BUCKET LIST QUILT # 5 AKA MY NEXT LIFETIME QUILT

 As I try to make a list of the quilts I REALLY WANT TO MAKE, and EXPECT TO MAKE, it allows me to sort through the huge stash of fabric I own and make a plan to use it or lose it.

Here is the NEXT QUILT on on the list:

I bought this antique top in 2014 from quilt dealer Cindy Rennels,  of Cindy's Antique Quilts. I remember clearly buying it at her booth in Paducah--to treat myself for my "retirement" from H&R Block, and my 60th birthday. There was something about it that just spoke to me. The tag says "from Pennsylvania, 1860-1880 fabrics" Well, I'm from Pennsylvania too and I LOVE a quilt with lots of fabrics.  See many detail photos BELOW.

Once I decided to replicate it, I thought about the easiest way to cut fabrics for the 3" blocks.  Questions I asked myself:

1. What size quilt do I want? The original is 16 x 16 blocks.  Mine is 17 x 17, so I will have a CENTER block, more about that later.

2. Should each block be a DIFFERENT FABRIC? I have more than 289 Civil War reproduction fabrics, that's not the problem. At first, I decided to go with making 4 blocks exactly alike and then spreading them around the quilt. This requires 73 fabrics. Then I changed my mind. All of the blocks will be different. 

3. What background fabric to use? It will take 6-7 yards. The original used all the same cream solid. I only had one solid fabric in that quantity--Paperbag. Pulling the bolt out to the closet I found it had 7 yards on it--decision made!

It didn't take long before I was pulling fabrics and cutting. This makes the perfect LEADER/ENDER PROJECT. These 3" blocks practically make themselves as I am working on other projects.

One fabric I absolutely had to use was a small scrap--just enough to make ONE block. I decided it would be the CENTER BLOCK--which is when I changed the layout from 16 x 16 to 17 x 17. Here is the sketch from EQ8, when I learn how to make it that size, I will fix this layout:

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This block is called the OLD ITALIAN BLOCK, Brackman # 2881. Here is that center block, laid out, ready to sew:

Here are ALL THE FABRICS NEEDED for all 289 blocks, all cut into the size needed, 6.5" x 8" to make 4 blocks from each. Then I pulled out the next big tub of reproduction fabrics and cut many more 3.5” x 5” pieces, enough to make ONE block, 289 DIFFERENT fabrics. No photo of that pile: 

Before I committed to making this I used completely different fabrics to test my plan. If it becomes another Workshop offering, I will need a smaller sample in more contemporary fabrics:

3" finished blocks

These are so much FUN to make!  

I was eager to make a few from reproduction fabrics--here are the first few done:

The only problem? If the idea here is to USE UP FABRIC, this is a fail! It didn't make a dent in the stack I pulled from the closet. At least I'll use up 7 yards of solid.  Here is what went back IN the closet after all cutting was done:

As promised, here are more photos of the original antique top. If you love 1800's fabrics as I do, it's quite a treat for the eye:

There is one SPECIAL BLOCK I am trying to research. I believe it is CENTENNIAL FABRIC, printed to celebrate 1876 in America. If you know this to be authentic Centennial Fabric, please let me know:

I am considering offering this as a Sew-Along project here on the Blog. I would provide instructions for cutting several different sizes, 3" might be a bit too small for some. It will teach you the 3 important BASICS OF PRECISION PIECING: the cutting, sewing and pressing. Let me know if you're interested...

There is no rush to get this quilt done fast. As a Leader/Ender project I can allow it to take years. It's my NEXT LIFETIME QUILT. Since I  can't die until it's done, it is smart to make it REALLY SLOWLY.

Here are more Blogs I have written on LIFETIME and LEADER/ENDER quilts:

Lifetime Top is Done

Lifetime Leader/Ender

Having a leader/ender project is always part of my quiltmaking journey, with every quilt I make. With this one, I can achieve BOTH  a BUCKET LIST completion and have a Leader/Ender project ready.  Isn't life grand?!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

LAUREL RIDGE -- MONTH 3

Laurel Ridge is the 2025 Block of the Month quilt designed by Lynn Wilder exclusively for The Quilt Show.  Star Members have FREE access to the patterns starting January 1, 2025. Made in two colorways, the complete patterns are excellent. You will love making this quilt. Lynn supports the pattern instructions with Videos too. 

This month we make Half Square Triangles--BIG ONES! We make a lot, 48 total, but the designer's method for making 8 at once makes it fast and easy.

Here are mine. Note I changed the Spiceberry Pink fabric for a deep Green from my stash:

The pattern instructions are excellent and Lynn Wilder provides a Video too, so you will find this month fun to do.

I am a math person so love to have "formulas" for making several blocks at once. Half Square Triangles, 8 at a time? Right up my alley! 

The formula is so easy:

Finished size of the HST = 5". Multiple this by 2 = 10". 

Add 2" for the seam allowances = 12". 

Lynn recommends and I was very glad I did, adding an additional 1/2". 

Cut ONE 12.5" square of BOTH FABRICS. This will give you 8 HST, that FINISH AT 5"--meaning once sewn into the quilt. The HST unit when made has to be 5.5" including Seam Allowances.  This formula works for ANY SIZE HST you want to make 8 at a time.

FIRST STEP: Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner on BOTH DIAGONALS on the back of the lightest fabric. Place fabrics RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, then sew 1/4" on BOTH SIDES OF THE LINE. If you don't use a 1/4" foot you can draw the sewing lines if you like:

SECOND STEP: Cut the large square into FOUR SMALL squares, by cutting North, South, East and West--or "make a cross" as Lynn says: 

Then it is a simple matter to press toward the darker fabric--the Floral or the Green in my case--and "trim to perfection", making the HST exactly 5.5" square:

Lynn has additional excellent Tutorials on lots of these kinds of tips in the Classroom at The Quilt Show: Easy Patchwork Math.  She has included a link to the Tutorial that applies to each month directly on the Pattern Instructions. I encourage you to take a look at those each month. Much of what she teaches in those lessons is exactly how I do the steps. 

Next month we move on to blocks that will take a good bit more time than these, the Checkerboard Blocks.

Remember you can Ask Questions and Share Your Progress on  THE FORUM.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

RECENT FINISHES

 Getting both a quilt TOP and a small QUILT finished this week makes me feel very accomplished.

As February has me home I am working hard every day to get as much work done as possible. In March I will only be home a few days all month so now is my time to "get it done"!

DIAMOND JUBILEE--a BUCKET LIST quilt for more than 12 years, this is finally done. And I am so glad. It will get basted while at my Joyful Journey Retreat March 5-9. Then I will quilt it.

Diamond Jubilee 72" x 89" 

Inspired by a great quilt made by Catherine Butterworth,  I knew it was the perfect project to celebrate a BIG birthday.  After seeing her quilt in a magazine, I tracked Catherine  down in Australia where she lives. We became "friends". When we were both at Road to California in January 2020, me to teach, she to attend, we got to meet in person. It was as if we had known each other for years, soul sisters:

Catherine and I January 22, 2020

I planned to have this made for my 60th birthday so I started it two years before that. Now that I am approaching that and 10 + 1 it was time to get it finished. For more information see some of the previous posts I have written about it:

The Hard Stuff

Feathered Stars Perfectly Paper Pieced TUTORIAL

Catherine Butterworth in CA

My other finish this week is a small quilt that will be a sample for an upcoming class. OH, MY SMALL STAR: 

32" x 32" 

My top is 97" x 97" and is currently at the longarm quilter:

The full pattern is by American Jane patterns. I fell in love with it and had saved it to my Pinterest board of favorite quilts:

I made a few changes to the original pattern to provide options for students. In the SMALL sample I changed the construction of the star to avoid the Y-Seam method in the pattern instructions. Students will learn how to do both methods and choose their favorite.  

This will be a GREAT CLASS for guilds--those who want to MAKE a big bed size quilt can get started, those who want to LEARN the process of making this somewhat challenging block, can do so by making only ONE star.  And learning a fun and EASY way to make those small stars is icing on the workshop cake.

Read a few of the blogs I have written on this project:

The Beginning

Fabric Selection for the Stars

Design Decisions

I am teaching Oh, My Stars at my Retreat March 5-9, 2025 AND at EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINARS in 2026--April 29-May 4.  Empty Spools Seminars should be on every quilters Bucket List--it was on mine. It will change you as a quilter, teach you SO MUCH, and provide a lifetime of wonderful memories. Registration starts April 26, 2025--set a reminder on your calendar as these classes can fill in the first few days. 

For more information, see the 2025 Registration Information: EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINARS  TODAY 
February 23, 2025 is the LAST DAY to register for the 2025 Seminar. I LOVE the class I am teaching March 30-April 4, 2025: TWO FOR ONE, there is still room for YOU:

Time to get back to work! And I still get 2 hours of exercise every day. When it's below freezing as it has been two days this week, I power walk at the mall. Above freezing, I bundle up and hit the sidewalk. Next week it will be in the 60's and I am SO looking forward to that! Stay warm and dry, Spring is coming...

Let's quilt, 

Barbara

THE PERFECT BABY QUILT

 One of the original "Sunday Sew and Sews" had a pattern she created for the perfect baby quilt. Janet Noever called this her SAWTOOTH STAR BABY QUILT. 

Here are two of her creations. Janet usually started with a panel or kid themed fabric for the center:

As simple as it gets, one star block, one border

Janet loved Seminole Piecing and often added it to the baby quilt

Donna D, one of the Sunday Sew and Sews has made several of these, here is her latest, designed for the newest ALABAMA fan:

At the time of Janet's unexpected death in 2020, Janet was in the process of making 50 baby quilts to donate to Huntsville Hospital to be given to children patients. The Sunday Sew and Sews took on completing this project and several months later Janet's quilts were presented to the hospital. I wrote about that here: A Quilter's Legacy

The other quilt Janet loved to make for donations was this one, she called it "My Favorite Donation Quilt". Various strips/widths of kid-themed fabrics couldn't be easier so I am not providing instructions here, but I do have a TUTORIAL:

A little Seminole Piecing for interest makes this a bit more work

When I make this quilt, I start with backing and batting, then "flip and sew" each fabric in place through all three layers. This means it is quilted as it is created. I did a TUTORIAL for my method here: STRIPPY QUILT 

Here are 3 mockups I made in EQ8 to give you ideas for Janet's SAWTOOTH STAR BABY QUILT:

Janet's original design, 36" x 43"

Super Simple, 36" x 36" 

Border Variation, 32" x 44" 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR JANET'S SAWTOOTH STAR BABY QUILT,  36" X 43" finished

Fabric Required:

Center Focus Fabric                Fat Quarter

Star Points                                Fat Quarter or 1/4 yard

Background Fabric                     2/3 yard

Top/Bottom Accent Border          1/6 yard

Border Fabric                             1/2 yard

Cutting Instructions:

Center Focus        cut 14.5" square

Star Points            cut FOUR 8" SQUARES for Half Square Triangles

Background          cut FOUR 8" SQUARES for Half Square Triangles

                              cut FOUR 7.5" SQUARES for Corners

                              cut TWO 2" x Width of Fabric (WOF) strips for top and bottom borders

Accent Border      cut TWO 2.5" x WOF strips for ACCENT BORDER top and bottom

Outer Border        cut FOUR 4.5" x WOF strips for outer borders

QUILT ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Make  8 HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES:

 Pair 8" squares of STAR POINT and BACKGROUND fabrics, right sides together

On the WRONG SIDE of the BACKGROUND fabric draw a diagonal line 

Sew 1/4" from BOTH SIDES of the DIAGONAL LINES 

Cut apart on the drawn line, press toward the Star point fabric, OR press the seam OPEN, your choice

Trim to 7.5" square

2. Sew the EIGHT Half Square Triangles into PAIRS:

3. ASSEMBLE THE QUILT CENTER using the quilt diagram as a guide:

 Sew the Star Block by adding corners to TWO of the Star Point Pairs, press toward corners

Sew Star Point Pairs to each side of the Center Square, press toward center

Join the THREE rows to create the middle of the quilt

4. ADDING BORDERS--from here on MEASURE YOUR QUILT to determine what size to cut the borders:

Accent Borders: Cut TWO borders from strips previously cut 2.5" x your quilt measurement. In a perfect world it is 28.5" wide, yours may differ a little

Attach Accent Borders to Top and Bottom of Star Block, press toward Accent Borders

Background Borders: Cut TWO borders from background fabric strip, 2" x your quilt measurement

Attach Background Borders to Top and Bottom Accent Borders, press toward Accent Borders

Outer Borders: Cut TWO borders for the Left and Right Sides. MEASURE YOUR QUILT to determine what size to cut them, 4.5" x your measurement. In a perfect world they are 35.5"

Attach Left and Right borders, press toward the outer borders

Cut TWO borders for the Top and Bottom. MEASURE YOUR QUILT. In a perfect world they are cut 4.5" x 36.5". It is MOST IMPORTANT borders be cut to the SIZE NEEDED so the quilt will be flat and square.

Feel free to change your borders, add more or less. Create Pieced Borders if you like. Keep in mind, it is best to keep the finished size to no WIDER than 40" so regular quilt fabric can be used as the backing without the need to enlarge the back. 

This quilt is fast and easy to make. It is easy to alter in many ways. We are all thankful to Janet for her friendship and her great organizational skills that made it easy for us to complete her important project.

 See the earlier post to see Janet's great notebook: Janet's Donation Quilt Project . See the post that shows all the finished DONATION QUILTS

Let's quilt!

Barbara

DIAMOND JUBILEE PROGRESS

 You may remember I decided to greatly alter my plan for my "Diamond Jubilee" quilt. It was begun 12 years ago in anticipation of my 60th birthday. This year I will be 10 +1 more than that so it was time to get this done.

Here is  where I am today:

Still to come is a pieced border of half square triangles and an outer border of the paisley print used in the center of each star and the sashing between the stars. 

Here is the original plan--to replicate a quilt made by Catherine Butterworth I saw in a magazine years ago. It won a big award at the Sydney Australia quilt show, where Catherine lives.  I tracked her down and we became "friends".  My colors would be much different but I LOVED her design. Her stars are almost 20", with 4 "feathers" on each side, mine is 15", with 3 feathers on each side:

"Julie's Quilt" by Catherine Butterworth, 96" square

A year ago I only had 4 stars done of the 13 needed. So I got back to this project in earnest. I made 5 more Feathered Star blocks, using the detailed color plan I developed 12 years ago.

Over time, things change. I decided I didn't need a king size quilt. And I didn't want to make 8 HALF STAR blocks and 4 QUARTER STAR blocks. I had 9 Feathered Star blocks done, 15" square each. So what to do???

I played around in Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8), quilt design software, to get an idea of what I might want to do. Sixteen Feathered Stars set straight would look like this:

That was ok, I already had 1 star done with the light yellow background. I would still have to make 7 more Feathered Stars. And 80" x 80" is still a pretty large quilt.

Ultimately, I settled on this:

BUT, the yellow stars look way out of place. I made 3 more Feathered Stars, each with darker backgrounds. Putting them on the design wall gave me this--the yellow one is still a problem:

SO, I made ONE MORE FEATHERED STAR: with a GREEN background. Now I had this and I liked it  much better:

OK, on to the sashing. I pulled one fabric after another out of my deep stash closet, auditioning many options: light, dark, striped, solid. Nothing seemed to work:

Sometimes you just need another set of eyes to help you see. My friend, Jan Davis, was out of state at the time but I was able to send these photos, and others, to her for her opinion. Jan is making several of these same stars to finish up her own "long brewing" quilt project. I knew she would understand my dilemma and how I wanted to get it "right".

Jan agreed with me about the yellow star--it had to be replaced. Then she suggested the idea I had been toying with: what about the big paisley print that is the "focus" fabric for all the fabrics included in the quilt? Would it be busy? Yes. Would it be unexpected? Yes. Would it WORK? Maybe... I have a BOLT of it so that wasn't a problem:

It's not awful

It was so much better than anything else I had tried I declared it the winner. The cornerstones really help to break up some of the "chaos" a busy print brings to the table:

Now it was time to make the half square triangle borders. I had designed them to be 3" so I made a bunch of the 80 needed. When I put them on the wall beside the top I knew they were JUST TOO BIG. I made a few that were 2" finished, much better.  I need 130 of those but they are quick to make so that is my new plan:

There will be a large outer border of the paisley once the half square triangle borders are done. The quilt will  be about twin size when done, significantly smaller than the original plan. But that will make it a good size as a class sample to teach the paper pieced Feathered Star block. I already have a YELLOW sample block done!

The pattern is FEATHERED STAR HEAVEN by Sue Garman--all the papers you need to make 9 blocks are included in the pattern. Sue's instructions are excellent. I recommend it highly. The Star is 15" finished. See my TUTORIAL on FEATHERED STARS here

So, you have to be prepared to change your mind on a long-term project when it no longer sings to you. Right now, I am happy to charge ahead to get this top finished before my Joyful Journey Retreat March 5-9. There I will be able to baste it so I can quilt it later this year.

I really look forward to having this BUCKET LIST QUILT finished.

Let's quilt.

Barbara