This block was kind of a pain to make, but the effect is really good. I am glad it came out well in terms of contrast, because if it had been a pain and looked bad, I would have been really disappointed.
I think it was a good choice to use the background fabric in the center of the larger star around the smaller star as it sets off the smaller star.
If you’d like to make one of these, here is the Star Sampler: Shelburne Star pattern. You can also find it in EQ7. Check out the Oh My Stars! Flickr Group to see all the other renditions of the final project. You can see all the posts on this topic by searching the tag “Star Sampler.”
Don’t you like the name of this block? I think it provides ‘scope for imagination’ and evokes mystery. That is one of the things I like about vintage blocks. They, often, have great names.
I thought that background fabric in the middle might look like the viewer was looking through the block to the background, but I don’t think I achieved that semi-goal.
I feel like this block came out really well. It is pretty, but has a delicate feel, too. The purple is from an ombre print, so I don’t have much of it left. I’ll have to use it judiciously.
If you’d like to make this block, I am posting the Star Sampler: Gypsy Dancer pattern. This project is from the Oh My Stars Quilt-a-long from the Thought and Found blog. Join in the fun and make some blocks.
One of the things I like about this block is that there are two sets of Flying Geese units in it and because of the way they are colored, they look really different and do something really different to the look of the overall block.
I realized around the time I made this block that I am going to the same fabrics over and over. I need to broaden my palette. It isn’t easy, but I have to try.
I know there are a lot of posts about this project, but we are working on it fast and furiously. This post is a milestone, I think, because I have 12 blocks made and you can see them all together.
One of the things I like about seeing them all together is I can see what fabrics I need to repeat.
I also like seeing them because it makes me feel like I have been making some progress. I *know* I am making progress, but it is great to see the progress.
I actually have an additional 4 blocks made, as of this writing, but I am experiencing a shortage of design wall space right at the moment so you will have to wait until that clears up to see them all.
I have to say that I am tempted to start sewing all the different blocks into chunks just to get them in some kind of order. The layout is pretty clear; it would just be a matter of deciding what goes where. I’ll need a lot more 8″ squares before I can make any real progress in the layout, though.
I am very surprised that this block is called Football Star. The name seems so unlike the actual block; the name doesn’t reflect the look of the block at all.
As leaders and enders, I am trying to make progress on the 89 4″ star blocks that are needed for this top. It is working pretty well and I have 7 finished and one in progress at the moment. I have also cut a bunch of pieces to make more blocks as I go along.
We only have a week or so more before we have finished the 12″ blocks and start on the 40(!!!) 8″ blocks.
If you’d like to make one of these, here is the Star Sampler: Football Star pattern. You can also find it in EQ7.
For the Star Sampler, I have to make 89 of these 4″ babies. I have been making these using leaders and enders and they are pretty painless that way. I just have to make sure I have the correct pieces cut so when I need a leader or ender they are ready.
I love this one. It came out really well, I think. I really like the combination of blue and green. I don’t think I have anymore of either, though I have to look in my cool solids box in the Fabric Closet.
In EQ7 this block is called Nameless (it’s Barbara Brackman number is 2047). I don’t know if that means that its name is ‘Nameless’ or that it doesn’t have a name. It is possible that the name is just not in EQ, though they are pretty good, so I think that is unlikely. If it doesn’t have a name, that is kind of sad. I think it looks like a prism or a crystal, so that is what I am calling it. I’ll look it up sometime and see.
I am, however, not making as much progress as I wanted. I really wanted to make all 12 blocks over the holiday weekend, so I would be caught up. That isn’t going to happen, though, I have made a dent.
I also have to select the next four blocks to make and I haven’t even begun to think about that.
I have to say that my attempts at choosing fabrics were a bit feeble before I started making blocks. I am using the fabrics from the group I chose early on, but I have been finding that I have to add to them as well. I grabbed that light purple dot for this block and have used it in one other. I also have a batik that I think I will add to the group. I didn’t have enough darks (but I think I knew that), so I have added some darker solids. I don’t want to overwhelm the aquas and light purples, so I am trying to use them judiciously.
This is an excellent exercise in contrasts and in making sure that the stars are crisp.
We are working on on the Oh My Stars quilt-a-long, though it was started awhile ago and everyone else is done!
I have to say that this is not an easy project. I keep cutting and recutting. I have various parts of Sawtooth Stars that didn’t work laying all over my sewing and cutting tables. I don’t know what my problem is. I blame it on the cold.
I was, again, trying to play with the idea of stars within stars. The block in the pattern was not colored this way. The patches around the turquoise star were different than the very largest outside legs. Even though the green print on the largest star is busy, I think it works and I am pleased with the way this one came out.
We are working on on the Oh My Stars quilt-a-long, though it was started awhile ago and everyone else is done!
This block was an unexpected success! I was very pleased with the way it went together (no ripping or recutting) and also with the serendipitous use of fabric. I am out of that blue, which is too bad, because it is a great blue.
3 down 9 to go.
We are working on on the Oh My Stars quilt-a-long, though it was started awhile ago and everyone else is done!
I made this block after finally finishing the Barbershop Quartet. After the drama of that block, this was a breeze and I got on a roll trying to catch up with the blocks.
I was kind of sad about that as as I wanted to work on the back for the FOTY 2012, but it is fine.
I wish I had used a darker print for the smaller Flying Geese, but that will be the reward to the viewer for coming in closer.
We are working on on the Oh My Stars quilt-a-long, though it was started awhile ago and everyone else is done!
This block took me over a week to make. I don’t think it has taken me more than a week to make a block since my first quilt project when I was learning. The first Swoon block, when I was working out the details, may have taken me a week.
I think part of the problem was that I was trying to use the Wing Clipper (some further info about the technique is in the 1/24/2013 blog post) to make the Flying Geese units. That is no problem, except that I didn’t have the finished sizes of the units and had to guess a bit, because I didn’t want to draw out the block to scale and measure. My own fault, definitely. Guessing didn’t work very well for me, so I wasted a lot of fabric and took a lot of time.
I also have a cold and was very tired yesterday, which I am sure didn’t help my thinking very much.
Anyway, the block is done and I like it. I played a bit with the negative space again and think that looks cool. You can see TFQ’s version on Flickr.
This is the second 12″ block I have made for the Star Sampler, which I think really should be called the Sawtooth Star Sampler since we are using all Sawtooth Stars. I think I am now only 10 blocks behind – or maybe 6. I’ll have to see.
The last block I made for this project was Mosaic No.19.
