Road Trippin’ Through The Tar Heel State — My Quilting Journey Begins Here 💚
- brookesbtchinstitc
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
Welcome back to Brooke’s Bitchin’ Road Trip! This month, we’re heading to North Carolina. I’ve lived here for the past 17 years, and it’s where I fell head over heels in love with quilting.
Living in Western North Carolina, surrounded by breathtaking mountains and an incredible community of local quilt shops, it didn’t take long for me to catch the quilting bug. The inspiration is everywhere—from the changing seasons along the Blue Ridge Parkway to the charm of small-town shops filled with fabric and kind-hearted quilters.
The Tar Heel State Quilt Pattern 🌄
One of my very first patterns—The Tar Heel State—pays tribute to the place that started it all for me. This was the second quilt I designed after launching Brooke’s Bitchin’ Stitches, and it remains close to my heart.
Each quilt in my Home Series features:
A beautiful pixelated design
Three quilt sizes (one throw and two minis)
Step-by-step instructions
Appliqué templates for the minis
And a sweet appliqué heart you can place on the city you call home
Cover Quilt Details:
For the cover quilt, I chose batik fabrics in greens, browns, and blues to represent the forest, mountain, and water regions of the state. The colors blend together like a walk through Pisgah Forest—lush and calming. And for the backing? I couldn’t resist a fabric covered in North Carolina-themed text. It’s a fun, personal touch that makes the quilt even more meaningful.
Quilting with My Baby Lock Altair
I quilted this beauty on my domestic sewing machine, a Baby Lock Altair, using the embroidery function to add custom quilting motifs to each block. If you haven’t tried quilting this way, it’s such a game-changer—especially when working with pixelated designs like this. I created digital files that echoed the grid layout, stitched them block by block, and let the Altair handle the heavy lifting. The result? Crisp, evenly spaced quilting that enhances the pixelated style without overwhelming it.
Quilting with embroidery files gave me so much control, and honestly—it made quilting large areas much more approachable on a domestic machine.
Planning a Trip to North Carolina?
Here are some fun family-friendly (and solo) stops you should absolutely check out:
🏞 Looking Glass Falls (Pisgah Forest): This stunning waterfall is visible right from the road! It’s also where I photographed The Tar Heel State quilt.
🏰 Biltmore Estate (Asheville): America’s largest home with 8,000 acres of gardens, trails, and history
🚙 Blue Ridge Parkway: Especially during fall—it’s like driving through a quilt of color
🏝 Outer Banks: Lighthouses, wild horses, and long beach days
🐘 North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro): One of the world’s largest natural habitat zoos
🧗♀️ Chimney Rock & Lake Lure: Hike and then relax by the lake with a good fabric pull
Fabric Tips & Ideas
Love team spirit? Try Carolina blue and white for a Tar Heel-themed version.
Prefer coastal? Go with ocean blues and sandy tans to capture beach vibes.
Want it to feel woodsy? Use deep greens, bark browns, and rich sky blues like the cover quilt.
This pattern is precuts- and stash-friendly, making it easy to pull from what you already have.
Fun Facts About North Carolina 🧵
The first successful flight by the Wright Brothers happened at Kitty Hawk.
North Carolina is the largest producer of sweet potatoes in the U.S.
It’s home to the highest peak east of the Mississippi—Mount Mitchell.
North Carolina has over 900 waterfalls, many in the western region!
Special Road Trip Treat 🎉
To celebrate this meaningful stop, I’m offering a limited-time discount: Use code TARHEEL for 10% off The Tar Heel State Quilt Pattern (printed or digital download) from August 2–10 only!
🧳 Ready to stitch your own version of The Tar Heel State? Shop the Pattern Here → Digital Download or Printed Format
And don’t forget to check out my full pattern lineup as we continue the Brooke’s Bitchin’ Road Trip—next stop, anyone?
Happy quilting from my corner of the Blue Ridge,
💚 Brooke
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