I needed a quick gift and a potholder seemed like a good idea. Plus, there was only a little of this cute sewing fabric.
You can use THIS tutorial, or just start with any 8″ block. I really like sawtooth stars.
And, before you know it, there is a gift. YAY!
The first Welcome Home quilt is complete.
The blocks finish at 10″ and it only takes 48 to make a nice size (60″ x 80″) quilt. Perfect for a large, cuddly throw, a Quilt of Valor, or a twin size quilt.
Jennifer, who donated her quilting time, used an overall flower pattern with multi-color thread. LOVE IT!
We have another finished top waiting to be quilted, and more blocks in the works. To celebrate the season of giving, I am joining Susan in committing to make a block a day to #LightTheWorld. The Welcome Home block tutorial will be posted tomorrow. Won’t you join us? You can make blocks for your own charitable quilt, or send finished blocks my way to add to the ones I am making for a project with love from many hearts and hands. Let me know if you would like to do that.
Such a scrappy happy quilt! It will surely bring warmth and a smile wherever it goes.
I am working on another layout variation for the Star Kissed Quilt.
How is yours coming?
Any questions?
The final step in the quiltalong and a number of alternate ideas coming soon.
Years ago Sparkle Jane took a notion and decided to cut 1-1/4″ squares. 1-1/4″?!? That is REALLY small. But, they sat in this box and after a while started to hum at me. Do projects ever do that to you? Just sort of seem to hum in the back of your mind, “I could be beautiful. Give me a chance.”
So, I started to piece, a little aimlessly at first. Just as a leader-ender project. Before I knew it, I was making 25-patches. Then, there were 25 of them.
By then there was too much invested to stop.
Next step was a sort of economy block layout. But, they didn’t feel finished.
Add some star points and fancy corners and you get….
THIS!
I originally called it “Tiny,” but now I call it “Star Kissed.” I am not sure that is its real name, though.
I visualize it with white sashing and tiny colored corner stones. And probably a really cool border of some kind.
This block is 10″, but it could easily be resized to sensible proportions based on, say, 2″ or 2-1/2″ squares in the center. What do you think?
What do you think?
It is a block design I am trying out as alternating blocks for my Splendid Sampler blocks. It can easily be sized for 6″, 8″ or 12″ finishes. I am liking it, but am interested in your opinion and suggestions.
As I continue to clean and dig I keep coming across old projects. Today it was this little tin of 1-1/2″ squares with a snowball block on top. With a square in the middle. I think it was leftovers from an old project of Daughter’s.
But, the more I looked at it I thought, “That would make a really attractive scrappy block.”
So, I tried one. Somehow in my mind the scale was off (seam allowances) and I turned it the wrong way. Whoops! I don’t like this look nearly as much.
Here is the second try. Much more successful.
Looking at it beside the inspiration piece, you can start to see how it will look. I think I like it! Let’s call it Happy Accident.
The next step for the fairy panels was to move towards a setting idea. One way to “grow” a quilt is to set the blocks on point, but I didn’t want those fairies to fall over.
So, I added a triangle to each side to give the effect of being on point without tipping the fairies.
Hmm…what to do next???
Even tiny panels have potential. I was given a little strip of fabric that had five mini-panels. It wasn’t much to work with, but they were fairies and really sweet.
So, I am experimenting and trying to see what can be done. First, I am making them into five My Size Stars. The blocks will finish at 6-1/2″ across. We’ll see what happens next…
A quasar is a spinning star. That seemed an appropriate name for this block, designed specially for the Desperate Housewife’s Quilt-as-you-wish-Along.
Don’t be put off by the number of pieces. It goes together fairly easily (just watch seam allowance) and makes good use of scrap or that honeybun you bought because it was so cute and haven’t known what to do with it.
By the way, you can make 30 of these blocks out of a single honeybun plus background fabric. That is enough for a nice size quilt, particularly if you use alternate setting blocks or an on-point setting.
Jane suggested we say a little about design inspiration. Well, I love stars and pinwheels, too. This block sort of brings them together.
My design software is usually the back of junk mail envelopes or 1/4-sheets of scrap paper I keep lying around the house. Here is my first idea.
The problem with that block was that it really and truly had too many pieces and each section had to be assembled differently.
Then I realized that I could make one pattern four times and spin them. Ah! Happiness!
Yep, that is my beautiful sketch of a quarter-block with the basic measurements written in and checked after I made sure they were correct.
I am sure that real design software helps, but anyone with a pencil and a dream can design. Don’t doubt yourself. Give it a try. You might be surprised at what you find in your head.
Anyway, after way more than you wanted to know, here you have:
QUASAR QUILT BLOCK TUTORIAL
Finished size 8″ (rough size 8-1/2″)
Cut the following out of background fabric:
4 squares 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches
8 squares 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches
8 rectangles 1-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches
Cut the following from your scraps (or honeybun strips), These can be completely scrappy or in sets of four:
8 squares 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches
4 rectangles 1-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches
4 rectangles 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches
4 rectangles 1-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches
ASSEMBLY
1. Sew a 1-1/2″ colored square to the corner of a 2-1/2″ background square. Sew along the diagonal of the colored square. Make four of these.
2. Sew a 1-1/2″ colored square to the end of a 1-1/2 x 2-1/2″ background rectangle. Sew along the diagonal of the colored square. Use picture to make sure you are sewing the correct direction. Make four of these.
3. Sew a 1-1/2 x 2-1/2″ background rectangle to the corner of a 1-1/2 x 2-1/2″ colored rectangle. Line up so the colored rectangle is on the bottom and the background rectangle is pointed to the left. Make a small mark if needed to see where to start your stitching. Sew along the diagonal of the background rectangle. Make four of these.
4. Sew a 1-1/2″ background square to the corner of a 1-1/2 x 3-1/2″ colored rectangle. Sew along the diagonal of the background square. Use picture to make sure you are sewing the right direction. Make four of these.
5. Sew a 1-1/2″ background square to the corner of a 1-1/2 x 4-1/2″ colored rectangle. Sew along the diagonal of the background square. Use picture to make sure you are sewing the right direction. Make four of these.
6. Now you need to trim off all the little triangles, leaving seam allowance, to prepare for pressing and block assembly.
7. Press seam allowance open or towards the colored pieces.
8. Now you are ready to create your quarter blocks. I did mine assembly line style, adding each new part four times, then pressing, then moving on to the next part . Start with the 2-1/2″ square. Keeping the colored piece in the upper left hand corner, add the 2-1/2″ background piece with the colored triangle in the upper right corner. Press. Again, make four of these. 
9. Add the 2-1/2″ colored and background rectangle to the right side of the 2-1/2″ square, colored section at the bottom. Press. Again, make four of these.
10. Add the 3-1/2″ colored rectangle to the bottom of the existing shape, background triangle to the lower left. Press. As you know by now, make four of these.
**SORRY: No picture of this step**
11. Add the 4-1/2″ colored rectangle to the right of the existing shape, with the background triangle to the upper right. Now you should have a shape that looks like this. This is one quarter of the finished block. And, you will have four of them.
12. Lay out your block so the 4-1/2″ rectangles are in the center and form a spinning star pattern. Sew together and press seams. TA-DAH! You have a Quasar Block.
Or, two…or more.
These little blocks are fun and satisfying to make. I plan to make an at least throw size quilt before I am done.
I look forward to seeing the blocks you make. Thank you for visiting Wedding Dress Blue. And, thank you to Jane for letting me be a part of her Quilt-as-you-wish-Along.
*****QUASAR BLOCK GALLERY*****
Susanne’s Version from make.share.give
Karen’s version from The House of Wilson
Revealing process isn’t a bad thing as long as the process goes well. Here is a red-cheeked post about how the process sometimes REALLY goes.
Remember this blue scrap?
I had big ideas of making a whole quilt (size unknown) of these, my new favorite block.
So, I cut it, getting ready to sew.
And I started sewing….
and realized that I had…
I don’t even know what I had done.
But, the end result was that nearly ALL my lovely blue scrap was cut into 2 1/2″ squares. NO 2 7/8″ squares to make Half Square Triangles with. No, not any.
Goodbye, All Hallows Blue Quilt.
But, what was I going to do with a LOT of 2 1/2″ squares. So, I did a little fiddling around and came up with this.
I called my Daughter in (she is 10), handed her the pile and asked what she would make with them.
At least it’s an idea.
So we are working on it together. I think there is enough to make a lap quilt size. We’ll see.
I have known “measure twice cut once” for a long time. Now I need to add “read twice” to the list of wisdom.
BTW: The quilt block comes from www.quilterscache.com It is a terrific site with hundreds (I am not exaggerating) of quilt blocks with really good instructions (provided you read them).
Wedding Dress Blue 