My Lone Star Is Finished!

It is with great relief and a dose of pride that I introduce you to my completed quilt top, Broken Star. It is a variation of the Lone Star, and is the quilt I worked on in the Lone Star Quilt Along with Sue at Quilt Times.

I resewed 7 of the 8 the green points by hand, and for the most part, I am satisfied with the results. I still have some puffiiness and excess, but when it is sandwiched with batting and quilted, I think it will all look okay. Then, a washing will just make it look crinkly and wonderful, as a freshly washed quilt is supposed to look.

Here's a closeup of one of the redone points. The easing is very evident on this particular point.

As I said, I don't think this will be too bad of a finish when quilted. Given that I began this quilt about 20 years ago, when I was so inexperienced with bias edges, I think this is just how it's going to have to finish.

I am so grateful that Sue wanted to do the quilt along. It did keep me focused on finishing this thing!! It sat in a tub in the sewing room for so long, and I would not have tackled this without her cheering me on along the way.

If you want to read about the long, long journey toward this quilt's eventual finish, just type 'lone star' or 'quilt along' in the search box at the top of the right sidebar. There should be plenty of back story that can be pieced together.

Yeah, it's gonna be just fine. Here's one more look at it. Whew! It's my last finish on the goals list for 2012.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

USPS Delivers!

Saturday's mail delivered a real homerun - a giveaway prize I won recently arrived all the way from Leeds, UK.

Sue Abrey, aka Quilt Sue, is both the author of this book and the author of a wonderful blog, Quilt Times. She and I have followed each other for awhile now, and we are working together to host the Lone Star Quilt Along.

But I digress! She had a little give-away, like I said, and I was the lucky winner! Isn't it great? Getting Sue's book was on my Christmas list, but Santa didn't come through for me. Santa Sue did, though!!

And, in true Santa fashion, Sue added an extra-special bonus in her package! I'm just loving this quilted journal cover!

Pretty, isn't it? I wonder if I have pretty enough thoughts to write in such a fine journal? I just love stuff like this. When I taught English at CHS, my students journaled every day. Writing is something our kids just didn't do often enough, so I made sure they did a bit each day. They weren't particularly thrilled with this activity, but we did it anyway.

Ah, there I go again, digressing. Sue wrote a lovely sentiment inside both the journal and her quilt book.

Thanks, Sue! You're the best!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Long-Forgotten UFO

Today, as I was doodling around reading blogs, I came to one of my favorites - Quilt Times - and oh, my goodness, did Sue Abrey, the ever-friendly host of Quilt Times, take me back into the depths of UFO-land!!

Sue is wrestling with herself about starting a new project, one that many quilters consider to be one of the trickiest to make because of all the bias edges - Texas Star, sometimes also called Star of Bethlehem. I imagine there are other names, as well.

I trucked myself right upstairs to dig out my ancient UFO - Broken Star. I estimated to Sue that I began this around 1990. The copyright on the book indicates that I am pretty darn close to my estimate.

You see, even though this UFO is over 20 years old, I still knew exactly the book to grab to find the pattern!

So, was it just as easy to locate the project??

Take a look up there on the top shelf. See that bin on the left with the colorful stripes?

Yes, that's the one; almost touching the ceiling, isn't it??

Let's take it down and examine the contents. How far did I get on this thing anyway??

Well, it sure looks neat and tidy. Pressed nicely. What's under this layer?

Hah! Actual diamonds!! I'd gotten further along on this than I remembered! What a pleasant little discovery!

I commented to Sue that I would possibly be compelled to start back to work on this if she commits to beginning the project she is pondering. Hers is a more traditional Texas Star or Star of Bethlehem. Mine is jazzed up a bit. It's called Broken Star.

So, what do you think? Should Sue start the project she is so reluctant to start? Should I stitch along with her and finish up this old UFO?

I had to laugh at her return comment to me; she said, " I need this project like a hole in the head, but I'm going to have to do it I think." We quilters just don't know what's good for us, do we???

C'mon, Sue!! I'm in if you're in!!