Tuesday, September 25, 2012

WIP Wednesday. String Star: 1, Me: 0.

Happy Wednesday!

Let's get right to my recap, shall we?

I Made Progress On....

This month's block for Stash Trad Bee. The penultimate block - I can't believe how quickly the year has gone!

String Star Stash Trad

This Scrappy String Star (tutorial here) defeated me. Let's just say I have told Corey Little Miss Shabby that she can just go ahead and stick this one on the back of her quilt if she wants. The less said about what is happening in the block's centre, the better. Those string segments are foundation paper pieced and some of them just did not want to line up with their neighbours which makes absolutely no sense. I hate HATE sending out inferior work but I just couldn't face redoing all of it. I just couldn't.

Moving right along! I am determined to improve my FMQ skills, so I borrowed Angela Walters' book from the library and bought her Craftsy class when they were having a sale. I think I made some progress.

This is the front of a ballet bag for my little Miss G, who requested "swirly" quilting.

Ballet Bag Quilting
Isn't that fabric adorable? It's an older print, Bella Ballerina by Dan Morris for RJR Fabrics.

Reading Angela's book and seeing the different quilting motifs diagrammed step by step really helped me to work towards getting the hang of it. This is the back of the bag's back panel (I used Pellon Fusible Thermolam).

Back Side Quilting Closeup

And last but not least, I offered to make a good friend a cover for her stand mixer and food processor. Check out these adorable fabrics by Michael Miller:


So that's it. No finishes this week, but I hope to do some quilting next week and see if I can't do something about my stats!

Stats
Finished Projects - 0
New Projects - 1 (ballet bag, nearly complete)
In Progress - 10

How was your week? Share and link over at Freshly Pieced and The Needle and Thread Network (Canadians)!

24 comments:

  1. I think I had that same problem with one of my Lone Starburst blocks last month - I just could NOT get the center to line up. I too hate sending out inferior work, but it happens to the best of us. I think your string star looks great!

    Thanks for linking up with WIP Wednesday. : )

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  2. I think your string star is lovely - at least it lined up better than the one I made!

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  3. One of the Bees I am in just had the String star too! Can't say it was a favourite block to make either. Yours looks lovely though!

    Your FMQ looks so great - thinking I need to look into that book or class!

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  4. I've read two or three blog posts recently by people who have hated making String Stars. I had been tempted to give one a try but now I think I'll just admire from a distance- yours really does look lovely!

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  5. Love the swirly quilting and your string star quilt is gorgeous.

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  6. For the record, I think my points aren't 110% perfect on my block, too. I think yours looks great, and I know Corey will love it and appreciate the work you put into it. Your FMQ looks great, too! Are you liking the Craftsy class so far? Haven't done one yet...

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  7. I know that block nearly brought me to tears so let it go!

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  8. Your string star is gorgeous. I had the same problem when I made mine (not part of the bee obviously!).

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  9. Everything looks wonderful to me!! Love the string star..and your quilting looks great..

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  10. If it makes any difference (and I'm sure it doesn't!) your star looks great from here!

    Awesome job on the quilting too.

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  11. I think that start is wonderful the way it is! I have had similar problems with points like that at the middle of a star, sometimes just have to accept the way it is!

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  12. I can see that problem in the centre, but only because you drew my attention to it. I love the block - as soon as I saw it I went "Ohhhhhhh want want!" and now I want to make one (and believe me, that's saying something!).

    So I would say it's very successful. ;)

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  13. I have the spiderweb pattern that I want to give a try.
    Is that quilt hand stitched?
    I seen a machine at the sewing shop this week that actually sews to look like hand stitching--who would have thought.

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  14. I can't see a problem with the string star , it looks really great to me and your quilting is excellent!

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  15. Eeek--now I'm more than a little nervous to do Corey's block this weekend! Krista said to make the triangles oversized--did you do that too? Since you have your own support group going on there.... :(

    Your FMQ looks amazing! I bought that Craftsy class on sale too! And that little group of fabrics is just adorable.

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  16. Veeeery cute Michael Miller fabrics. I love those reds. Sorry about the star, it looks great to me but we are all our own worst critics. Believe me, I've been there! Especially sending it to someone else.

    Your FMQ is looking great!

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  17. Your free motion quilting looks great! I just got Angela's book too and am set to practice, practice, practice! Your star looks amazing, too.

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  18. Everything looks so great!!! But you royally distracted me with the Micheal Miller yumminess!

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  19. I've been wondering about the Craftsy classes - your FMQ looks fab!

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  20. I love that star block! I think that the center gives it character and the fact that the blue lines up lovely adds to it! Wonkyness is wonderful! :)

    Your FMQ is lovely as well! I just started my first FMQ and thought I am not satisfied that it is not perfect, I know it will always be an area of improvement for me.

    I love craftsy! :)

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  21. I really like the star block, and I could only see the issue with the centre after I studied it. Your free motion is great; I've been debating getting that book by Angela, and everything that I'm reading about it is telling me that I should.

    beaniekins84(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. I don't think your star block is near as bad as you do, but we're all like that about our own work, aren't we? Sometimes I remind myself that done and delivered is better than perfect... ;) And I think your FMQ looks great!

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  23. LOL! No one likes that block!! To be honest, I just love the colours and general affect those stars have, and I don't even look at the centre point!

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  24. I'd take that star block for the front of a quilt any day! And while "hand made" should definitely not look "home made", neither should it look like "machine made", just saying.....

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