Star Upon Stars 4: 3 Tools that Rule

Third Block in Star Upon Stars

Let me say this block was a trial to see if I liked the two color stars. I did! I think it helped tie the red, white, and blue theme together well, and will definitely employ the technique again.

This quilt is not fast paced for me. I have a greenhouse full of seedlings and plants, and am quilting for customers several days a week. Forgive me my gaps in posts. I have a sewing space at home that affords me the convenience of popping in to work a few minutes here and there, and that time adds up to a new block every few weeks now. It will get better next month when the garden fills up, and I'm not so busy. Now let's talk tools.

Logs & Stars Fall Table Runner

Logs & Stars Table Runner

Oh, I have a story to tell about coming in under a deadline, and bleeding fabric! It's worth repeating. 

Wash all your fabric! If you don't prewash, then test your fabrics for bleeding and shrinking before you start! 

I had all the blocks made for this project last Sunday night, gave them a good press with steam, and watched my pressing cloth turn orange. 

Judy Neimeyer Prismatic Star Finish

Prismatic Star

Judy Neimeyer quilts are iconic within the quilt world as complicated rights of passage into the upper tiers of experienced piecers. But like every new pattern we attempt, our first shot might not go as well as we wish. Learning is not always linear. That doesn't mean the quilt top is terrible, but that we would have a leg up the next time.  So what happens when we finish, and there is a little puffiness here and there, or a slightly wonky, wavy border, or the many other construction swamps we get bogged down in? It happens to me. It happens to you. But what can you do about it when it comes to quilting?

First, be honest with your long arm quilter, and have faith that, yes, some of it can be concealed with quilting.

Quilt for a Hard Rocker Finish

Quilt for a Hard Rocker

Done. I love that word right now. Along with the constant stream of customer quilts, I'm plugging away at ones I've promised to family. So with little fuss, here is today's finish sans tag, which will be added.

Quilt for a Hard Rocker

2020 Quilts for Family

I get requests for quilts fairly often, and I used to spend a lot of time asking what colors people liked, if they saw something on Pinterest, etc. It's led me down a few roads I'd rather not travel anymore. I've gotten smarter. If someone asks for a quilt, I get to pick it. That's it. My choice. 

Cabin Under the Stars Mini

New Pattern Work

Goals for 2019 are forefront in my mind already. I have had requests for several patterns this past year, and am working toward publishing them. I have been rather quiet here on the blog front, but a busy gal behind the scenes as I work with an energetic graphics assistant. She is helping me through areas of technical spider webs I cannot get out of, and collaborating is fun with someone who has fresh ideas! Keep your eyes peeled for a fresh look coming soon.

Exploding a Standard Block Setting

Flower Power Prints
 "Hapi"

The print is a past line named Hapi from Amy Butler. It's been on my design wall for a few weeks while I tried to decide what to do with it. I'm glad I waited.

How to Piece a 6 Pointed Star from Scraps

Harlequin 
Six Pointed Star Hexie

My last post 60 Degree Shapes talked about experimenting with these blocks, and many of you said this was something on your own bucket lists. It's opened the door to another world of quilts to make, and I thought you might want to join me.

This is a picture heavy post for those of you who need to know before continuing, but you'll know all my tricks from cutting to problem shooting by the end. Shall we do this?

*This tutorial assumes basic sewing techniques of a intermediate sewist.

Farmhouse Star Baby Quilt Finish

Farmhouse Star for Baby

There is an indecisive moment just before you start guiding a long arm machine. It's deja vu if you aspire to writing. You have a plan, but a creative muse swoops in and takes over your hands. In the first several seconds of stitching, you are fairly committed. Thread goes down faster than words on a keyboard, and is far more permanent! So went this baby quilt. I had one thing in mind until I stared at the flowers in the border print, and suddenly my original idea disappeared. 

Farmhouse Baby Quilt & Stars

Farmhouse Star 

The plan I had for January was to sew a stack of baby quilts with stash so I had some on hand. Little did I know that most of what I sewed would be spoken for before I had finished. The baby announcements just keep coming! 

Cabin Under the Stars Quilt

I'm Back to Sewing &
Oh, Baby, It Feels So Good!

My urge to sew finally returned. (Did you ever wonder about me? I did.) It came back with clear, strong intentions. 

Make what you love. Use what you have. Listen more. Talk less.

I can't say these are resolutions or even goals really. Simply put, they are intentions.  I want to live like this right now--not when I figure it out or jump through impossible hoops. Resolutions have such high expectations, and great chance of failure. Without success, we give up and quit. My daughter termed that kind of resolution-centered thinking as, "New Year--New Me." No, that's never worked for me or the other 92% of people who tried it.

This positive idea of living with intention has more to do with envisioning the kind of life I want to live. It has so much to do with my recent purging and clearing, as you might guess.

A Quilting Focus on Giving Thanks: A Link Up

More Quilts Headed for MCC Relief

Like many quilters, I have a long list of projects I want to do. Some are more complicated blocks to try my piecing skills at, and others are just fun fabric I would love to use. I have my stacks of good stash, and my stacks of scraps, dated or donated fabrics. The frugal quilter says as soon as I use up the less desirable stack I am allowed to touch the good stuff. (I know so many of you think the same way.) But during a quiet quilter bloggers' retreat last weekend, I was roasted for not touching my gorgeous fabrics. My precious pre-cuts had not even been opened from a year ago!

Reaching the Summit of Scrap Mountain

The Insomnia Block:

Four Patch Scrappy 

Friendship Star

May I introduce to you my friend, Insomnia. She has been visiting quite often this week, and I am ready for her to go home! I need to sleep. The only good thing about being awake at 3 a.m. is the email flying back and forth with my good friend and prolific quilter in Australia. Check out her great scrap ideas (and incredible paper piecing) on Instagram @sewsurprising

Jenna's Most Glorious Scrap Quilt

Almost Too Pretty to Say Scrap

A very dear friend was making a quilt for her granddaughter patterned after one she had seen hanging in a local restaurant. (Yes, in this part of the country we are surrounded by quilts even in restaurants. Most definitely works of art.) She first studied the quilt, searched for the pattern, then modified parts of it to make it her own. And as the Queen of Scrap, this project would make good use of her vast kingdom of scraps.

Strips, Strings & Fine Lines Between Roman Stripes

Basket Weave & Chinese Coins

Both Roman Stripe Patterns

This weekend was a perfect time to wander about town looking for examples of lines. I am curious how the things we see influence the things we make. Elements of our lives and everyday world find their way into our work naturally. 

A Discussion About Walking Foot Quilting

Practice Piece On An Orphan Block

Life in a small town can get very busy, and pulls me in harder than I'd like sometimes. The balance between quilting & blogging, and taking care of the every day things is tough. One thing I've found that helps me is having an online Craftsy class to watch in my spare minutes. We all have those dead minutes we're waiting for something, and this keeps my brain engaged about quilting even if life prevents me from actually doing it. I download lessons to my iPhone, and they're ready when I am.

15 Stars 'Til Midnight Done: Day 14

"15 Stars 'Til Midnight"

Kids have the best sayings. They mix up parts of speech, and combine sayings. Several of ours were genius at it, and this would be something they would come up with. 

It's together at last, and measuring 72" x 91". Again, winter light makes for poor picture quality, but let's just say the dark blue borders gave this quilt new life. It was a pale gal without them.

Another one done, and ready for quilting.

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.

Sawtooth and Variable Stars: Day 3 of Charity Quilts

1980's-1990's Fabrics

I was blessed with a sister-in-law who gifted me her stash when she decided she was no longer interested in quilting. That was over a year ago, maybe longer, and it's been hard making a dent in the tubs. The fabric is still in beautiful condition, but a little harder to use because it looks dated. I've been looking for ways to use it so the overall quilt doesn't look like it's from the 80's.

16 Patch Sawtooth Stars with 4 Patch Variable Stars