Thursday, February 11, 2016

Old and New Stars

...or "This and That"
...or "Still Sewing, Thanks!"

I know I've been absent from the blogosphere for a while, but I'm just resting my typing joints again. I've still managed a little sewing!

I put together two of the enhanced star blocks for Bonnie Hunter's Allietare:



Now it is just the steady work of putting together all the remaining Allietare blocks.

For a change of pace, I tried out one of the "feature" stars from Sue Garman's Stars for a New Day:


I'm going to be making dramatic changes and simplifications to Sue's design on this one. The fabric I bought for this project has a very low thread count, and a fairly large printed design, so I've decided to enlarge all the feature blocks from 6" to 9". That's a 9" block above, and you can see how much it is fraying, even with minimal handling. It's also quite stretchy. Sue's pattern uses mostly paper-pieced HSTs. My plan is to reduce the number of seams, and use the F&P half and quarter square ruler (that I bought for Allietare) to cut and piece it traditionally. It worked well enough.

Despite the low thread count, I still really like the fabric. I know that with washing it will get nice and soft, and a cozy brown quilt for late autumn is what I have in mind. Scaling up the blocks means I'll need fewer for a queen-size quilt, and a couple of the borders have to be eliminated too. So hopefully it will go fairly fast! (Once I finish all these other things...)

And, I've also finally finished off these old star blocks:

Mysteriously out of focus
Truly, a "soft focus" is a blessing on those blocks! I realized over the holidays that this is now my oldest UFO, started in November 2010 and intended as a Christmas present that year. Chuckle.

I've been itching to clear out some old projects, and this one is maybe a day and a half away from a finished flimsy. Each block will get a jade green border...


...and then the eight blocks will be set with some wintry sashing and borders and it'll finally be done! So as usual I am spoiled for choice around here. I've noticed that every winter and summer I'm in the mood to finish things, and every spring and fall I tend to start a bunch of things. So I'm hoping to make room for the new projects that are inevitably around the bend!

13 comments:

  1. Good luck sewing with the loosely woven cottons you're using for the Sue Garman stars. The colours are very pretty though and I can understand why you are using them.

    Allietare continues to be striking. You must be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for that one as well as the UFO stars.

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    1. Thank you! I WISH I could see the light at the end of the tunnel on Allietare! There's still a long way to go. But the UFO should go fast now. :D

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  2. Wonderful stars both old and new. Hope that flimsier fabric works out. Sounds like you came up with a solution to make it not be a problem.

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  3. Good for you for trying to finish projects! We all need that kind of inspiration.

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  4. You're making great progress! Love the star theme to your projects lately.:)

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  5. I wonder are you seeing stars with all these you have made. They look very fiddly especially the one that you are doing a 9" 6" would be tiny pieces they all look good. |Bonnie`s quilt is very special have seen a few completed and they looked great I am sure yours will be super too

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  6. Stars everywhere! Good idea to make the Sue Garman ones larger. They were really tedious to make in the 6" size. Do you follow her blog? Only posts once a month but it's well worth the wait.

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  7. All the stars are just luscious although the older stars with the teal sashing are my favorite!!!
    Terry

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    1. Thanks, Terry! I was working with them today, and I must say I am pretty happy with how it's coming together!

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  8. I can see why you are persevering with the high thread count. It has an almost 3D effect in the example. Hope your cycle of work theory works for you - especially to progress your oldest ufo!

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    1. Thanks, Jillian! It is almost a weird feeling to think it will be done soon! But it will be really nice to start catching up, too. :D

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  9. So many pretty stars. I'm finding I have a similar rhythm but most unfinished projects bother me until I get them done or give them away. There are still a couple of very old UFOs.

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  10. So many stars, and all lovely. Your Allietare is gong to be stunning.

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I'm told Blogger has been bouncing some comments, so if it happens to you I'm sorry! But the settings look right so I can't explain it. In any case, thanks for reading!

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