Motif #12

 

I have had the fortune to find the most wonderful star to tat.  Joelle Paulson at leblogdefrivole has this star pattern, Crystal Star.  You have to find out how she has made the join of the beads.  It is like, WOW, why aren't I that smart.

 

Here is my first star.  I didn't quite follow her directions (which are excellent, it was me).  I didn't have enough thread to join the last bead.  I needed just a smidge more to get that bead joined.  Now that the picture has been taken, I will take apart this star and reuse the beads.

 

 

Here is my second star.  Once again I didn't follow directions.  Look at 12 o'clock and 7 o'clock.  I missed some joins (what was I thinking of, surely not tatting the star).  As I said before, now that the picture is taken, I will take apart this star and reuse the beads.

 



 

 

Here is my third attempt at the star.  Now I am paying attention and I love the results.  The beads in the center are just amazing to me.

 

  

I have done three more and have several yet to do.  Every year the girls (sweet thing #1, #2, and #3) have received a Christmas tree decoration.  This is the one that they will receive this year.  Will also share with others in Christmas cards. 

 

May you all enjoy your evening.  I will be working on Crystal Stars.

Courthouse Steps

In 2015 I decided that I would make quilts for my nieces and nephews.  Ben received his during the family gathering for Thanksgiving 2015 (his was a surprise).  I do not have any pictures of it that can be put on the computer.  (They are paper pictures, I was not thinking of keeping a record of my quilts then.)  

Megan's quilt was next for 2016 completion.  I sent her two ideas that I thought she might like (in techniques that I wanted to try).  She chose the Courthouse Steps as her pattern (she is a lawyer).  She said she liked the colors pink and green.  Sweet Thing #3 and I went looking for material. I sent Megan pictures of the materials as I found them and she gave me free rein to use which ever ones I liked.  Here is a short story of the quilt.

It began on February 19, 2016, the first block.  For quilt as you go, I sew the material strips together as I sew them onto the batting, making each block.

  

 

 Here is the last block, last strip of material, just before it came off the machine.  The last block was done on April 20, 2016.  The blocks were sewn on my 1971 Elna Super, wonderful machine.





Now I have a pile of 66 squares.  The quilt is 8 rows of 8 squares alternating colors of pink and green (I only used 64 squares).  22 different materials were used, 3 blocks made from each fat quarter of material.

April 25 2016 the blocks were all sewn together.  I did not sew the backing to the quilt until June 9, 2016.  (First, time is moving, pause.)  I did a herringbone type stitch around each block (didn't take a picture).  I thought that that would be enough to keep each square from moving.  But, I wasn't happy, so I hand quilted each courthouse square (the little grey one in the middle of the block).  I liked how that held each courthouse square in place.  With the quilt as you go you just have to attach the backing to the already machine quilted quilt.  It is great for log cabin or courthouse patterns.  Here I am using my 2015 Elna Expressive 900.  I have it place up to the dinning room table so the I have table support for the quilt.

Due to the hot summer that we had, (Second pause, excuse?) it took me until October 31, 2016 to cut the backing to match the quilt.  The next day the binding was sewn on to the quilt.  I began hand sewing the back of the binding to the quilt that night.  I would work watching the news, football and other TV shows.  Three hours each night over four nights and the binding was done on November 5.  I was very warm while sewing on the binding, the quilt is on my lap as I work.  I guess that make me the first to be kept warm by this quilt

I needed to show it finished to my quilting cousin so it was not shipped until November 11, 2016.  It should arrive in Missouri tomorrow.

Another quilt done and finished.  I enjoyed the quilt as you go method and would work with again.  Now I have two QOVs (Quilts of Valor) to back, machine quilt and then they will be given away.  Am putting my FWQ (Farmer's Wife Quilt) blocks together and then it will be quilted, not yet sure how.  Jessica, as soon as the QOVs are done (by end of the year, if not sooner) your Wedding Ring Quilt begins.  After Jessica, I have three more niece and nephew quilts.

Have a great day.  Tatting update with next post.