Batiks and stars: a match made in heaven We love batiks, and we suspect we're not alone. Thus we've been on a quest - an odyssey, you mig...
Modern Quilt Design
For some time, I wanted to make a trilogy of quilts - Serenity, Courage and Wisdom, inspired by the Serenity Prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. A little research revealed that Niebuhr's prayer originally asked for courage first, and specifically for changing things that must be changed, not things that simply can be changed. Quilting Serenity Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other. Of course I sleep with polar bears Blues and Greens I also feel that way about Life's Journey. Courage is what defines our youth. Middle years bring Serenity and Acceptance. And it is only in old age that one can claim to be wise, with the knowledge of hindsight. Warming the Frozen Plant Aliens are welcome :-) I am sure that I have exhibited far more courage than serenity in my life aptly reflected by the size of these two quilts. Icy Blue, Cozy Quilt Serenity is made up of 20 Picket Star Quilt Blocks, with 1.5" borders. Purple Binding Traditional & Modern Prints live happily together Quilt Rose? Layered Quiltyness I chose a sparkly purple binding. Serenity finished at about 69" by 86"and will be sent to Bernie for Mercyful Quilts. Serenity 69" by 86" Courage is made up of 30 Picket Star Quilt Blocks, with a 2" border and finished at 85" by 103". At "that" size I could quilt it. After all I had quilted Aurora and Esmeralda both of which are 80" by 96". Dwarfed by the Large Flimsy Impressionist 108" Wide Backing from Connecting Threads But indulgence swept over me and I decided to treat myself to some longarm quilting expertise bestowed lovingly by Rebecca Grace. I sent the finished flimsy and the Impressionist Wide Backing (Connecting Threads) to Rebecca. Oh baby, I am never letting you go! Be Mine Quilty Goodness Red Binding Meet me in the corner... Warmth & Heat - I want it all When I received the quilt, it was neatly packed, beautifully, nay exquisitely quilted and came with a letter and a poem. Yes, a POEM!!! Paul is glad that she did not ask me to marry her with that poem because I would have said YES. Quilting Detail Rebecca says that she is thankful for giving her the opportunity to quilt for me and I am so overcome with joy for the love and beauty she showered upon my flimsy. Beautiful Quilting And although I can be serene all by my lonesome self, I could not have been this courageous without Rebecca in my corner :-) Breeze was no help I don't have three hands. Paul helped. With Serenity and Courage completed (Leela was finished earlier), I am done with all the Picket Star Quilts. Courage and Serenity Are you wondering - where is the Wisdom quilt? Well, when I feel wise enough, I just might make it. For now wisdom eludes me, and I have a quilt to prove it. Oh yes, I will be posting about "my lack of wisdom" quilt soon. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties (see full list on the sidebar) as well as Angela's Linky Party. How do you feel today? Serene or Courageous? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
April was a pretty busy month for me - my son turned 10, we had school holidays for a few weeks, plus throw in Easter, work and me learning how to use a longarm. Let's just say it was a full month! Nevertheless I managed to finish a few small projects, and I'm excited to be able to share one of these with you today. This is my version of the Peppermint Bark quilt, a brand new quilt pattern by It's Sew Emma for Fat Quarter Shop. I made the crib-sized version of this quilt - and although I don't have any baby girls to give it to, it's the perfect playmat for my daughter to use when she's playing with her Sylvanian toys. I used a few prints by Sarah Jane I've been hoarding for ages (along with a Joel Dewberry herringbone print), and chose a grey solid for the background. I deliberately chose a solid, as I knew I wanted to have some fun with the quilting on this one, and solids are awesome for showing up complex free motion quilting. It's a great pattern for small and medium scale prints - and these blocks sew together really fast. I used two layers of wool batting for this quilt, which is why there's that awesome puff in the unquilted areas. I love using two layers on small quilts, especially if the intention is that they're going to be used on the floor. Not only does it mean the quilting shows up wonderfully, it also means it's super comfy for kids to sit on while they're playing. All the quilting is done in my favorite 50wt Aurifil thread - Dove (2600). It has blended flawlessly into the grey solid, and just leaves all that lovely texture. The back of this is a border print by Sarah Jane, so it's pretty much a double sided quilt. I'm quite certain my daughter will end up using this side for her games (she has been asking for a playmat with water and grass on it for some time - I think this fits the bill pretty well!) I'll be back later this week with some very exciting news - and I'll have another finish to share next week (I just need to get the binding on it!). xx Jess
For some time, I wanted to make a trilogy of quilts - Serenity, Courage and Wisdom, inspired by the Serenity Prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. A little research revealed that Niebuhr's prayer originally asked for courage first, and specifically for changing things that must be changed, not things that simply can be changed. Quilting Serenity Father, give us courage to change what must be altered, serenity to accept what cannot be helped, and the insight to know the one from the other. Of course I sleep with polar bears Blues and Greens I also feel that way about Life's Journey. Courage is what defines our youth. Middle years bring Serenity and Acceptance. And it is only in old age that one can claim to be wise, with the knowledge of hindsight. Warming the Frozen Plant Aliens are welcome :-) I am sure that I have exhibited far more courage than serenity in my life aptly reflected by the size of these two quilts. Icy Blue, Cozy Quilt Serenity is made up of 20 Picket Star Quilt Blocks, with 1.5" borders. Purple Binding Traditional & Modern Prints live happily together Quilt Rose? Layered Quiltyness I chose a sparkly purple binding. Serenity finished at about 69" by 86"and will be sent to Bernie for Mercyful Quilts. Serenity 69" by 86" Courage is made up of 30 Picket Star Quilt Blocks, with a 2" border and finished at 85" by 103". At "that" size I could quilt it. After all I had quilted Aurora and Esmeralda both of which are 80" by 96". Dwarfed by the Large Flimsy Impressionist 108" Wide Backing from Connecting Threads But indulgence swept over me and I decided to treat myself to some longarm quilting expertise bestowed lovingly by Rebecca Grace. I sent the finished flimsy and the Impressionist Wide Backing (Connecting Threads) to Rebecca. Oh baby, I am never letting you go! Be Mine Quilty Goodness Red Binding Meet me in the corner... Warmth & Heat - I want it all When I received the quilt, it was neatly packed, beautifully, nay exquisitely quilted and came with a letter and a poem. Yes, a POEM!!! Paul is glad that she did not ask me to marry her with that poem because I would have said YES. Quilting Detail Rebecca says that she is thankful for giving her the opportunity to quilt for me and I am so overcome with joy for the love and beauty she showered upon my flimsy. Beautiful Quilting And although I can be serene all by my lonesome self, I could not have been this courageous without Rebecca in my corner :-) Breeze was no help I don't have three hands. Paul helped. With Serenity and Courage completed (Leela was finished earlier), I am done with all the Picket Star Quilts. Courage and Serenity Are you wondering - where is the Wisdom quilt? Well, when I feel wise enough, I just might make it. For now wisdom eludes me, and I have a quilt to prove it. Oh yes, I will be posting about "my lack of wisdom" quilt soon. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties (see full list on the sidebar) as well as Angela's Linky Party. How do you feel today? Serene or Courageous? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
The When You Wish... quilt pattern has 4 sizes: baby, throw, queen and king. Sew an easy modern star quilt pattern today.
Since January I've been working with stars for a quilt through Béa et Cécile quilt-a-long. This weekend I finished it. And as the weather was good yesterday, I took my quilt out for a photoshoot. Size 160x220 cm or 63"x87". Quilted by Sølvi Quiltestudio. Hope you all enjoy these pictures. Linked up to Colour & Inspiration Tuesday To-Do Tuesday Linky Design Wall Monday What I made Monday Monday Making Midweek Makers Wednesday Wait Loss Put your foot down Creative Compulsions Linky Party Needle and Thread Thursday TGIFF Link Party Patchwork & Quilts Link Party Retrospective
In an attempt to finish some of the many UFOs that are hanging out in my sewing room, I am participating in the One Monthly Goal link-up at Elm Street Quilts. My goal for February was to finish the quilting on my blue and yellow Sister's Choice quilt. I didn't touch this quilt until the very last week of the month, but I am very happy to report that not only is the quilting is done, but I also added the binding to this quilt. It needs to be washed, but otherwise, it's FINISHED! Sister's Choice, 52" x 66" This quilt has been an on-again, off-again project for several years. It started in 2013 as a pile of scrappy blue and yellow 9-patch blocks. In 2018 I added the blue triangles to turn the 9-patches into Sister's Choice blocks. I stitched the blocks together into rows, then quilted each row before joining them together, my own variation on quilt as you go. The only part that still needed quilting was most of the border sections, and now those are done too! This is one of my favorite blocks in the quilt. I especially love the center fabric with the bees. You also get a good look at some of the other fabrics, plus the quilting shows up well. There's straight-line quilting in the center star, meandering in the white background, wavy lines in the sashing (especially visible across the top,) and a diagonal grid in the border at the right. The back of the quilt was pieced from chunks of several older blue prints. The horizontal seams line up with the seams where the rows of blocks and sashing were joined together on the front of the quilt. The colors don't really look as grey as they appear in this photo. Linking up with: One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts Rainbow Scrap Challenge at soscrappy Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework Favorite Finish at Meadow Mist Designs Thanks God It's Finished Friday (TGIFF) at Rebecca Grace Quilting Happy quilting everyone! Julie in GA
The other day I was wishing that Asteria was already quilted. We have been having a cold snap this week. It feels like Holiday Festivities everywhere. And this would be the perfect quilt to put o…
Another week, another quilt top to show! That is highly unusual for me. Full disclosure: the Elvira top that I shared a few days ago (in this post) was actually completed on March 28th. It took a couple of weeks to get decent photos of it and write a blog post. Today's quilt top was just finished yesterday, April 12th. 2020 Mystery Quilt 60.5" x 60.5" This is my version of the Laundry Basket Quilts 2020 Mystery by Edyta Sitar. For 15 consecutive days, from March 20th until April 3rd, Edyta shared a different quilt block pattern. Each day's block needed to be made 4-8 times (except for one day when our assignment was to make 16 of the daily block!) At the end of the 15 days, we would have a total of 100 blocks, all finishing at 6", which then were assembled into this lovely design. I started out well for the first couple of days, but soon got distracted by other projects. I returned to this QAL for the final week of block designs, and nearly managed to make up for lost time, completing my last set of blocks one day after the final block pattern was released. It took most of my free time last week to get all the blocks joined together into this top. The close-up photo gives a better look at some of my fabrics. Edyta's version of the mystery quilt used her "Super Bloom" line of fabrics in lovely blues and rosy pinks. I had a bundle of fabrics from one of her earlier lines, "Something Blue" which was mostly blues and a few tan/light brown prints. Almost all of my blue fabrics in this quilt were from that line, plus a couple of the tans and about half of the cream background fabrics. The rest of the fabrics were pulled from my stash. It's times like this that I am so grateful to have that wonderful fabric stash! "Something Blue" fabrics by Laundry Basket Quilts The one remaining question with this quilt is whether or not to add any borders. The current size is 60.5" x 60.5", and it might be more useful if it were larger. I know there are some lovely blue and brown fabrics in my stash that could be used for borders. That is a decision I will be pondering over the coming week. I had so much fun following along with this mystery quilt. The variety of different block patterns really helped keep it interesting, and Edyta's instructions were very clear. I believe the mystery will be removed from the Laundry Basket Quilts blog at some point soon, but I don't know if it has happened yet. If it's still there, I highly recommend downloading Edyta's patterns for this lovely quilt. Linking up with: Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt BOMs Away at What a Hoot Quilts Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Happy quilting everyone! Julie in GA
Picture this - About noon on Superbowl Sunday Me: I am going to eat my lunch and watch TV. Do you want to join me? Paul (reclining on the couch): Nah, I am watching the eyelid show. Me: Ooh that is a good show. Paul: It was greatly reviewed. Me: Yup, I watch it everyday. Later, during the 4th quarter of the Superbowl game Me: I am done here. Paul: Sup babe? Me: My eyelid show is about to begin. For the Eyelid Show Here is a quilt perfect for use during a little one's eyelid show :-) I am calling her Tara. Scrappy Triangles On the Design Wall Tara came about because I was trying to repurpose the scraps left over from Enchanted Lake and Kinda Brave. Sew, Press, Trim 6.5" HSTs can be combined in so many ways and there were several revisions. In the Process Getting There Final Layout, I think. Aha!!! Added a skinny border to save the points. OK, I could not save everyone :-( but most points were saved. Skinny Border For the backing I had to get slightly inventive. I used a striped fabric and added (cut and insert) a pieced strip of the same to get at 50" square. Pieced Backing Tara finished at about 48" square. Here are some more pictures of the finished quilt. Aquas & Purples Black/White Binding Walking Foot Quilting Snug as a Bug Did I label it? Labelled It is amazing how much your binding improves after 150 quilts :-) She shimmers Sweet Dreams!!! She glows and shimmers and makes me as happy as a glowworm on a warm summer night. I'd love to hear your thoughts. _______________________________________________________________________ Me: All the blocks for the #BushFire Quilts are complete. Paul: That is good news. Me: But some blocks are a smidgen short of the required 12.5" Paul: What does that mean? The first ones Me: That they do not meet the strict guidelines - at least 12.5". Could be more, not less. Paul: Will they discard your blocks? Me: I doubt that. But if I was collecting the blocks, I'd be upset if the blocks did not meet the specified dimensions Paul: So why did you not make them larger? Mix and Match Background Triangles Me: Well, the first batch of blocks ended up being slightly smaller because I was still trying the new pattern. The blocks I made later are more generously sized. Paul: Then just send the generous ones. Me: I could, but that is only half of what I made. Disappointing Paul: What now? Pinned in Place Trunks Me: I could combine one or two skinny blocks with a generous block. Paul: How? It is not like you can take an average here. Me: If I sew them into a top the smaller blocks can be compensated by the generous ones and the overall dimensions will match their requirements (48" by 60"). Paul: There you go! Falling Short Coming Together The finished flimsies will be revealed in the next blogspot. Stay tuned :-) _______________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my juicy orange blocks for the RSC2020. Linking with Angela. Small Blocks are Done The big ones are in the works and I promise to have them done along with the BushFire Quilt flimsies. Big Blocks in process _______________________________________________________________________ This blogpost will not be complete without a shout-out to Bernie. I was surprised (very pleasantly) when I received a package from Bernie (Needle and Foot) with a load of yummy scraps, a sweet note and two kisses :-) Cannot stop smiling :-) No, I did not win the giveaway but Bernie made a special package for me. I feel so loved. Kisses to you, Bernie!!! I don't have to be rich. I just want to have generous friends. Wish granted!!! I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
Out of the Blue Lady Sings the Blues 60 x 72 It's a finish! I started making these Economy Blocks back in November 2020 in order to use up a lot of blue scraps as well as some blue 3 inch (finished) Nine Patches. I finished the top back in January 2021 and if you read that post you can see how I went about assembling it in a sort of "planned random" manner. This quilt actually used up more scraps than I thought it would but I do still have some blue scraps left to play with. I quilted it with blue thread on my DSM with diagonal, horizontal and vertical lines intersecting in the center of the little nine patches. The binding is a digital print that looks like a blue knit sweater. And I had just enough of this blue floral print for the back. And now it is ready for giving or gifting. Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts
Warm sunny weather greeted us upon our desert adventure to Quilt Arizona !, the new name for the 2016 annual show of the Arizona Quilters Gu...
Cut Glass Dish 2023 96 by 84 inches quilted by Sue Divarco My directions for making it are included here. I am really pleased with how this one turned out.
several Black Fridays ago, i purchased 2 FQ bundles of Good Neighbors fabric from Connecting Threads. the bundles sat for a while {ripening} while i pondered what i'd like to do with them. Finally, i decided on a churn dash block for one FQ bundle, and a 2by4 Block layout for the other. (loosely based on the tutorial found here.) there's lots of these 2X4 quilts floating around in SM Land, and i do really like the pattern! and above: a few close-up beauty shots of these quilts. the 2x4 is quilted with baptist fans, the churn dash is meandering circles. both these quilts are destined for the Guest Room- one for the double bed, one for the twin. as soon as we actually have guests, that is... i recently finished this 4 patch quilt- it's got a strong coffee vibe going on. i used 2 charm packs of Moda's Bistro, along with some Kona solids and other random, matching prints. the 4th quilt shown has been done for a long time, ( i wrote about it here) but i just recently decided on a home for it. it's baby sized, and uses a Moda Bistro charm pack as well. i'm thinking to give these 2 quilts to my son N, and his to-be-born son, due in June. N is a coffee aficionado, buying and roasting his own beans. with a new baby boy on the way, i thought it might be fun for them to have "matching" quilts.
It’s a Scrapbuster Challenge! Challenge #1 I do have a ‘few’ Island Batik scraps! I save anything that is larger than 2″. I know that some of my fellow ambassadors save scra…
January has been a busy month including lots of quilting time. I've started way too many new quilts, but I'm very happy to have made progress on one of my projects from last year too. This is my finished Jabberwocky quilt top! Jabberwocky, block pattern by Judy Martin 65" wide x 76.75" long The Jabberwocky block pattern is by Judy Martin in The Block Book. That was the name she used for her block, and I didn't see any reason to change it for my quilt. The book is out of print, but you can still buy it online. The star blocks for this quilt were made all throughout 2023 as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The last blocks were made in October, then it was time to figure out my setting. After many auditions, I chose to offset the columns of blocks, and I used a grey spotty fabric as the sashing and borders. Here are a few of my favorite blocks. Finishing this quilt top was my One Monthly Goal for January. Success at my first OMG of the year sure feels good! Linking up with: Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework One Monthly Goal at Stories from the Sewing Room Happy quilting everyone! Julie in GA
It's a flimsy! Serendipity It's roughly 60 x 84 my version vintage version It was inspired by a c. 1940-1970 vintage quilt. I think the block is a Stone Mason's Puzzle Variation and I set about making them my way in May. The blocks finished a little larger than 12 inches. When the blocks are joined together they form a secondary pattern. I had a lot of small chunks of blue green fabrics that I decided to use up in this quilt so each block has at least one piece of blue green fabric. It's funny how some of the blue greens tend to look more light blue than blue-green depending upon the colors of fabrics around them. My OMG (One Monthly Goal) for September was to finish 7 blocks and then sew them together into a flimsy. Mission accomplished I'm glad to say since this has been an unusually busy month with little sewing time. OMG at Elm Street Quilts Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Happy Needle and Thread Thursday! My latest quilt, appropriately named Churn Baby, Churn is all finished, and I am in LOVE with it! The colors in this collection are so rich and vibrant, and are perfect for the fun layout in the quilt. When I went to quilt it though, I was stumped on the design since there is so much going on. I feel like any allover quilting motif would have taken a back seat to the piecing and fabrics, so I just went with my good ole standby stipple. When I asked for thread input in my last post, the aqua won out by far, and I'm so glad. Sometimes I worry that I default to aqua too often, but my heart really wanted to quilt this with aqua thread. So, it was good to have plenty who agreed with me. I quilted with 50 wt. Aurifil # 5006, Light Turquoise, my favorite shade of aqua thread. You might also remember that I planned to use an entirely different main fabric for the back. Well, sometimes the very best plans get foiled, and when I went to my local shop to get the fabric, only 1.5 yards were left on the bolt. So, instead, I picked up this orange print from Art Gallery's Bound collection. I mixed this print into the front as well, so it's all good. I also threw in a stripe of Kona Pool for good measure. With such an explosion of color and print on the front, this solid Kona Navy binding creates a perfect frame to contain all of it. Several have asked if I am planning to write a pattern for this quilt, and after giving it lots of thought, I have decided that I am not. The trouble with a quilt like this is that it is difficult to write concise cutting instructions for so many different sized pieces. It can be done, but I just don't have the time right now. Instead, I have created a layout diagram with (finished) sizing for you! Each color corresponds to a different size, and the finished sizes are listed for you on one of each color block. The black lines show how I sewed the quilt together in sections, giving it a random look (with no partial seams!) This layout could really work for any block you like. As long as your finished blocks are 15", 9", and 6", you can just plug them into the spaces for an awesome, modern quilt. If you use this layout, be sure to send me a photo! Okie dokie! Let's get to the features from last week's party, shall we? Denise from For the Love of Geese shared this pretty Granny Square quilt. I love these colors! Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty linked up this jelly roll log cabin quilt. I love how making rectangular log cabin blocks give the quilt a fresh look! Look at this awesome Sawtooth Star QOV by Katie Mae Quilts- And finally, this awesome quilt is by Tiina from Kasityolainen- unelmissaan. Her blog is written in English as well, so definitely check it out! Wow! Just WOW! Y'all bring such amazing inspiration each and every week. I am just amazed. Without further ado, let's link up! 1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing! 2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others. 3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link. 4. Spread the comment love far and wide! 5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated! *If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop" when selecting your thumbnail photo. For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work! :)
Batiks and stars: a match made in heaven We love batiks, and we suspect we're not alone. Thus we've been on a quest - an odyssey, you mig...
I've done a little work on Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks this month. Our challenge color was red, and I made four red, scrappy 25-patch stars earlier in the month. Since I didn't start the 25-patch stars (yes, I'm using a throw-back name) until mid-year, I've been working backwards through previous RSC colors. My green scraps were a little limited, but I still have lots of time to balance out colors if needed. I also dug up some additional red scraps to make some Easy Breezy Leader-Ender blocks. These are fun scrap-buster blocks; I need to cut some more parts to replenish my leader-ender stash. I was finally able to photograph a finished quilt that started as an RSC project. According to my notes, I started this quilt in 2014, but I apparently didn't blog about it until 2017. This represents just about every blue fabric (excluding reproduction fabrics) that has made its way through my stash in the past six years! The quilt is destined for the bed in my guest room; it measures 88 inches by 93 inches. I didn't follow a specific pattern, just made Variable/Sawtooth Star blocks and Uneven Nine-patch blocks until the quilt was the size I wanted. The Flying Geese border added a few extra inches and a finishing touch. Long-arm quilting by Diane D. Knott of Butterfly Threads Quilting. I love how the double clamshell pattern worked out! Some of you know I love the combination of blue and white. Whether it's quilts, transferware china, or KLM houses (thanks, Barb!), I seem to gravitate to all things blue and white. I figured this quilt was as much a collection of blue and white as anything else I collect, hence the quilt name. Finishing this quilt was a great sunshine-y spot during the past crazy months!
I have a fat quarter friendly, stash-busting quilt pattern for you today. It's called Stash Knockout and it's here to help you get your stash under control. Like many of you, my stash could do
January has been a busy month including lots of quilting time. I've started way too many new quilts, but I'm very happy to have made progress on one of my projects from last year too. This is my finished Jabberwocky quilt top! Jabberwocky, block pattern by Judy Martin 65" wide x 76.75" long The Jabberwocky block pattern is by Judy Martin in The Block Book. That was the name she used for her block, and I didn't see any reason to change it for my quilt. The book is out of print, but you can still buy it online. The star blocks for this quilt were made all throughout 2023 as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The last blocks were made in October, then it was time to figure out my setting. After many auditions, I chose to offset the columns of blocks, and I used a grey spotty fabric as the sashing and borders. Here are a few of my favorite blocks. Finishing this quilt top was my One Monthly Goal for January. Success at my first OMG of the year sure feels good! Linking up with: Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework One Monthly Goal at Stories from the Sewing Room Happy quilting everyone! Julie in GA
It's a flimsy! Flashes of Brilliance The pattern, inspired by a vintage quilt, is by Pam Buda and was published in American Patchwork and Quilting October 2015. I started this in February 2019. Every once in awhile I like to really challenge myself. I really wasn't sure I could actually make these blocks let alone a whole quilt of them. Ah, the thrill of meeting a challenge! I can't believe I made this! I actually made this! AND I think I have a plan for the scraps. Now into the hand quilting pile it goes! &&& My January OMG (One Monthly Goal) was to assemble at least one top from the large box of complete block sets. This is top #4. Quilt top #1 to be assembled was Dakota Farmer (Stars). Quilt top #2 was Blue Economy Blocks. Quilt top #3 was Clarissa. OMG at Elm Street Quilts
For a couple of weeks now, I've been promising to share my finished Dresden Stars quilt, and today is finally the day! Warning, there are lots of photos in this post. My Dresden Stars quilt was started in a class with Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts in June, 2013. It was a great class, and she was an absolutely delightful teacher with many wonderful quilts to show us. This is the picture of her pattern with a link to the website. Dresden Star pattern from Laundry Basket Quilts I made eight blocks as shown in the pattern, but decided to use only five to make a wallhanging for a specific spot in our living room. My quilt finished at about 50" square. In finishing this quilt, I used techniques similar to those in Marti Michell's book Machine Quilting in Sections. The book is available from her website or at many online sources. She also had (has?) a Craftsy class on this topic. The idea is that it is easier to machine quilt on a domestic machine if you aren't wrestling the entire quilt through the machine at once. The book presents different methods for quilting in sections and then joining those sections together. I adapted/combined a couple of her techniques in the finishing of my quilt. I always struggle with machine quilting, and doing it in smaller portions did make things easier for me. The center of my quilt was divided diagonally into three sections of blocks, sashing and setting triangles. I laid them out with the batting and backing fabric, including extra on the sides where the borders would be added later. Here are two of the sections laying on the backing fabric with the extra batting showing at the top and right edges. The separate sections got quilted in the blocks and the setting triangles before they were joined together. I stitched in the ditch around the Dresdens, then echo quilted around them. There's also a couple lines of stitching around the center circles. After that quilting was done, it was time to join the sections together. The next photos show two sections joined with a contrast strip on the backing side to cover the seams. After all three sections were joined together, it was time to add the borders. There is a narrow dark gold inner border, and the outer border is a floral print on a deep blue background. The fabrics for the sashing, setting triangles, and borders all came out of my stash. It was very difficult to get any good photos of the quilting in the borders. I used the floral print as my guide, free motion quilting around the outlines of all of the flowers. You can't tell from this photo, but my stitching was done in red thread. The crazy backing fabric just makes me smile! I have no idea when or where I got this, but I'm so glad it was waiting in my stash. It feels great to have a finish, especially to get an old UFO completed. It is such an unusual combination of fabrics, with many batiks in the Dresdens, an Asian style print in the setting triangles, and a folk art floral for the outer border. Somehow, they all work well together. I'm happy with the results, and best of all, Ed likes it too! This quilt looks great hanging opposite the front door in our living room, greeting us each time we enter! FYI--it's time for the Fall 2020 Quilty Orphan Adoption Event hosted by Cynthia at Quilting is more fun than Housework. You can join in and get rid of some UFO's that no longer excite you, or you can enter the giveaways to win other people's UFO's. I have three "orphans" up for adoption there--go ahead and check them out! Linking up with: Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Happy quilting everyone! Julie in GA
Finally all done with Alaska and some beauty shots taken outside. I still need to make a label but this quilt is ready for the bed whenever I’m ready to put it on it. I started to piece this qui…
several Black Fridays ago, i purchased 2 FQ bundles of Good Neighbors fabric from Connecting Threads. the bundles sat for a while {ripening} while i pondered what i'd like to do with them. Finally, i decided on a churn dash block for one FQ bundle, and a 2by4 Block layout for the other. (loosely based on the tutorial found here.) there's lots of these 2X4 quilts floating around in SM Land, and i do really like the pattern! and above: a few close-up beauty shots of these quilts. the 2x4 is quilted with baptist fans, the churn dash is meandering circles. both these quilts are destined for the Guest Room- one for the double bed, one for the twin. as soon as we actually have guests, that is... i recently finished this 4 patch quilt- it's got a strong coffee vibe going on. i used 2 charm packs of Moda's Bistro, along with some Kona solids and other random, matching prints. the 4th quilt shown has been done for a long time, ( i wrote about it here) but i just recently decided on a home for it. it's baby sized, and uses a Moda Bistro charm pack as well. i'm thinking to give these 2 quilts to my son N, and his to-be-born son, due in June. N is a coffee aficionado, buying and roasting his own beans. with a new baby boy on the way, i thought it might be fun for them to have "matching" quilts.
Audition Block Ready to Piece Just Playing with HSTs Mom was exasperated. Can I have just one room that is clean and uncluttered? One room where I can seat a guest? Is that too much to ask? Design Wall Two Rows = Half Done Yay for the Flimsy!!! Mom is an early riser and by early afternoon she needs a nap. If mom was taking a nap in the bedroom, we girls would take our toys in the drawing room and play as quietly as possible. And although we kept the noise level to a minimum the clutter and the mess was a different story. And Finished!!! Cascading The drawing room (formal sitting room) had to be the nicest and cleanest place. This was where the best family pictures belonged, my sister's artwork and my debating trophy was displayed with pride. The sofa and the table were wiped every day, making sure that there was no dust lurking in the crevices, that the carved wood was shiny. Most guests never saw the rest of the house. Star of Wonder Star Bright Star Light Star Shine Star Mine I feel like that is America to the rest of the world. The outsiders only see the drawing room. In fact, many Americans would rather not focus on any other part except the face they show to the world - human rights champion, bastion of democracy, leaders in research and higher education, and the land of opportunity. Backing & Binding Angles and More Labelled Christmas in July? So Shiny More the Merrier And America IS all that. That is why I wanted to come here and many still do. But once I got a glimpse of the mess and filth in other rooms, be it the treatment of the Native Americans, Japanese internment camps, or the long history of slavery and lynchings which has morphed into police brutality and mass incarceration of the Blacks, it became clear why most Americans would keep the door shut on these rooms. Light & Shade I love this Glass Sculpture (art or just another phallic symbol) Sun's Embrace of the Stars Let there be light!!! Today these rooms of mess and filth can no longer be our private shame. The doors have burst open. The more we try to hide these ills the more they fester. But accepting our past and facing the truth is just the first step. I recommend Michelle Alexander's book - The New Jim Crow - Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. It is an eye-opener. Orange and Green Echoes Do you see the blue lights in the background? It was fortuitous to find this spot of dark orange flowers with dark green leaves and almost fluorescent foliage that matched perfectly with the colors of the quilt. I disregarded cars whizzing past and pedestrians trying to maintain safe distance from me as I tried to keep the shadows out of the picture. About two years ago, we (two friends and I) went to see the Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC. The National Portrait Galley was a short walk away and the portraits of the Obamas were newly unveiled. We battled the crowds and the long lines to see them. But that was not the highlight of my day. This was. You may want to learn more about the artist Titus Kaphar. This young artist's work is extraordinary and incisive. It peels back the curtain (literally and figuratively) so that we may see what lies beneath. I am not the only one who is impressed. Titus Kaphar's painting is the cover of Time Magazine. As quilters (artists) many of us want to focus on just the beauty and keep our eyes closed to the horror and filth. Kaphar's work shows how one can do both - portray the grief and loss with beauty and sensitivity. Stars of Solace - 64" by 80" Having a spotless past (or a home) is not the mark of greatness. Embracing our messes is just the beginning. How we take responsibility, accept our mistakes, right the wrongs, and clean our houses (not sweep it under the carpet) is what really matters. Are we up to the task? As I gathered the quilt and walked back to my car, I noticed the orange umbrellas, orange menu holders and green chairs on the patio of a local restaurant. It was too tempting to pass. The umbrellas, the chair and the grass - all there to match my quilt. Orange Umbrellas Frame!!! And then it got even better - a blue beer truck in the background. I am downright tipsy!!! Every color came to the party!!! Stars of Solace will be sent to Bernie for Mercyful Quilts. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties - see full list on the sidebar. I'd love your insights on both starry quilts and murky truths. _______________________________________________________________________ Angela has announced the RSC color for July - dark blue. I was hoping for yellow and dark blue feels like a bruise... Here are my picks For the Picket Star Quilt Block For RSC Project #2 Linking with Angela's Linky Party.
When it comes to quilt design, we are drawn to dimensionality (such as attic windows and tumbling blocks ), color, and movement . In desig...
I've been wanting to make a quilt for a friend of mine. I almost gave her my Windblown Wishes quilt when it was finished (pictures coming as soon as we have some decent weather for photography), but decided I couldn't part with that particular quilt. I find it easier to give away a quilt if I have a certain person in mind from the get-go. I thought about quilt blocks/patterns on my bucket list and finally focused on star blocks made with the Tri-Recs ruler. Back in the early 1990s, my quilt guild made an opportunity quilt based on the Fifty-Four Forty or Fight quilt block. At the time, there were no specialty rulers to help in the construction of the blocks, so we all learned to paper-piece the blocks required for the quilt. I loved those spiky star blocks and always wanted to make a quilt of my own featuring them. I'm so happy I can now use a specialty ruler to make the blocks rather than paper piecing! Ring of Stars by Nancy Rink This quilt caught my attention several years ago when I did a Google search for starry quilt patterns. It's kind of a deconstructed Fifty-Four Forty or Fight block - with the 4-patches used in another block to make a secondary pattern. I decided it might lend itself to a Rainbow Scrap Challenge treatment and downloaded the pattern from Connecting Threads. I did some sketching and planning and figured I would need at least 3 sets of blocks in each rainbow color. I also decided to make 9 inch blocks, so I could use scraps from my 3.5 inch strip bin. I think this project may turn out to be a great scrap buster! As always, there's more scrappy inspiration at the weekly RSC link-up!
I finished assembling all the blocks from the LAUNDRY BASKET 2020 MYSTERY! This sew-along has been running for the past two weeks, with daily clues accumulating to 100 blocks. The instructions were clear and well-written, and the pace was just right for me. I'll be thinking about borders now, and will certainly look into other Laundry Basket projects in the future. Meanwhile, I've decided to pass on the Quiltville UNITY sew-along. I'm just going to concentrate on my own projects for now. ***************
Warm sunny weather greeted us upon our desert adventure to Quilt Arizona!, the new name for the 2016 annual show of the Arizona Quilters Gui...
Although I was initially hesitant to post any of our passage quilts, QS convinced me our experiences might help others. The situation is universal, after all. Before you start using your irreplaceable family clothing, consider reading the previous post and insightful comments. Here's the final arrangement for Bro1's Broken Dishes. Blocks were moved, of course. It's about 50 by 60" and used 120 six-inch squares that finished about five-inches. Broken Dishes memory quilt Our second passage quilt is slightly larger because I put some squares in the wrong stack. Oops. Channeling Jacob's Ladder (a nine-patch) this is actually a four-patch called Buckeye Beauty. Buckeye Beauty passage quilt The fabric colors fell fell in two groups: pinks/purples/light blues and red/darker blues. Although there is fabric crossover in each group we did concentrate the amounts from one quilt to the next. The third quilt is a simple pinwheel with unexpected zebra fabric in the corners. DS loved safari fabrics and nature parks. This fabric was part of her small stash for art and embellishment. BTW, this is the quilt that got shorted those squares. Pinwheel passage quilt The fourth quilt is a version of Kansas Troubles from Sujata's Cultural Fusion book. Each pair of blocks used eight six-inch squares. Because of the extra seams, the x-blocks finished eight inches rather than ten inches like the others. Kansas Troubles passage quilt The border came from a heavy cotton sateen dress I made for my sister years ago. Even though it was out of date she stored it carefully all these years. So I had to include it. Unfortunately I cut it into squares before realizing how much thicker it was than all the other fabrics. My solution was to cut a couple of plaid squares into 1x6" units and sew them to the sateen. One-by-six-inch strips from plaid used to join sateen cotton border The plaid folds over, the sateen butts one to another, the sewing thickness is minimized, and the beautiful memory is preserved. EDIT: Check out this passage quilt by Patty, the Quilt Lady. Enjoy the day, Ann
Get starstruck with more than 30 free quilt patterns that use Star blocks, which look stunning in any colorway. Choose red, white, and blue for a Fourth of July quilt, traditional Christmas colors for a holiday project, or hues that match your decor for a wall hanging that will last all year!
January has been a busy month including lots of quilting time. I've started way too many new quilts, but I'm very happy to have made progress on one of my projects from last year too. This is my finished Jabberwocky quilt top! Jabberwocky, block pattern by Judy Martin 65" wide x 76.75" long The Jabberwocky block pattern is by Judy Martin in The Block Book. That was the name she used for her block, and I didn't see any reason to change it for my quilt. The book is out of print, but you can still buy it online. The star blocks for this quilt were made all throughout 2023 as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The last blocks were made in October, then it was time to figure out my setting. After many auditions, I chose to offset the columns of blocks, and I used a grey spotty fabric as the sashing and borders. Here are a few of my favorite blocks. Finishing this quilt top was my One Monthly Goal for January. Success at my first OMG of the year sure feels good! Linking up with: Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication Wednesday Wait Loss at Inquiring Quilter Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts Can I Get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework One Monthly Goal at Stories from the Sewing Room Happy quilting everyone! Julie in GA
Here are some more intriguing quilts from the weekend of March 9-10. As you can see, a wide range of styles and techniques were on display....
To see what other quilters have on their design walls go to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts. I haven't done any more quilting on Windmills. But, I have been busy with other quilt-related projects. I finished piecing this top, Crimson Poppy. And, this top - A Sparkling Samper. I also got out this project yesterday - Coral Reef. I got all the foundation papers cut and organized. But I need a bigger surface to work on to cut the fabrics. Before I can do that I need to clean up in the sewing room. I started piecing the Churn Dash blocks together over the weekend. I divided them into piles - dark backgrounds, light backgrounds. I may regret it later, but for now, I'm just picking up one from each pile and sewing them together. I got one row sewn yesterday. My little design wall above the big ironing board is only big enough for a few blocks, not for complete rows. Plus, I keep pinning things up there so it is slowly getting covered with things that are not quilt blocks. The big ironing board and cutting area are covered with the Churn Dash project and the RSC (yellow for February) block for next month. Somewhere in there are also blocks for the Stashbuster Challenge for 2021 by Border Creek Station. So, I am making do with my fabric stash by pinning things to the fabric in the cubbies. I like to take photos outside but that isn't happening right now. And, one more thing to add to my list of projects; My Quilter's Exchange group has decided that since we are unable to meet in person, but are all wanting to have some kind of connection during Covid we will be working on a mystery quilt. It is being organized by our 'leader' and the first clue will be posted today. I have chosen a fat quarter batik bundle and added some more fabrics from my stash. The colors aren't true (I just can't seem to get that right) but you can get an idea of what they look like. I will have to use the lighter fabric in the middle as the light because I don't have enough of the darker one. The dark teal on the left and the dark green on the right are border options. I will probably not decide which one until the rest of the top is pieced. I can't believe it is already February! Winter has made itself known here the last few days. We have gotten snow. Not a lot, really, but enough to cause problems. It all started Saturday afternoon with rain, that turned to slushy rain, that turned to snow. Cold temps and wind have made for icy, drifted roads that are hazardous. There are some rabbits that live under the end of the ramp where those drifts are. I think the drifts probably help keep the wind out, maybe. The drifts haven't blocked them in. There are a lot of rabbit prints around the front garden. And, it appears, at least one cat has been lurking about! And, that is fine by me. I hope he is keeping the rodent population under control. Husband set out early this morning to travel the 1-1/4 mile distance to his parent's house to feed the cows. He had to turn around and come home for the tractor. The roads had drifts large enough that made getting through impossible. A snowplow has just now gone down my road so hopefully, the roads will be better soon. The sun is shining now which is quite deceiving. It looks like a pretty day, but the wind is picking up again and it is COLD! Stay safe and well.
Picture this - About noon on Superbowl Sunday Me: I am going to eat my lunch and watch TV. Do you want to join me? Paul (reclining on the couch): Nah, I am watching the eyelid show. Me: Ooh that is a good show. Paul: It was greatly reviewed. Me: Yup, I watch it everyday. Later, during the 4th quarter of the Superbowl game Me: I am done here. Paul: Sup babe? Me: My eyelid show is about to begin. For the Eyelid Show Here is a quilt perfect for use during a little one's eyelid show :-) I am calling her Tara. Scrappy Triangles On the Design Wall Tara came about because I was trying to repurpose the scraps left over from Enchanted Lake and Kinda Brave. Sew, Press, Trim 6.5" HSTs can be combined in so many ways and there were several revisions. In the Process Getting There Final Layout, I think. Aha!!! Added a skinny border to save the points. OK, I could not save everyone :-( but most points were saved. Skinny Border For the backing I had to get slightly inventive. I used a striped fabric and added (cut and insert) a pieced strip of the same to get at 50" square. Pieced Backing Tara finished at about 48" square. Here are some more pictures of the finished quilt. Aquas & Purples Black/White Binding Walking Foot Quilting Snug as a Bug Did I label it? Labelled It is amazing how much your binding improves after 150 quilts :-) She shimmers Sweet Dreams!!! She glows and shimmers and makes me as happy as a glowworm on a warm summer night. I'd love to hear your thoughts. _______________________________________________________________________ Me: All the blocks for the #BushFire Quilts are complete. Paul: That is good news. Me: But some blocks are a smidgen short of the required 12.5" Paul: What does that mean? The first ones Me: That they do not meet the strict guidelines - at least 12.5". Could be more, not less. Paul: Will they discard your blocks? Me: I doubt that. But if I was collecting the blocks, I'd be upset if the blocks did not meet the specified dimensions Paul: So why did you not make them larger? Mix and Match Background Triangles Me: Well, the first batch of blocks ended up being slightly smaller because I was still trying the new pattern. The blocks I made later are more generously sized. Paul: Then just send the generous ones. Me: I could, but that is only half of what I made. Disappointing Paul: What now? Pinned in Place Trunks Me: I could combine one or two skinny blocks with a generous block. Paul: How? It is not like you can take an average here. Me: If I sew them into a top the smaller blocks can be compensated by the generous ones and the overall dimensions will match their requirements (48" by 60"). Paul: There you go! Falling Short Coming Together The finished flimsies will be revealed in the next blogspot. Stay tuned :-) _______________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my juicy orange blocks for the RSC2020. Linking with Angela. Small Blocks are Done The big ones are in the works and I promise to have them done along with the BushFire Quilt flimsies. Big Blocks in process _______________________________________________________________________ This blogpost will not be complete without a shout-out to Bernie. I was surprised (very pleasantly) when I received a package from Bernie (Needle and Foot) with a load of yummy scraps, a sweet note and two kisses :-) Cannot stop smiling :-) No, I did not win the giveaway but Bernie made a special package for me. I feel so loved. Kisses to you, Bernie!!! I don't have to be rich. I just want to have generous friends. Wish granted!!! I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
First, I appreciate all of the support I have received on my Well Suited scrap pattern release. I have been busy working on finishing up the second module - which uses scrappy strips. So stay tuned! When I originally listed my pattern, I only did so in my Payhip pattern shop. The fees are minimal on this platform so I could keep the price of the modules down. Unfortunately, to purchase and download, you need to have a PayPal account. I did have requests from a few readers to list my patterns somewhere where this is not necessary. So I am also listing my Scrap Mixology patterns in my Etsy shop at a slightly higher price (to cover the additional costs they charge). Now there is another option for those of you that don't have a PayPal account and just want to pay with a credit card. If you want to read more about my newest pattern, you can follow this link. Thanks! Enjoy your week! Follow Me on Bloglovin' Follow Me thru Email Follow Me on Feedly Connecting Threads is celebrating their anniversary with some sitewide savings and $15 off purchases of $50 or more. Just use the promocode 15OFF50 when you checkout. I found four fabrics in their sale section that I purchased for backings. They should be arriving next week!
The When You Wish... quilt pattern has 4 sizes: baby, throw, queen and king. Sew an easy modern star quilt pattern today.
Australis, des changements prévus... Australis, some planned changes... Si vous êtes venus me rendre visite récemment, vous avez probablement vu Australis, le quilt que je fais pour le Challenge Etoile de Béa et Cécile. If you’ve come to visit my blog recently, you’ve probably seen Australis, the quilt I’m doing for the Star Challenge hosted by Béa and Cécile. Dans un précédent article, j'expliquais l'origine de ce quilt, et la signification de son nom. Avez-vous reconnu les constellations ? Je rappelle que c'est une vue du ciel depuis l'hémisphère Sud. Tout en haut, vous avez le Scorpion, reconnaissable à sa forme en point d'interrogation inversé (encore faut-il tourner la tête vers la gauche). Tout en bas, la Croix du Sud (pareil, il faut pivoter la tête). Entre les deux, l'Autel, le Loup, le Triangle Austral et le Centaure. In a previous post, I explained the origin of this quilt, and the meaning of its name. Have you recognized the constellations? I recall that it's a view of the sky from the southern hemisphere. At the very top, you have the Scorpion, recognizable by its form in inverted question mark (well, you have to bend your head to the left). At the very bottom, the Southern Cross (all the same, you have to to rotate the head). Between the two, the Altar, the Wolf, the Southern Triangle and the Centaur. Oui mais voilà, le Scorpion est reconnaissable à sa forme courbe, mais aussi aux 3 étoiles de sa tête, toutes bleues-blanches : Acrab, Dschubba (qui sont bien là), mais aussi Vrischika la 3ème, et que je n'ai pas fait. Et y a pas, elle manque ! Alors la voilà, la petite dernière, la 20ème étoile. Maintenant il va falloir l'intégrer au quilt... Yes, but there is a problem. The Scorpion is recognizable by its curved shape, but also by the 3 stars of its head: Acrab, Dschubba (who are there), but also Vrischika the 3rd, and that I did not do. And boy, it’s missing so badly! So here it is, the last one, the 20th star. Now I have to integrate it into the quilt... En attendant, soyez tous et toutes prudents, et adoptez les gestes barrières : se laver les mains très régulièrement / tousser ou éternuer dans son coude / utiliser des mouchoirs à usage unique / saluer sans se serrer la main, éviter les embrassades... et rester dans son atelier de couture ;-) In the meantime, please be careful and safe, and adopt the barrier gestures: wash your hands very often / cough or sneeze in your elbow / use single use handkerchiefs / avoid shaking hands, and hugs... and stay in your sewing room ;) Linking up with Oh Scrap!
Fettered Friendship Stars Quilt Pattern Bordered Continuing on from the previous post; Fettered Friendship Stars Quilt Pattern. You can see the link below here for the Free Quilt Pattern. You will find the links to the blocks there. Fettered Friendship Stars Quilt Pattern I decided to finish this quilt with a simple border. Finished Quilt size 69 1/2' x 69 1/2'. Fabric Requirements for the whole quilt 2 metres or 2 1/2 yards of background homespun fabric in cream or white Approximately 1/3 of a metre / yard of each of 12 different plaid / check fabrics, Please remember that you
Get starstruck with more than 30 free quilt patterns that use Star blocks, which look stunning in any colorway. Choose red, white, and blue for a Fourth of July quilt, traditional Christmas colors for a holiday project, or hues that match your decor for a wall hanging that will last all year!
For some time I had this voice inside me goading me, chiding me. Shouldn't you try something more advanced? Isn't it time to add to your skills? How about attempting something that actually challenges you? And every time I banished it. Shoo away. It was comfortable. I am enjoying the popularity of the sisters, basking in the adulation of the Picket Star Blocks and relishing the warmth of comments for Mercyful Quilts. Then I got an email. The voice had evolved. It was harder to ignore. Barbara Cline asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing her upcoming book - Diamond Star Quilts. Barbara Cline WHOA!!! WHAT??? Who is Barbara Cline? A quilter, teacher, designer and author of six books. Yes, I said yes. Immediately. I chose to make Twirling and A-Swirling Star from the book. My choice Oh boy, and yes it was a challenge. After 7+ years and 150+ quilts I do not consider myself a beginner but I am not an expert. Further I had never made a lone star type quilt before which makes me Lone Star newbie, but a confident newbie :-) Step 1 Choosing Fabric - Of course I wanted brighter fabrics than the purple, gray and navy. But just three colors? And one of them is the background. Paul: You can use all random colors. Me: You mean scrappy. Paul: Yes, that. Me: I worry that using many colors may lose the impact. Paul: What impact? Me: I love the movement. Paul: It has that energy about it. Me: It looks like a fancy firework and the transparency of the background between the swirls gives it the sparkling effect. Paul: So make it in warm colors Fabrics Step 2 - Cutting Fabric - This was easy. Step 3 - Piecing the Strip Sets Piecing Strips Strip Sets The biggest challenge is the accurate 1/4" seam. I chose to proceed very slowly and check after every step. In fact, I decided to make just one strip set per day. There was some seam ripping in the beginning. By the time I perfected my 1/4"seam the sets were all done. Step 4 - Cutting. This wasn't difficult either. Piecing Step 5 - Piecing the diamonds. This is the heart of the pattern and if you got Step 3 right, this should be not too difficult, although I was prepared to do some seam-ripping, if required. The first one This is not a lazy daisy quilt. This is not a scrappy improv quilt. Even the slightest bit of wonky would derail it. Very precise, very careful and double check everything. Design Wall I completed the first quadrant and then the second. I showed them to Paul. He merely nodded. When the four quadrants were completed (final seams pending), I placed all four on the design wall, admired my handiwork and left for work. WOW!!! See what Paul had to say... Paul: You should call it "gender reveal party" Me: WHAT??? WHY??? Paul: Because it looks like someone started a fire... Me: I am calling it "Playing with Fire" Paul: That works too. Me: Your humor though topical is horrible, at least in this instance. The book, on the other hand, is marvelous. 12 fantastic patterns and many tips and tricks. If you are up to the challenge, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy. Just then I noticed an error - a piecing error. Two strips were oriented incorrectly. I could rip them out and re-sew. But leaving it in seemed more valuable a lesson - what happens when you don't pay attention at every step. So there it is - my mistake immortalized in fabric and thread. Finished Flimsy If you can find it, smile, for we are all human. If you cannot find it then don't bother. The star still shimmers just as bright. Basting Quilting in Progress I added a skinny border to protect the vulnerable star points from the encroachment of the binding. Binding is the same fabric as the background. Paul, the model Labelled Playing with Fire Shimmering Paul: So what is the word, hummingbird? Me: I have been weighed and measured and have been found wanting... Paul: What does that mean? Me: It means that there is room for improvement in my work. Paul: And how will you improve? Me: By making more of such quilts... Paul: Good thing you have the book Me: Lucky Me!!! Walking Foot Quilting Matched Seams :-) A touch of Wonkiness Looking Good!!! Paul: But what is your book review verdict? Me: It is an excellent resource with 12 terrific patterns Paul: But... Me: But there are many little things that a new quilter may not know or follow leading to a finished product that is less than perfect. Paul: I don't understand. Me: It is like writing a recipe. If I am sharing the recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala with someone who is familiar with Indian cooking, the recipe will be 5-6 lines. If the same recipe is written for someone who is new to Indian cooking the recipe will be a page and a half. Paul: Why so? Me: Because I will have to explain the ingredients and use additional pictures to show the exact color of the sautéed onions - things the Indian cook already knows. Paul: So what do you suggest? Me: A Quilt Along. This is when several quilters make the same pattern together, 1-2 steps every week and share tips and lessons learned. Paul: You are so wise. Me: You are so kind. One last look... You may be so lucky so as to win a free copy of the Diamond Star Quilts. Please leave a comment for a chance to win. If you are a no-reply blogger, please include your email. I will announce the winner on Saturday, October 10, 2020. And if you do not respond by Saturday, October 17, 2020, you will forfeit the prize and I will pick another person. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. The pattern did not use the entire strip sets. What happened to the leftovers? I will show in the next blogpost :-)
It's a flimsy! Serendipity It's roughly 60 x 84 my version vintage version It was inspired by a c. 1940-1970 vintage quilt. I think the block is a Stone Mason's Puzzle Variation and I set about making them my way in May. The blocks finished a little larger than 12 inches. When the blocks are joined together they form a secondary pattern. I had a lot of small chunks of blue green fabrics that I decided to use up in this quilt so each block has at least one piece of blue green fabric. It's funny how some of the blue greens tend to look more light blue than blue-green depending upon the colors of fabrics around them. My OMG (One Monthly Goal) for September was to finish 7 blocks and then sew them together into a flimsy. Mission accomplished I'm glad to say since this has been an unusually busy month with little sewing time. OMG at Elm Street Quilts Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
