Western Stars Quilt Completed with Bold Binding

During my weekend, I was able to finish up the Western Stars quilt by sewing on the bold binding.  I love it.  It adds just the right amount of color.  I liked the fabric so much, I went back to Joann's and bought more for any future black fabric quilts.  I love black with bright colors in a quilt so I'm sure I'll use for it in future as well.  I also have learned to love sewing down the binding.  It really goes fast when watching TV.  Here are photos of the finished quilt and the backing. As always you can click on the photos for larger views.

Thanks for stopping by!
~*~Trish~*~

Folded Star Ornament - Finishing Steps

Finishing Both Sides

I finished pinning on the second side of my folded star ornament. I decided on the second side I would only place 3 layers of fabric. However, I started the center in green this time. So, when I was finished, both sides met with the green fabric. Here are photos of both finished sides.

Where the sides meet is where you will place your fabric strip or ribbon. Most times, my sides don't match up perfectly. But like I referenced previously, who cares. It's going to be covered up with fabric anyway. I just make my fabric strip a little wider to make sure I cover it all. Here are my sides. See how at one spot, they overlap a little and in another, there's a nice gap.

Finishing the Ornament

Wrap a string or measuring tape around your ornament to determine the size of ribbon or fabric you need. For this size foam ball, I'll need a 10" strip to be exact. However, I like to add a couple inches to that in case I have any issues and to make a tube at the top to act as a hanger. I usually use matching fabric (or contrasting, depends on the mood :-) 2" wide strip.

Then I fold the strip in half, right sides together and stitch a 1/4" seam down it to make an inside out tube. Turn the tube right side out and press with the seam on the inside, bottom center of the strip. I end up with a 3/4" finished strip to wrap around the ornament.

• Optional instructions - Just fold the sides in (1/4" each) to the back center and iron to make a 1.5" strip with sides folded under. Then, fold this in half again to form the 3/4" strip. This hides the raw edges and still gives you the 3/4" strip to wrap around the ornament.
  

I cut the finished strip to 10" (or however long you need) and then from the excess piece I cut a 1" piece which I'll use later. On the 10" strip, I add double stick tape. Then carefully thread the one end through the 1" piece and secure with tape on the underside. This will be the hanger at the top of the ornament.

Place the area with the 1" piece on top of your ornament if you have a preferential "top". Wrap the piece around your ornament and secure. When you come to the top, feed the other end of the wrap into the 1" piece on the top of your ornament. I'll even reach in with a pin inside this piece and secure further. Now, your ornament is ready for hanging.

• Optional instructions - just use the 10" strip and tape it to the ornament letting the ends meet at the top. Glue on a piece of fabric on top to cover the joint of the two ends where they meet at the top. Adhere something to hang the ornament.Here's the finished wrap. I like using fabric because the wrap is then very smooth.

Hang on your tree or give as a gift! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for stopping by!

~*~Trish~*~

Folded Star Ornament - Pinning Pieces

Now it's time to begin pinning the triangle pieces to the star. Keep in mind there are no "must follow rules" they are all left up to your individuality and how you would like to arrange the layers. Also, things won't match up perfectly. That's OK, slap on another layer and cover up the imperfection :-). Most of all, make it your own.

Place two of the unfolded squares evenly spaced apart on the foam. Pin each corner and have the corners meet from each side evenly spaced apart.

Layer 1 Step 1 - Place your first triangle directly on the flat 2.5" square just placed. Match the wide edge of the triangle with the corners of the squares. Pin the corners first and then the point. Remember, place the pin in the point in between the two folds a little below the edge. Then pull the folded flaps up and over to hide the point pin.

Layer 1 Step 2 - Complete the second triangle directly across from the first one placed, same method.

Layer 1 Step 3 - Place the 3rd triangle in the empty space besides the two just placed, match points.
Layer 1 Step 4 - Place the last triangle to finish the square. All points should match up.

Next layer, decide how large you want your center star. You should be able to fit 3 or 4 layers without using half the foam ball's space.

Layer 2 Step 1 - When you decide where you would like to start layer two, place in the point pin first and then pin down the outer corners of the triangle.


Layer 2 Step 2 - Place the second piece completely opposite of Layer 2 Step 1. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 2 Step 3 - Place the third piece 90 degrees from pieces 1 and 2 from layer 2. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 2 Step 4 - Place the 4th piece directly opposite of piece 3. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 2 Step 5 - Now add a 5th triangle to the areas not covered by the 4 pieces of layer 2. It's almost like another layer of the same color. You are now starting to form your star. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 2 Step 6 - Place the 6th piece completely opposite of Layer 2 Step 5. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 2 Step 7 - Place the 7th piece 90 degrees from pieces 5 and 6 from layer 2. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 2 Step 8 - Place the 8th piece directly opposite of piece 7. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle. You should see your first star.

Layer 3 - next color

Layer 3 Step 1 - When you decide where you would like to start layer three, place in the point pin first and then pin down the outer corners of the triangle.


Layer 3 Step 2 - Place the second piece completely opposite of Layer 3 Step 1. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 3 Step 3 - Place the third piece 90 degrees from pieces 1 and 2 from layer 3. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 3 Step 4 - Place the 4th piece directly opposite of piece 3. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 3 Step 5 - Now add a 5th triangle to the areas not covered by the 4 pieces of layer 3. It's almost like another layer of the same color. You are now starting to form your second star. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 3 Step 6 - Place the 6th piece completely opposite of Layer 3 Step 5. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 3 Step 7 - Place the 7th piece 90 degrees from pieces 5 and 6 from layer 3. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle.

Layer 3 Step 8 - Place the 8th piece directly opposite of piece 7. Pin center, hide pin, pin corners of triangle. You should see your second star.

If you have room for another layer without going over the half way point of the foam ball, switch colors and repeat steps from Layer 3.

Once you are done with all your layers, I sometimes go back and pin down all the exposed outer edges in prep for the ribbon or fabric wrap that will hide all the pins.

When finished, flip over the ornament and repeat all steps. I like to use opposite center color and then build out.

Thanks for stopping by
~*~Trish~*~

Folded Star Ornament - Preparing Fabric Blocks

Moving on with the Folded Star Ornament Instructions

After the 2.5" strips have been cut, you want to cut them into 2.5" blocks. You'll end up with a lot of 2.5" blocks. From here, you move on to ironing.

After the squares are now in 2.5" blocks, it's time for the ironing. But first, set aside 2 blocks from each color that you will not be ironing.

1. Step 1 - fold the 2.5" block in half. Use your spray starch if need to make it flat.
   
2. Step 2 - fold the folded half block again into a square. Use your spray starch again if needed.
   

The order in which you prepare all of your blocks is up to you. Meaning, do you do a completely iron and fold one block completely and then move on to the next one? Or, do you iron all in half first before you move on to the next step. Up to you.

One you have your tiny twice folded square, you now open it back up to the original half size and then we fold the edges in to meet the center fold line. Think back to when you made your paper hats. You bring the right side into the center fold line and press and then you bring the left side into the center line and press. Or, you fold them both in, hold them with your finger or tweezers and then press at once. Be careful not to burn your finger like I usually end up doing :-) You will end up with mini triangles.

Be precise when lining up the sides to the center, the closer (without overlapping) the better. Here I am holding one block before I iron it down. I would spray starch here to make sure it stays.

From here, it's just repeat, repeat, repeat until you have a pile of triangles such as this. Notice my saved blocks that have not been ironed.

Thanks for stopping by

~*~Trish~*~

Fabric Paint on Applique Quilt

I finally finished removing all of the threads from the front of the fall wall quilt. It's so hard to pull brown threads through on dark fabric, they tend to disappear. Once I finally pulled all the thread through, I looked at all that I needed to finish on the applique'.

Then, I had a flashback to the 80's when we used to make sweatshirts with fabric applique on them and we would always seal the applique edges down with the fabric paint. I must have had a whole wardrobe of finished sweatshirts with fabric painted designs on them.

I then remembered that I recently purchased a bottle of the fabric paint in one of my craft magazine. Now, where could it be. Let me tell you, I found it in my 3 drawer I searched so I was very happy. I examined the color and it was called Diamond, it was sparkly. Yeah, I found my bling bling for this quilt. I tested it out and to me it had coppery flecks in the clear glue... I was sold.

For now, the only place I added it was on the highlights from the pumpkin. I've set it aside to dry for the day and will take another photo and look later. But from the early results, I just may adhere the leaves this way. Let me know what you think.... Improvement or Detraction? You'll need to click on the photos to see the better details.



Thanks for stopping by
~*~Trish~*~

Turning Twenty Quilt Top Finished - With a twist

I started playing with the last border of the turning twenty quilt on Sunday. I had the 20 pieces left from the 20 Fat Quarters used. These pieces were 16.5" long and 3.5" wide. When I placed them next to the quilt so far, I did not like them, they were too large of blocks of color. I debated about not adding the final border. I stopped playing with the borders for a while and then walked away.

I looked at the pile of pieces I had and then decided to do the fun part. Deviate from the "standard" turning twenty quilt pattern. :-) I decided to randomly cut the border blocks up into pieces and again randomly place them back together. This worked pretty well, EXCEPT for all those pieces and seams really test your sewing and cutting skills to end up with straight lines. OK, so I had some waves here and there in the borders. I decided to move ahead and complete all four side pieces. Since I was cutting up all the original pattern pieces and the pattern did not count on a solid border around the blocks as well, I knew I was going to come up short in length. So, I added random solid black blocks as well.

When I finished sewing the 4 rows to cover the sides of the quilt top, and I saw the slightly uneven sides, I decided to trim this border on both sides to give me a clean line to add it to the quilt top. I took off a quarter inch on both sides of the borders. Lazy me was not going to do the whole length of each border panel in one level. No, I folded up each of the borders accordion style and sliced the quarter inch off both sides in one swipe each side. Surprisingly, once I got the fold just right, it worked out well.

So, there you have it. The quilt top is completed. My work here is done. I'm not even going to try and quilt this one since it ended up so large. It's 70 x 85.5 in size. My Quilt frame is not nearly setup that large. So, off to the mail this one goes for an all over pattern. I'll add the binding once it is completed. I'm thinking of adding a red binding to set off the red blocks. We'll see. Well it's off to the next craft. Talk to you later.




P.S. The quilt was so large for me, it was difficult to get a good photo of it with all sides and corners showing :-)


~*~Trish~*~