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  • My Road to Tehachapi

    I have never been involved in an online challenge, although I have taken part in quilt guild challenges.  When Marian of Seams To Be Sew first asked me, this theme popped into my head immediately.

    The free download of My Road to Tehachapi, (12″x 40″), is available until the end of October 2016. roadtotehachapi

    At its present width of 40″, it would make a great headboard for a toddler’s bed.  The passenger car could be repeated to make the wall hanging long enough to fit across a whole wall or maybe a window valance.  Wouldn’t it be fun to print fabric pictures of the child and the family to put in the windows?

    Driving between Tehachapi and Bakersfield via State Highway 58, you see a lot of trains, tunnels, and tracks winding through the hills.  You will notice that the actual hills are not quite as bright green as the quilt.  I am doing a little wishful thinking and taking some artistic license.walongloop

    You also see the historical Loop, which was built by hand between 1874-1876.  One of the engineering feats of its day, the Loop was built to ease the grade over the Tehachapi Pass.  The name is derived from the circuitous route it takes, in which the track passes over itself, a design that lessens the angle of the grade.  The train gained only 77 feet, but in the days of steam engines, every little bit helped, when it had to climb from 800 feet elevation to 4,000!

    Construction began in 1874, and the line opened in 1876.  The quilt shows a passenger train, but today, only freight is allowed on these tracks.  Although, on rare occasions, the Coast Starlight is rerouted through the Tehachapi Mountains due to problems on the coastal route. 


    The Road Home Row Along Schedule

    Even though some of the Row Along Reveal days have passed, all of the designers are listed.  Just in case you missed going to those blogs, you can still download their rows.

    September 6

    Cynthia’s Creating Ark
    created a row for Adelaide South Australia
    Kissed Quilts
    created a row for Grand Coulee, Washington
    Renee’s Quilting Addiction
    created a row for Alberta, Canada

    September 8

    Sew Incredibly Crazy
    created a row for Colorado
    3 Patch Crafts
    created a row for Bulgaria
    Just Let Me Quilt
    created a row for Las Vegas, Nevada

    September 13

    Tweety Loves Quilting
    created a row for Edinburgh, UK
    Quiltscapes
    created a row for Heber City/ SLC
    Pine Valley
    created a row for New Zealand

    September 15

    Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
    created a row for Worcester County in Central Massachusetts
    Patti’s Patchwork
    created a row for Toronto, Ontario Canada

    September 20

    Beaquilter
    created a row for Denmark
    Rebecca Mae Designs
    created a row for Northern Maine

    September 22

    Words & Stitches
    created a row for Mt. Hood, Oregon
    Quilt Art
    created a row for Africa
    Patchwork Breeze
    created a row for West Michigan Shoreline

    September 27

    Creatin’ in the Sticks
    created a row for Dodge City, Kansas
    MooseStash Quilting
    created a row for Alaska
    Sue Griffiths featured At Just Let Me Quilt
    created a row for the Northern Rivers Region, NSW, Australia

    Batts In The Attic
    created a row for Hollywood/LA

    I Can Quilt 2
    created a row for Baltimore, MD
     

    September 29

    Quilted Fabric Art
    created a row for Burlington, Vermont
    Westend Quilter
    created a row for Manitoulin Island, Canada
    Pamela Quilts
    created a row for Oregon
    Quilt Fabrication
    created a row for Silicon Valley, CA

    October 04

    Elm Street Quilts
    created a row for North Carolina

    Patchouli Moon Studio

    created a row for Central New Mexico

    October 06

    Miss Loreen’s Schoolhouse
    created a row for New Hampshire
    Bumbleberry Stitches
    created a row for Oklahoma
    Needle in a Hayes Stack
    created a row for the Mojave Desert

    Cloth and Paper Studio
    created a row for North Georgia Mountains

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151 Responsesso far.

  1. YAHOO, I won the Calibre Art Mat. I gifted it to a quilting friend who lost everything in the Louisiana Flooding. Amazon will be shipping it right to her.

    • That is so generous of you. I was wondering if there is any quilting organization out there helping those quilters in Louisiana who lost everything. I would think so, but haven’t heard of one.

  2. Great row! I had no idea the train there looped around like that. Also, I love your artistic license with the green hills, lol!

  3. Love your row! Great job! My grandparents lived in Tehachapi years ago and I visited there once.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

  4. My brother loves trains. He has models and train sets everywhere. I have plenty of orphan blocks with train fabrics, now I can add to this budding quilt a row with a train. Love your row.

    This hop is so creative and inspiring. Such great designers.

  5. What a beautiful block, makes me want to visit the area to learn more. Love being able to ride vintage trains and visit areas that keep their history alive. Thanks for sharing your wonderful talents. You never cease to amaze me with your creativity.

    • Thank you! If you should visit, make sure you visit our two quilt shops, Debbie’s Fabrics and Five Heart quilts on Tehachapi Blvd. There is a railroad museum there too.

  6. Hi Barbara, Thank you, I love your row. What a shame that only freight trains move along that line now. The view must be amazing.
    Warm hugs,
    Ruthie

  7. I so like your mountains and trees. Your row makes me want to go on a mountain train ride. Rode on the Narrow Gauge in Colorado; what fun!

  8. Great row and interpretation of the theme! I’ve seen this area many times on vacation in my early years – always looked forward to seeing those trains!!

  9. What a beautiful row based on a beautiful area! My husband is a train buff and every where we travel, he scopes out the trains. I’m adding Tehachapi Pass to our travel list since retirement is only days away and we will be on the road!

    • Make sure you stop at our quilt shops in town, yes shops, we have TWO on Tehachapi Blvd. Debbies’s Fabrics and Five Heart Quilts, within walking distance of each other.

  10. I love your row. It would look good on my grandson’s headboard or dresser. He loves trains,,,,and cars and trucks and boats. Thanks for sharing!

  11. Great row block, and I love how you have shared a variety of ways to use it! This would certainly be fun for my grandsons! I have spent some time in both the Bakersfield and Tehachapi areas, so it was fun to read a bit of the history.

  12. Oh, this is adorable. I love trains and I can just see little faces in each of the windows. Thanks for the free pattern – I love that it is pieced.

  13. This is such a fun fun row, I really love this one and some great ideas to add to it also, the printed photos, fabulous idea.

    For a first event, you’ve pulled this off beautifully Barbara, I hope you will join in future events, it’s been a sheer pleasure just getting to know you better.

  14. I LOVE this row! It would be beautiful in a child’s room or for anyone that loves trains (Like my 25 year old grandson). Thank you for sharing.

  15. Love your Row!! The idea for putting Family pictures in the windows is AWESOME! Thank you for sharing! & for chance to win your Give-a-way too! 🙂

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