Sam Quilts : Saturday Sew In

Just me.

And it's all Joan's fault! I started a quilt. Yes.....another one. Y'all can roll your eyes here becasue we all know that I do NOT need another project. But I started one anyway!

I am no good at linking stuff from other blogs with that click on the word technique (so I am not gonna do it & if I do, remember, I dont' do it enough to make it work properly!!) Joan was looking for a pattern for a quilt that she saw on line or at a show...It is called IRISH STARS. I have a pattern in my extensive quilt book library. But it was not the same. Looked similar, just not the SAME. The pattern is from A Pieceful Gathering in Cary IL.

Saw it on THIS blog. And the quilt pictured below is HERS and it was what inspired me to wnat to make the quilt too:

"

I like it. So I went to the website of A Pieceful Gathering:
And bought the pattern. I think that was 2 weeks ago? Maybe....Bought BEFORE I started my painting spree. So I know its more than 3 weeks ago.

When I got the pattern, I read it front to back. As I do most patterns. Now, that being said what I am about to say/write is MY own opinion. So if you want to know MY OPINION then keep reading, otherwise stop.

I like the pattern. I like that they show you how to cut your fat quarters with little inch marks & diagrams. The pattern is also in COLOR (hear angels singing???) I REALLY like that. But!...Yah, y'all knew THAT was coming didn't you???. If I was a beginner, I could NOT do this pattern. I feel like I am a pretty accomplished quilt maker. I imagine myself as ADVANCED. The pattern shows you how to cut the peices & assemble the 2 major units for construction. But it does not give any kind of diagram or setting OR layout information of the sub-units. And there are no pressing instructions. So, if YOU decide to get the pattern, know in advance that these things are missing from the pattern. I feel confident that I can figure it out & get it done. I sure hope so, as I cut up enough fat quarters for TWO quilts.

I am currently working on the DARK 2 pc sub-units & the LIGHT 2 pc sub-units. I already have the CHAIN blocks completed. I used all different reds for the chain part of the quilt. Since I cut enough fabric for 2 quilts, I have more variety in the selection of strips for the chain blocks. I was able to make all 52 chain blocks without repeating the dark strip or the red chain in EACH block! I was NOT able to do that with the light parts of the blocks. Pick your battle & I decided not to bother trying too hard on the light parts of the blocks.

So...here is a rather chaotic view of my progress:

This picture is a view of my sewing space. You're seeing multiple projects in progres here & I am NOT going into detail of what is what....:(though the red basket holds 3 BOM's from 2010 that I determined to cut out & complete this year...)

And here are 52 blocks for quilt #1:

And....THIS is my attempt at trying to mix up the dark strips (when I cut strips out, I stack 2 or 4 fat quarters up & cut together - saves time- i assume everyone does this? But the fabric sticks together - so I throw them in a box & mix them up!):

I am hoping REALLY hard that I can get the body of the quilt done this weekend. We shall see! I will be making the blue stars all from the same color blue & the gold stars all from the same color gold. but the red blocks are going to be scrappy. While I have LOTS of blue to choose from, the same can not be said for GOLD. So That's why I'm doing it that way. Also - I don't know (at this point) if I'll use the exact same blue & gold for quilt #2. We'll see how much I use of what I have before I can determine that step. So far? I have bought ZERO fabric for BOTH quilts. 100% from my stash! Whoo-Hoo! That always feels good.

I'll show you more when I get there.

Sam

Now, it's Sunday morning & I have work to do for my REAL JOB, but before I get started on THAT work, I got all the sub-units completed.

Here is a photo of all the sub-units. This is, effectively, where the instructions stop. I have all these units & a photo (computer generated, it seems) of the completed quilt & thassit. I wing it from here. I wonder if MAYBE there is a page of the instructions missing????? Who knows, I am this far & I am not emailing to ask whether or not there is.