Friday, February 9, 2018

Give Me a New Name for Hurricane Stars


 Hurricane Stars a.k.a. Insomnia Block


This top is done. I worked steadily on the sashing and connecting 9 patches Wednesday afternoon, and started back early Thursday a.m. Around 2 p.m. I had sewn on the last corner. Big quilts can take a long time to sew together. This was the first time my design wall had been empty since October, and I was reluctant to put it back up even for pictures. 




Design Elements

You will notice that the corners are a darker value than the setting triangles on each side. It wasn't a design trick, but a fabric shortage decision. I had made up my mind to not run out and buy fabric just for this quilt--it was a scrap quilt, mind you, and I didn't have enough of either blue. Finally, I decided to just split it, and to be quite honest, I like it. It gives a bit of a framework quality, or even those little corners that my mother used in her early photo albums to hold the pictures in the '50's.


It's been snowing outside while I've been sewing. The light changes so quickly. But wherever I stand in the studio, this quilt sparkles. The scrap-based blocks give it a lot of depth, and the on point setting keeps your eye moving. It's nearly 80" x 80" for a Queen size, and the size gives it presence as well.


New Name and New Pattern


When I first started playing with these block, I called them "Insomnia Blocks" or "Insomnia Stars". Obviously, I was so excited making them I would wake up in the middle of the night to go work on them. They are very addictive, and use of loads of scraps!

Free Tutorial: My earlier post, Reaching the Summit of Scrap Mountain, has my free tutorial and measurements for the block should you want to give them a whirl.

Then Hurricane Irma formed in the middle of the project. The hurricane icon was so familiar from watching t.v. that I started thinking of them as Hurricane Stars, and the name stuck. But Irma was the most powerful Atlantic hurricane in history crushing the islands south of the U.S. as a category 5, and continuing up our own east coast.

The devastation is still unresolved from Irma and other hurricanes in 2017, and will take years for recovery. This carries a bad feeling for me. I'm trying to think of a new name that is more positive, or go back to Insomnia Stars. If you have any suggestions I may use, please leave them in the comments. I have been asked several times already for this quilt pattern, and am currently writing it. If I may use your suggestion, I will send you the pattern as a thank you when I release it. Thank you.

Come on, Doxie girls.






All images, patterns, tutorials and information are the property of Julie Stocker, sole owner of Pink Doxies LLC, and are intended for personal use only. Do not reproduce or distribute without written permission. Permission is given to pin on Pinterest with attribution to Pink Doxies. Pictures may not be altered. Please contact me via juliebehappy1@gmail.com for any other inquiries. Thank you.

29 comments:

Linda Swanekamp said...

Very gorgeous quilt. Despite the twirling stars, it is calm. Love the connecting nine patches, how about: Twirled rails, or Tilt a Whirl. Your photo setup really works to present the quilt.

Mary said...

The colors remind me of a lovely summer day with a light breeze. How about Summer Breeze or Breezy Stars?
It's a beautiful quilt.

Pat said...

Lovely quilt and I really like the dark corners. Just read your post on conquering scraps - whoop! - great tips there.

Julie said...

Thank you, Pat. This system is finally working for me.

Ramona said...

I'm not good at naming quilts, but your quilt is gorgeous! It really takes the eye from space to space and is so calming. I, too, really like the different blues in the triangles. They help to pull out different fabrics in the body of the quilt. Beautiful!

chrisknits said...

Whirling Dervish? Tilt-A-Whirl? Whatever you call it I call it AWESOME!!

Annette Mandel said...

The stars look like a resting place in the center of chaos. How about Calm in the Midst? Or Calm in the Mist? A78mandel at yahoo dot com

Susan said...

Very pretty quilt! Though I'm not the best at naming quilts how about Whirlwind Stars? A bit less traumatic than hurricane!

Mari said...

What a lovely quilt! I like the blue corners, and they do remind me of those little picture corners from long ago. As for a name, how about simply Doxie Stars? That should banish any bad connotations, shouldn't it? :)

Barb Neiwert said...

I'd call it Going Places - those stars seem to radiate out and lead the eye to discover what sites lie in wait around the next corner! This turned out great, and I do like the dark corners!

Quilting Babcia said...

Starshine. This quilt literally glows!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

funny you said insomnia, i looked and thought "that's like my brain sometimes, full of colour and ideas but all swirly"

Unknown said...

It's a wonderful quilt. The green reminds me of fields seen from the plane and the blue to the sea. Maybe stars above the earth?

mangozz said...

Twinkling Stars because they seem to twinkle.

Sandy Panagos said...

It's beautiful. Seems like you got it together fast. Rainbow Whirlpools, Spinning Hues, Rotating Colors, Putting Some Spin On It.

KaHolly said...

What a delightful finish! Can’t wait to see it all quilted up! I hope someone comes up with a good name for you. Naming quilts can be difficult. I’m getting excited about finishing up my commitments so I can start playing with my scraps again and start something new. I can check of the blog hop quilt and am down to my last doggie blocks quilt. It’s half quilted, so there is light at the end of the tunnel. You are such an inspiration for me.

Kate said...

It's a beautiful scrappy quilt. The two different blues add a lot of interest. Naming quilts is always hard. How about "Wish Upon a Star"?

Pupwagngal said...

How about "Beyond Friendship Stars." Gorgeous!

Lisa in Port Hope said...

I love scrappy quilts for the way your eye finds the pattern yet as you say they twinkle with all the different shades and tones of each colour. I suggest "starry-go-round" or "twinkle teinkle little swirl"

travelinsewl said...

I like your corneres. They were actually one off the first things I noticed, thinking you had done an ombre look. It's a great quilt.

Lisa J. said...

It's an absolutely gorgious quilt. I love the two different blues in the background.

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

Names? I am the one who's imagination goes no further than Circles! Ok here goes, Twisting Stars, that's how they look to me and my best shot. I like the darker blue in the corners, will you be using it to bind the quilt too? Your studio is HUGE, mine is just a shoebox, but at last I have one, and a half size design wall too, happy happy.

Lynette said...

First of all - what a fantastic space to have! So much room, wonderful lights. . . it's marvelous. :) I really, really love this top. Blue is my favorite color, and a good scrap quilt really can't be beat for interest. I like someone's suggestion of Breezy Stars. Catches the light, airy, not-dog-days summery feel that it has.

Unknown said...

Lovely quilt, one of my favorite settings - how about "softly"?

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

It's awesome. I love the different corners.

Sue said...

This is a brilliant quilt and I really like the varying shades of blue in the setting triangles. At first glance I thought you must have used an ombre fabric. Beautiful! Here in Australia hurricanes are called cyclones, perhaps you could call it Cyclonic. Those central motifs really do look like the cyclone/hurricane symbol.

Linda Smith said...

Scrap Storm?
Whatever you call it, I call it Beautiful.

vincenzo126 said...

Beautiful! I'm going a whole different way! To me it is "PIECEFUL"!
-Jean💟