From Idea to Mini Quilt: My Summer Colours Challenge Journey

Sometimes a quilt starts with fabric. Sometimes it starts with a sketch.

And sometimes it starts with a challenge and a random idea that refuses to leave you alone.

When the Summer Colours Challenge from Aotearoa Quilters came around, I decided to have a go. The challenge was to create a 12-inch mini quilt inspired by summer colours, and after a bit of thinking, I settled on a design featuring a bright sun, rolling waves, and a few fluffy clouds.

A little bit cliché? Maybe.

But summer and sunshine go hand in hand, so I decided to run with it.

Starting with an Idea

One of the things I love about designing digitally is that I don't need to be able to draw.

That's probably a good thing because drawing has never been my strong point.

Instead, I started with simple shapes and lines, moving them around, resizing them, and seeing what happened. The sun came together first, followed by the waves and clouds.

The design evolved as I worked. Some elements changed shape, others moved position entirely, and a few ideas disappeared altogether.

That's one of the things I enjoy most about the design process. Nothing is set in stone. You can experiment, play around, and see where your creativity takes you.

Turning the Design into a Quilt

Once I was happy with the overall design, it was time to work out how to actually make it.

I decided to use foundation paper piecing for the sun rays, which meant creating printable templates and adding seam allowances to each section. I also put a call out to my local quilters group for some yellow scraps.

The digital design made this process much easier. I could create the shapes exactly how I wanted them, add the seam allowances, and export everything ready for printing.

From there, it was simply a matter of turning the pattern into fabric.

Well, "simply" might be stretching the truth slightly.

Like most quilting projects, there were a few moments where I questioned my decisions, adjusted my plans, and hoped everything would line up in the end.

Thankfully, it did.

The Finished Mini Quilt

I have to admit, I'm beyond happy with how it turned out.

There is always that moment when you're designing something from scratch where you wonder if the idea in your head is actually going to work.

Seeing it come together in fabric and become a finished quilt was incredibly satisfying.

The challenge organisers allowed entries to be mounted on canvas, so I attached my mini quilt to a 12-inch canvas, which gave it a lovely finished look. At the time of writing, I'm still working out the best way to tidy up the back and add a hanging system, so there may well be another project video in my future.

What I Learned

This project reminded me that quilt design doesn't have to start with a complicated drawing or years of artistic experience.

Sometimes all you need is an idea, a willingness to experiment, and a little bit of patience.

The digital tools certainly help, but the real fun comes from watching an idea grow from a few simple shapes into something you can hold in your hands.

That's still one of my favourite parts of quilting.

Curious About Designing Quilts in Affinity Designer?

If you'd like to learn more about how I use Affinity Designer to create quilt patterns and foundation paper piecing templates, you can find my Affinity tutorials here:

They'll walk you through the process step-by-step and show you how I create designs like this one.

For now, I'm off to enjoy my little piece of summer.

Happy quilting,

Kelly