Blue Stars

At the start of the year, when I was going through some projects and doing a bit of holiday sewing, I pulled out what was supposed to be a project of "Strippy Stars".  A declared WITB* to work on and finish. I decided not to make the full original pattern, but just complete the partially made stars, put them with the completed stars and then decide upon a setting. 

Sometimes, we start projects with the best of intentions, but they don't always work out how we have perceived them in our mind's eye.  When I purchased the fabrics for this quilt, it was for a fun day of sewing at a local Scouts fundraiser in 2015.

I purchased the fabrics at a large quilt show, and loved the blue batiks, but struggled to find a background that I really liked.  I purchased the one you see in this quilt, and I'm pretty pleased how it has turned out, however, it didn't work when I went to set the stars in the planned zig zag setting.  I truly wasn't happy with the original quilt plan at all.  So, as all projects do when feeling dis-enchanted, it hopped into a plastic tub and into the cupboard it went.

I was able to make 20 star blocks and binding from the remaining fabric.  (The rest of the batik fabrics went into 'Twas a Mystery - just in case you think the colours are familiar)

In the end, it turns out that simple can often be the best.  Straight sets, with sashing and cornerstones.  Perfect.

Simple quilting with tumbling leaves and loops over the columns of stars with 'in the ditch' quilting along the long lines of sashing and two long borders.  

One would think that is easy - right?  No, sometimes things just go a bit awry...  I was stitching in the ditch, after I had quilted the swirling leaves, and decided that the quilt needed a bit more stitching to make things more even.  Mistake number 1, should stitch in the ditch first....

The needle fell out twice - had to tighten it.  I really struggled to push the quilt through the machine when it normally glides.  I checked the presser foot pressure, I re-threaded the machine, checked the bobbin, cleaned out the bobbin race, everything I could think of.  It was only when I finished the ditch quilting, ignoring the slightly wobbly bits, and went to change to my walking foot to attach the binding, that I realised when I put my open toe foot on - I had not tightened the little bolt which holds the foot on, it was just sitting there - no wonder it didn't work!  The foot was just swinging in the breeze and I didn't notice...  No wonder it was such hard work.....Sheesh....  Mistake number 2, because I kept on sewing.  Then I had to reverse sew and then forward sew and sew on....

However, I am pretty pleased with the overall effect of this quilt and it's simple setting.

And to finish off, here's a peek at the backing - gorgeous blue deer...

* WITB = what's in the box/bag