, “You Are My Sunshine” popped into my head. I hadn’t really thought about this song in a long time. We used to sing it at 4-H camp as kids, but the song wasn’t a favorite – just another goofy song the counselors made us sing!

As I worked on the quilt and thought about the song, I thought about joy and the things that make me happy. Sunny days came to mind and how they make me happy, especially during our Colorado winters. We’re blessed to have a healthy sprinkling of warm, sunny days between our snow storms throughout the winter. I love the promise those days bring that warm days will return and I’ll soon be enjoying summer evenings lounging on our deck. Another promise that the flowers I love in my garden, like my mother’s peony bushes, and the daisies we planted years ago will return. A reminder that longer days are ahead with many fun summer activities. 

I also thought of other types of “sunshine” in my life – the friends and family who always brighten things up and I enjoy being with.  The gift of quilting and creating that always sparks happiness and inspiration. Even just good, colorful fabric that brightens my craft room and makes me want to make all the things! As I worked on this first mini quilt I remembered how powerful creating something, even something small like this, can be such a joy. 

So it’s my hope that this sunshine quilt brings you joy and gives you pause to think about all the things that bring sunshine into your life! I hope you’ll take some time and make something that brings you great joy!

Construction Notes

• The sunrays are made with 4 different yellow batik scraps cut into 4 Dresden plate pieces.

• I opted to use the buttons to add a bit of sparkle to the sun.

• The lettering was cut using my Cricut Maker.

• I ironed on Heat n Bond lite to the fabric before cutting the letters, with the right side of the fabric down on the cutting mat and the fabric adhesive side facing up.

• It’s important to mirror the letters in Cricut Design Space before cutting so your letting will come out with the right side of the letters on the right side of the fabric.

Thanks for checking out The Quilt Diaries! Questions? I'm happy to visit more, so feel free to contact me.