LUCKY STARS -- NEW HANDWORK PROJECT

 Recently I decided I needed a new Hand Piecing project to take with me on my travels. My friend, Jackie Kunkel, has been showing her tantalizing LUCKY STARS blocks on Social Media and she SUCKED ME RIGHT IN.

A few of Jackie's photos:

Who wouldn't be tempted with all these fantastic fabric selections of such amazing COLORS?! 

But I don't have a lot of orange, or lime green, or aqua, etc. A group swap would be the perfect way to get some. Fortunately, my Sunday Sew and Sews were all excited to join in this project. 

Twelve of us are swapping 3.5" squares of a LIGHT and a DARK shade of specific fabrics each month.

Cyndi took on the task of ordering the 12 sets of patterns. She also made us each a set of cardstock templates for the 3 shapes needed so each person could get started right away. That was an unexpected surprise! Thank you, Cyndi:

The pattern is excellent and a reasonable price for all the information included. There is an additional password-protected file online with even more instructions, including the best way to baste each shape and files for printing your own paper templates. There are video instructions there as well.

See the designer's website: Kustom Kwilter.  There are several options for ordering.  Just the pattern--printed or PDF, the pattern and 3 acrylic templates for easy cutting of the shapes, or a complete set with the pattern, templates and ALL the pre-cut papers for the 60" x 72" quilt. There are additional intriguing designs available as well:

We met recently and did our first swap: ORANGE:

I made a name page for each of us and as people arrived they put their LIGHT and DARK orange squares on each person's page. I didn't get a photo of the beautiful stacks but here is what I received:

We are using lights and darks for the 15 wedges that make the circle around the star and background shapes. We will discuss color and contrast--"COLOR gets all the credit but CONTRAST does all the work."

As a demo for our first meeting I was working on an ORANGE block:

Next month is GREEN so I cut that one out too:

Cyndi had also done some pre-meeting work so we could discuss alternatives to the pattern instructions. Here you can see what we had ready for the group to enjoy, Cyndi's orange and aqua stars and my two in progress:

We are looking forward to seeing what each person does. There are NO RULES, and NO DEADLINES, each person can do as she pleases. I love picking the fabric and using glue to baste shapes to the papers. The sewing is not as exciting to me. But I love how they turn out. 

This is going to be FUN!

Find a project you like, see if a few of your friends want to join in, and get a group together. These small squares of fabric would easily lend themselves to a "distance group", where those not nearby could mail the fabrics in a regular envelope. 

We are a group of 12. Cutting 3.5" squares from a Fat Quarter is easy--cut two strips 3.5" x 21", lay them on top of each other and cut into 3.5" squares--exactly 12 are cut from those two strips. And you still have a 11" x 21" piece of fabric left for your collection. So buy ONE LIGHT and ONE DARK fat quarter of a color and get 11 more different fabrics for your rings. Easy and fun!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

THIS AND THAT

Blissfully at home much of this winter, I am getting a lot done with little concern for cold weather.

Here is what has kept me busy this week:

1. Angela Walter's Arcs, Curves, Points with Rulers Free-Motion Challenge Quilting Along. I bought both the smaller and larger panels, so easy to work with for this class. This is the small one:

A variety of rulers for free motion quilting

My progress for weeks 1 and 2 

2. Natalia Bonner's free class, 99+ Strip Designs. This just started. These are the first 3 designs and one of the added Bonus designs, all to fit 2" finished strips. To start, I am just using scrap fabric with 2" lines drawn in. When I perfect a few of my favorites I will use them on a Quilt of Valor I am making for a specific Marine.  I really want to perfect my Ribbon Candy, so not there yet, but her tip to draw around a penny or dime to get started was a good one. Half way across I switched to no drawn lines as I was getting in the rhythm of the design. Lot more practice is needed:

3. The Sunday Sew and Sews came over, a small group due to illness, a broken hip, family obligations. But look what they brought for Show and Tell:

Susan is on a mission to complete  a lot of UFOs

Susan made this for her husband, a coffee lover

Another from Susan

Susan's Sizzle, the BOM from 2019, designed by Becky Goldsmith

Susan made this throw size from the leftovers of a king size Ocean Waves quilt

Pam finished her Laurel Ridge in William Morris fabrics. She says she has MORE William Morris fabric now than when she started. How does that happen?

Cyndi is making these delicate Log Cabin blocks from a kit, I think that ships monthly. It's pricey because they are Liberty of London lawn fabrics and she added on the "fussy cut centers" package. The blocks feel so good!

Cyndi is very talented with EQ8--she often redesigns Block of the Month patterns to suit herself. This is her version of Game On! She calls it Parchisi. 

These women are very talented, giving and fun to be around. I look forward to their visits.

This week I got a package--the PRINTS KIT for the 2026 Block of the Month for TheQuiltShow.com, Game On! designed by Becky Goldsmith:

It is a beautiful collection of contemporary fabrics, the kinds I don't have a lot of. It is 17.625 yards, mostly fat quarters, and would be an excellent way to freshen up your stash--or call it your "collection".

The BEST phrase I ever heard about your "stash" vs "collection" is this:

"I am the Curator of an extensive personal TEXTILE COLLECTION". Now doesn't that sound impressive?

Available for purchase by anyone, you don't have to be a Star Member to shop in the "Store". See it HERE for a full list of each fabric in this package.  

I cut out Month 1 and 2 so I can make and use them for demos on my LIVE:

Month 2 ready to sew

Month 1 ready to sew

It's been cold and wet here but we have power and no where we have to go most days. I remember the 35 years I worked for H&R Block and HAD to go to work when the weather was awful--I was the office manager and those would be busy days--if people couldn't go to work because of snow they would come to us to get their taxes done. I am so glad those days are behind me! 

Now I can bake bread when the weather is cold. Find the recipe for this and my other favorites up top here in the tab RECIPES:

Cranberry Pecan Artisan Bread

There are a few more things to keep me busy, like working on my own taxes, but there's nothing to show for that.

I hope you are dry and warm and enjoying some good times.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

SUNDAY SEW AND SEWS 2024

Since 2017 a small group of quilting friends has met at my house for fun, learning, and companionship. We began working on Block of the Month quilts from The Quilt Show, starting with Halo Star Medallion, designed by the late Sue Garman. We meet for about 2 hours on a Sunday. This past year most of us worked on Feathered Star blocks. 

Over the years much more than quilting has come from this group. It is truly an important part of our lives, as dear friends. Each year it changes a little, some come, some go. And sadly, two have passed away. 

Each December we do a "potluck" holiday meal where we share food and laughter. This year a few were sick or had other obligations, so the annual photo only shows 5 of us--I took the photo so we were a party of 6 instead of 13!

Show and Tell is always the highlight of the day. Here are some photos from our last gathering:

Pam R's Feathered Star quilt with Fussy Cut centers

Victoria's baby quilt before it was gifted to the new one

Susan with a couple more borders to go

Show and Tell at our December party featured these gems:

Cheryl finished one of Janet's projects she left behind when she passed

Cheryl made this comfy throw for a little boy--it has a soft fleece-like back that is so cuddly!

Cheryl got her Patchwork Barn done in time to gift it for Christmas--this proves that an edge-to-edge quilting pattern can work for a lot of quilts--that was all this one needed to be functional and wonderful

Holly finished her Feathered Star quilt and quilted it on her longarm. She said she learned a lot about making perfect points

Susan finished her Washington Medallion top. It is perfect in Black/White and Red. Sue Garman would have approved!

My 3 recent finishes were on the design wall. Charming Kaffe, top left, is a new sample for my Charming Sampler Class. Oh My Small Star! is a sample to teach the basics of this pattern with an adaptation that removes the Y-seam construction. The quilt on the bottom is Scrappy Star Sew Along,  made from instructions on Instagram from "reproquiltlover"--the idea was to replicate an antique quilt she owns, using my fabrics to match the antique as closely as possible. It was FUN!

Another quilt I made and finished this year is Papaw's Choice, pattern by Ricky Tims. I took his online class to learn this and highly recommend his classes. Find them on Let's Quilt Together, his quilt teaching website:

80" square, using mostly hand-dyed fabrics

I really enjoyed coming up with the quilting designs

Having a group of friends you meet with regularly is a joy and will enrich your life. I encourage you to start one if you want to be part of such a group. All I did is ask "Would anyone be interested in..." When we got to 15 people quickly I knew we were on to something.

In 2025 some of us will work on the 2025 Block of the Month quilt from The Quilt Show, LAUREL RIDGE. Some may be "inspired by" the original, yet not make an exact copy. Here are two plans friends of mine have been playing with. See how much fun it can be to play with COLOR and VALUE:

Cyndi

Sally

I have written about this group numerous times, use the SEARCH box above to find them or this link should work: SUNDAY SEW AND SEWS

Let's quilt.

Barbara

FEATHERED STARS WITH THE SUNDAY SEW AND SEWS

Recently the Sunday Sew and Sews met to show what they have all been working on. Most are doing Feathered Stars--I have written about that before: Sunday Sew and Sews 2024

Here is a look at their progress:

Susan C with her Washington Medallion

Mazie showing her bright aqua stars

Cheryl has a beautiful star

Donna has a plan and is sticking to it

More from Donna

Pam is making Fussy Cut centers to applique on her star--each is unique and amazing

Victoria has a space theme going on, very original and exciting

Victoria finished her Two For One--a great class I will be teaching locally in September and in Texas and California in March 2025. Such a fun quilt to make!

Jan is working to finish a long ongoing applique project with Feathered Stars in the corners

Peggy is working to finish SIZZLE, the 2019 Block of the Month for The Quilt Show, designed by Becky Goldsmith, great color palette!

And what have I been working on? Feathered Stars got put aside in favor of Oh, My Stars! since I need another class offering for 2026. I am very pleased with how this is coming along:

The handout I will provide to supplement the pattern instructions will include an alternative small star--one with points that "float". It is so much easier and faster to piece and requires far less precision than the large Lone Star blocks do. The look is the same, but easier and faster is good.

Both are 4" finished, the top one "floats" so the points don't touch the outside edge. The bottom one is the "precise" one, from the pattern instructions but made with 4 flying geese units for the star points:

The other thing I am working on "in the background" is plans for my next Joyful Journey Retreat March 5-9, 2025. In late August those who attended this year get the first opportunity to sign up for 2025. After early September those on the waitlist are invited to sign up. We expect a full house with 19 happy women who will gather for friendship, relaxation and lots of sewing. 

I plan to offer 6 of them the chance to make Oh, My Stars! as a class. They will work on this as their primary project during the day for three and a half days. This gives me a chance to see how much students can accomplish over several days, the way it will be at Empty Spools Seminar where I hope to teach this in the future. It also gives me feedback on my Handout and how it can be improved. 

My walk each day is my happy time, when I work out details of things I am working on. Or just sing along to my favorite playlists of music. Two hours most days, 8+ miles a day, I really love being outdoors. It has to be EARLY now with the heat and humidity or after dinner. Sometimes I do half in the morning, half after dinner.  

The other day I was excited to come close to this beautiful creature:

Great Blue Heron

I also see foxes often, young and adult, and lots of squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and hawks. Canadian geese and mallard ducks are always at the two big retention ponds where I saw this Heron. I sure appreciate the air conditioning when I get done!

Let's quilt.

Barbara