When Taylor’s dad asked me to make her a quilt and I had in fact just finished one for her, he asked me to make one for his younger son Casey, and of course I said yes! Casey was a good friend of my brother’s growing up but I haven’t known him for quite a few years so I had to ask Dan what might suit him. He said, “earthtone plaid mismatched” and this is what I came up with.

I found it hard to get plaid quilting fabrics so I decided to use thrifted plaid shirts. I bought 12 or so large shirts and cut them apart into the largest pieces I could and then cut out 6½ inch 45° triangles (using Simplicity Studio Simpli-EZ 45° triangle template), saving the shirt backs for the quilt backing.  I used almost all of the Essex linen in putty I had left as the solid (I went through 10 yards of that much easier than I thought I would!) and put together the kaleidoscope blocks.The back is the aforementioned shirt backs, some homespun green plaid, and the Essex linen.It’s quilted on Ursula the long arm in a pattern called Calm Water in a tan thread, bound with more shirt scraps,and labeled.

I hope you love it, Casey!  May it bring you much warmth on those cold, rainy Humbolt nights.