Friendship Florals and Bluebonnet Magic: A Texas Mini Quilt & Other Projects -

Y’all, there is something sacred about Texas in the springtime-the roadsides burst into brilliant carpets of blue as bluebonnet season blooms across the Lone Star State. For my family, raising kids in Austin meant one thing – Sunday pictures and picnics in bluebonnet fields after church, the scent of wildflowers on the breeze, and the hum of cicadas mingling with our laughter. It was a time to slow down, connect, and bask in the beauty of nature…and yes, always with a little reminder from Mama: “Don’t run off!” Don’t eat the bluebonnets!” which was always met with giggles.

That phrase brings me right back to one of my favorite children’s book, Don’t Eat the BlueBonnets, a whimsical Texas tale that teaches lessons about choices, community, and celebrating the beauty around us. So when I saw Friendship Florals by Diane Labomarbe for Riley Blake Designs-with its painterly blooms, sunny palette, and nod to wildflowers meadows-I had to make a quilted accent pillow and runner just the right size for our living room ottoman, designed to capture the heart of bluebonnet season, stitched with love and Texas pride to remind my Texan kiddos of special moments from their childhood.

Design Inspiration: Featuring a Spunky Longhorn (and a Little AI Magic!) Accent Pillow

To make this pillow truly one-of-a-kind, I turned to little creative technology. I used AI to generate a 2D embroidery-style image of a spunky longhorn standing happily bluebonnet field-a playful homage to Texas spirit and cheeky charm of Don’t Eat the Bluebonnets.

Using my Brother SP-1 sublimation printer, I printed the image and heat-pressed it onto the fabric to create the pillow’s focal panel. The rich colors and embroidery texture effect gave the center that storybook-meets-heirloom feel I was dreaming of. Just WOW! The results were stunning, crisp vivid colors and a painterly finish that made the longhorn look ready to trot right off the fabric!

Next, I cut inner and outer borders from coordinating prints in the Friendship Florals collection using gingham accent fabric to frame the image. As a final touch, I added a mitered border made from bluebonnet motif fabric-bringing the wildflowers full circle around my sweet stitched longhorn…who’s dreaming of eating the bluebonnets..LOL!

A Runner for the Ottoman, Made for Memory-Making

To coordinate with the pillow, I stitched up a quilted ottoman runner-perfectly sized for a coffee table, bench, or footrest where little hands like to snack, color, or gather. I used a piece of the bluebonnet whole cloth motif fabric anchored by simple sashing of coordinated gingham prints. Since the runner was designed with picnics and playtime in mind, it was quilted for softness and stability. As a final touch, I used the yellow and blue gingham to bind the piece capturing the image of the Texas sky over a blooming bluebonnet field.

A Texas Mini Quilt

At the heart of this quilt is a digital design that blends tradition and tech. I used AI to create a custom textured illustration of a Texas longhorn standing tall among bluebonnets, transforming a flat image into something with depth and gentle dimension. It has a charming, almost embossed look-like you can run your fingers across the flowers and feel the sunshine on your hands. As a finishing, I added appliqué bluebonnets to the bottom of the digital design for even more added texture.

Using my Brother SP-1 sublimation printer, I printed the image and transferred it to the center square of the mini quilt. That vivid centerpiece, surrounded by a classic Lone Star layout, really brings the story to life.

To build the border, I pieced coordinating prints from the Friendship Florals line – gingham prints that frame the piece with sunny burst of yellow, green and navy echo the heart of the design. For binding, I choose an accent fabric in warm yellow-gold tone that reminds me of Texas sunshine.

The final piece is a tribute in fabric to a place where I lived and love, the wild flowers that bloom boldly without apology, and the creative spark that turns a digital idea into a handmade keepsake. Here’s what I used:

Friendship Floral by Labombarbe for Riley Blake Designs
AI-generated 2D-texture longhorn & bluebonnet image
Brother SP-1 Sublimation Printer
HTVRont Auto Heat Press
Fusible interfacing for image stability
Warm & Natural batting Scraps

Pillows That Bloom

For the living room, I started with a set of simple yet striking zipper pillow covers. I love how easy it is to switch them out with the seasons, and Friendship Florals makes this transition effortless and cheerful. I choose medium floral filled motifs for the front panels to let the prints shine, and accented them with coordinating blenders from the collection for backing.

The deep green and navy backgrounds calm, while the golden yellow and white blossoms add that fresh pop that makes the space feel alive. These pillows don’t just brighten the couch – they make the whole room feel like a bloom-filled retreat!

Dining in Full Bloom

To carry the theme into the dinning room, I wanted the look of a scrappy garden path, so I turned to classic 5″ squares – my go-to for playful patchwork. I selected my favorite butterfly from the collection to cut a stack of 5″ squares and generous sashing strips to create a simple grid-style layout.

By alternating butterfly print 5″ squares and sashing, the runner tells a subtle story of spring’s arrival and summer’s bloom. I stitched the squares into rows, added sashing between and at the end to frame the patchwork, and backed it in a coordinating soft blue to tie the whole space together.

Whether you’re curling up with a book on a floral pillow, gathering with friends around a blooming table or enjoying an outside swing, Friendship Florals brings a breath of fresh air to everyday spaces. The joyful mix of colors and prints makes it perfect for quick seasonal makes that feel timeless.

These projects aren’t just about pretty stitching -they’re a celebration of memory, place and the little moments that shape our family traditions. Whether you’re a born-and-raised Texan or simply smitten with the wild beauty of spring, stitching with Friendship Florals is like opening a quilted love letter to the season.

So go ahead-pack a picnic, bring your scraps, and soak up the season. But remember…don’t eat the bluebonnets!

Happy Stitches,

Jeresther – @Sew_Sweet_SeeBee