Friday Finish

When I threw some half square triangles on my sewing table last week...

I didn't have a plan.

These triangles seemed to LEAD THE WAY...

And I really LIKE where we ENDED UP!!

;)

Red and Green

I managed to make a star today.

Let me tell you....

Diamond shapes are a shape to be RECKONED with!

All those BIAS cut edges!

They like to MOVE.

It's great when you're trying to make a curved vine

with a bias STRIP.

NOT fine when you're trying to make a block

with lots of seams that need to match up.

I'm also at a disadvantage

because I'm using no pattern or template!

I"m trying to figure it out ON MY OWN!

I do this frequently.

I tear my hair out...

and wonder WHY?

LOL!

How many blocks will I make?

I"ll probably keep going...

because....

I LOVE this block!

By the time I make a FEW more

I"ll be an expert at DIAMONDS.

Here's hoping anyway!!!

;)

Scrappy STAR!

I'm so happy with my new quilt!

It's a SCRAPPY quilt.....

OF course.

 

As I worked away on this one I wondered...

Have I EVER made a quilt from ALL NEW fabric????

 

I kind of DOUBT it.

Hah!

This began with a small gifted bag of scraps.

I added only a FEW more

and have what I think is a Marvelous BLEND of soft color!

I added a little more green.

Some quilters always add a bit of red.

With me, it's usually GREEN!

There was ONE little strip of umbrella fabric!

Oooh! I love it!

 

Here's my VERY simple paper piecing method

to make the star points:

One large piece of newpaper.

Fold in half corner to corner.

Fold in half again JUST near the points

 and give it a good crease.

DRAW a line down each FOLD using a ruler to help out.

I just make sure the lines are long enough to intersect in the middle there.

CUT.

OPEN up your star point!

Mine measures about 32" from point to point.

 

Begin in the middle of each star point with a strip of fabric.

I usually PIN the first one to stablize

and then continue adding strips out to the points.

Sew right THROUGH the paper.

Tear the paper OFF after TRIMMING.

*It's always helpful to use a small stitch when

doing paper piecing. ;)

I'm going to DREAM about applique!!!

 

I might take a peek at pinterest as well!!

LOL!!!

There's a LOT of white to PLAY WITH!

One very pretty star

This is ONE. very. pretty. star...

if I do say so myself!

 

The starry points are fairly easy to construct.

The Y seams...

NOT so much.

:/

Looks like I need some

PRACTICE

on those!!!

 

I used 2" strips.

You can use any width.

Use the 45degree line on your ruler.

Line it up with the seam.

Cut a 2" section off.

 

IF you are using 2 1/2", 3" etc. wide strips..

THAT's the measurement you'll cut here.

Make 8 of these....

and....

8 of these!!!

Join them.

These are your STARRY points!

Add some white in all the corners.

 

If I make a whole bunch of these..

I'll have a very pretty quilt.

and...

Maybe I'll conquer that

Y SEAM!!!

 

 

donation day!

Sometimes A quilt has a mind of it's own.

This one sure did!!

This is my MARCH donation quilt.

My goal: One quilt a month.

(Anyone notice I'm still stuck on stars???)

Not really a bad thing to be stuck on....

I DO know how to get in a rut though...

don't I????

I began with this orphan block and surrounded it with some scraps.

It measured 16"x16" when I was done.

I cut FOUR squares 9" x 9" out of some

patriotic fabric given to me long ago.

Added a white square.

Drew a diagonal line down the middle....

Sewed TWO seams next to that line and cut it down the middle.

Viola!

I now had EIGHT of these Measuring 8 1/2"x 8 1/2"

Here they are.

Of course, I had to add cream corner squares too!! ;)

After finishing that star

 I went looking for a border.

Thinking I would put some 9 patches in the corners...

I dug through my 3" bag of squares....

and made some 9 patches!!!

Oops!

I had meant to put the dark blues where the whites are!!!

Then...

I WAS GOING to put TWO rows of red sashing

with a white strip between.

Guess this quilt KNEW where it wanted to go.

So...

I went with it.

I made four more 9 patches....

Don't they look nice in two little rows??

Guess they thought they'd be lonely in the corners alone!!!

I'm so happy I was LISTENING to this quilt.

Because....

I LOVE it...

just the way it is!

Star alert!

Make a star today!

It's very easy.

Here's the information.

Give someone some encouragement today!!!

One little quilt block seems like such a little thing.....

But one quilt block + some more quilt blocks....

Adds up to.....

A GREAT QUILT!!!