Blue Stars Around the Garden

Before I tell you about the quilting that happened this week, I'm going to provide links to the quilting stencils I'm using. Whenever I don't link back to them, someone wants to know where to find a design. Click the name of the design for the link.

The white border design is called Amish Feather Border. The size I'm using is the 7.5" size, it is also available in other sizes.

The applique center design is a 1.75" triangle. This is also available in another size.

The design I'm quilting over the pieced blocks is a 16" Baltimore Grid. This is also available in different sizes.

The 3" finished blue border with the yellow cornerstones is quilted with a 2" twisted rope border. It is also available in different sizes. I could not find the 2" stencil but here is a link to the 2.5" stencil. EZ Stencils come from a local business and are the most common source of stencils in the local fabric/quilt shops. I know I bought my stencil in a local quilt shop. If I had known there was a 2.5" available before I marked my quilt, I would have used that size.

I'm a hand quilter, the stencils I use are all for hand quilting. I have NO idea if they're adaptable for long arm quilting. This was probably more information than you wanted to read about stencils but people keep asking.

Now, onto the quilting!

Last week the right side borders and two of the pieced blocks were quilted.

Both the pieced blocks have fussy cute birds in the center block.

Linking to Link Your Stuff!, Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Circle of Squares & a Jumbo Granny Square

I make 2 circle of squares blocks every month for the RSC. As you see, I'm using a variety of background fabrics.

Click here for the pattern for circle of squares. These blocks finish at 12".

I also made another red jumbo granny square because I have plenty of red squares on hand.

The pattern for jumbo granny squares is here. This block finishes at 18".

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday.

Friday Finish - Caught Up In Stitches

Another Friday finish, this week it is Caught Up in Stitches. The flimsy was finished in March, click here to read that post and find out more details. You will see individual photos of each block.

Lori Null machine quilted this lovely, so nice to have this panel finally finished!

I used a whole cloth fabric for the backing. It's not 30's fabric but I thought it was pretty blend of purples and teal.

She measures 70" square. I have no idea who or where she is going but it's always nice to have a quilt on hand to gift away.

Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, UFO Busting

Black Antique Stars

Twelve black Ohio stars have been pieced for my version of Antique Stars.

Since these last 12 blocks are finished, I should have the 96 stars I need for my quilt, if I've counted right anyway.

Now I need to audition them and the alternate blocks on the display floor. I hope to show you more progress next week.

The original pattern for Antique Stars is available here.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Quilting Blue Stars Around the Garden

The 3" finished sashing was quilted across the quilt along with the left and right side borders.

There are four sections of this sashing that was quilted. The quilting design runs through the sashing both directions. I'm not stitching in the ditch around the yellow cornerstones.

Next to be quilted is the top row of pieced blocks. This is becoming exciting to me, I'll be making more time to quilt. I am so ready to have this quilt finished and out of the frame!

Again I'm showing you a picture of the flimsy before the quilting started. I'm ready to start quilting the top row of pieced blocks.

Linking to Link Your Stuff!, Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, Handmade Monday, BOM's Away

Red Dancing Stars

Seven red dancing stars have been pieced for the RSC. I was surprised to see the variety of reds in the solids box. There are two different background fabrics, a dark black and a not dark black. 

Just for fun I put all of the dancing star blocks on the design wall. Some of the stars have fabric so dark it doesn't show in the pictures but it's there!

Here is the the pattern for Dancing Stars.

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday.

Friday Finish

The machine quilting on 9 patches and turquoise squares has been completed. I did the quilting using supposed straight lines 1/2" from the seam line between the blocks. Then I quilted diagonally through the 9 patch blocks. The quilting isn't perfect but the family I gift this quilt to won't care. It will be loved and much used.

The solid squares show blue in this photo but trust me, they're really turquoise.

The backing fabric is a gray wholecloth print. I always like to see the stained glass view.

I laid the quilt on my bed, now the squares look turquoise.

A close up view of the quilting on the top.

The quilting shows nicely on the back.

I remember to take a quilt roll photo,

but I still can't make a quilt swirl.

The finished quilt measures 58" by 77" and is the largest quilt I've machine quilted. 

I posted about piecing this quilt in March. I hadn't planned on piecing this quilt at this time, but when I read about Spring Dreams, the 9 patch sew along Jayne was organizing, I decided to make this planned someday quilt instead. The 3" finished 9 patches were already pieced, I just needed to cut the turquoise fabric and sew the blocks together. It feels so good to have a UFQ finished!

Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, UFO Busting, Free Motion Mavericks, Oh Scrap

Pink Antique Stars

Twelve pink Ohio stars for my antique stars variation have been made.  I'm posting a single block first, then groups of four. The blocks all have pink points even though some of the pinks look red.

I've also pieced the hour glass blocks needed. I didn't have enough of one fabrics so I've added more, just adds some variety.

These blocks finish at 4.5". I just need twelve more then I'll have enough!

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Applique Center Quilted!

The quilting on the applique center was finished this week! It didn't take that long since there weren't leaves to stitch in the ditch.

After the center was finished, I quilted the left side pieced block and the borders.

I should easily be able to complete the quilting of the 3" blue border with the yellow corners stones this week. After that is the row of pieced blocks.

I'm posting a picture of the flimsy before any quilting happened so you can see my progress. I have quilted to the top of the applique center, I've reached the beginning of the end.

Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching,  Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

Red Easy Breezy Blocks

Using 2.5" strips, I made 10 red easy breezy blocks.

There are only 9 in this picture but I assure there is a 10th block.

I'm using a variety of background fabrics.

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday.

Friday Finish

Today I'm going to show you the finish of the 3030 quilt which was a BOW from Sentimental Stitches. I started piecing the blocks the fall of 2020. Here is link with more information about my progress.

Lori Null long arm quilted the quilt with an overall feather design. This picture displays the quilting the best.

There wasn't much of a stained window effect with this backing fabric. I purchased this years ago and just decided to use it. The quilting doesn't show on the back at all.

The quilt finishes at 57.5" by 64".

Linking to Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, UFO Busting, Oh Scrap

Antique Star Variation

I've pulled an older project that hasn't seen the light of day since 2019. The original idea was to make Sue Garman's Antique Stars pattern. She designed a beautiful quilt, I love how varying the background fabrics make the blocks look framed in circles.

After I started piecing the 4.5" finished Ohio Stars used in this quilt, I changed my focus and decided to use these blocks in my own way. The stars were made in conjunction with the RSC in 2018 and 2019 but I guess I missed some months, I couldn't find any pink blocks. I need to piece 24 more Ohio star blocks, I'll make pink and black.

I wanted a center medallion so I pieced a feathered star in September 2020.

I placed the feathered star and the blocks on my display wall. I thought I knew how the alternate blocks was supposed to look like but this wasn't right! It was ok but not the look I was going for.

I decided to focus on the enlarging the medallion star to be compatible with the Ohio Star blocks. I knew I wanted a HST border but first I added background fabric borders finished at 1.5".

While I was sewing the HST border onto the star, I realized the alternate block I needed was an hourglass block! This looks much better.

Isn't it amazing what you can see in a picture that you don't see in real life? Time out while I get the seam ripper out and remove that bottom HST border.

OK, now the border is attached correctly.

Then I added another round of 1.5" background border then an 1.5" black border. This medallion center finishes at 27" which is the measurement of six 4.5" blocks. After typing this, I stopped and multiplied again, just to make sure 6 X 4.5 actually is 27. You never know, sometimes those numbers change!

I used the black fabric because it was used in the feathered star and because I think black brightens a quilt. The beige used in the alternate block is rather a blah shade. I have a good sized piece of yardage though and I'm using it.

This is where I'm at for now. I need to piece more of the alternate blocks and the rest of the Ohio star blocks.

I like how the hour glass blocks make a star.

I don't have an EQ program. Most of the people I know who do have EQ can't figure out how to use it anyway. I'll just stick with my calculator, pencil and paper.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Hands 2 Help 2021

It seems like I've been working on charity quilts all winter and spring. Thirteen quilt tops and finished crib quilts have been pieced for the Hands 2 Help 2021 Challenge. 

The 7 flimsies will be donated to the MCC Comforter Bash. They'll be knotted and bound by volunteers in November then sent to various locations where someone needs some comfort. They ask that the quilts be at least 60" by 80". It is ok if the quilt top is larger than that size but they don't want them any smaller.

Two String X tops have been pieced. String X is a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter's website.

The white blurry spots on the quilt are snowflakes.

This is a framed 4 patch.

Three flimsies were pieced from the extras box.

A fun quilt to make was this jumbo granny square flimsy which was a fun and easy quilt to make.

I also made five crib quilts which I quilted myself. They have been delivered to the daycare at my church.

A finished panel crib quilt was also donated to the daycare.

Sarah lists several agencies as donation sites for the H2H challenge. They are all good charities and need donations but I donate to charities around my home.

Linking to Hands 2 Help 2021, Hands to Help, Show Off Your Quilts!