A Few Finishes

After a busy September traveling, I'm now in the "soon to go to Houston" mode. And I've been busy teaching local classes here.

My "go-to" quilt to make as a gift for nieces and nephews graduating from college is what I call the Super Southern Star--it's from Calico Carriage Quilt Designs. No "Y" seams, only half square triangles. I've taught it many times and have made about a dozen of them, about 75" square.

Here is one a student just completed as a wedding gift:

A quilter won't mistake this pattern for a "real" Lone Star" or Star of Bethlehem quilt but it makes a bed-size quilt top in a weekend and can then be quilted simply or with more complexity.

I recently taught this locally to 5 fairly new quilters. They did great in  our one all-day class, learning all the steps needed to finish their quilts. In the morning they learn how to make one quarter of the center:

In the afternoon they learn how to make one quarter of the side panels:

Two center quarters done, you can really start to see the star

  

They will all have terrific quilts when they are finished. Here is the one I made as a sample to keep for myself:

My two garments for Houston are now officially done. We are given fabric each year from manufacturers so we can make garments we wear on specific days while working on the Education Team. This helps identify us as staff and helps us in planning our wardrobes--I am there 13 days so having specific jackets I wear on specific days sure helps with  packing. Five pairs of black slacks, a bunch of shells or blouses, and the jackets are all I need. We can make whatever we want and can add one additional fabric to the ones we are given. These fabrics are from Alexander Henry, I added the red:

This is a beautiful rayon from the Menagerie collection of Rifle Paper Company, part of Cotton + Steel, a division of RJR Fabrics:

The other day I just wanted to quilt something so this wallhanging Trip Around the World was basted and ready--a former class sample. In a few hours I quilted  and bound it and it's now added to the pile of potential "gift" quilts:

Today I finished the Palmateer Point Sew-A-Long quilt from Humble Quilts. Lori does a small quilt sew-a-long once a year or so and I usually join in. Without a border, 21" square:

With a border, 25" square:

Think I'll baste, quilt and bind this one soon--no sense adding it to the unfinished top pile.

I have one more bed-size top for a class sample to get made in the next two weeks so I better get busy on that.

Let's quilt!

Barbara