Sunday, November 4, 2012

Jelly Stars Quilt

I haven't abandoned my pineapple project, just realized I need more fabric.  So while I wait for my online order to arrive, I started another project.

This one was a total impulse.  I saw a sample quilt on display at my local quilt shop, Pennington Quilt Works.  The display quilt was a Lone Star design made from the Sentiments fabric line, a holiday line from Moda.  I liked the design, which turned out to be a pattern from Fig Tree Quilts designed to use a jelly roll.  Perfect for my jelly roll of Blitzen, another holiday fabric line from Moda!


 
The pattern is called Jelly Stars.  It calls for simplified construction techniques to strip piece the stars from the jelly roll strips and add the background.  Here are the strips from my Blitzen jelly roll, arranged on a small drying rack I use for hand laundry.  This little rack was perfect for keeping the strips organized in sewing order. 
 
 
You sew the strips together in sets of three then cut the strip sets apart, then sew some more to make diamonds.  Eight of these diamonds make up one star.  The quilt is fairly easy and goes fast, but the pattern directions are rather cursory.  I think I get more out of looking at the photo and illustrations than from the directions themselves.  This pattern really assumes you know a lot already; it would be improved for beginners if it included more tips on such topics as how to avoid stretching bias edges, how to match up the seams on the diamond shaped pieces, etc.    Actually, this is the kind of pattern that would benefit from a companion YouTube video to demonstrate some of the construction.

 
When it all comes together, you have a finished star block like this.  The blocks are big; four of them make a quilt that is 73" square.  You can make a smaller block if you cut your strips narrower than the 2.5" width of jelly roll strips. 

 
I had my star diamonds all made before the storm, then used some daylight hours when we without power to cut the background pieces so I was ready to resume construction when the power came back on.  I have one star finished, need to complete the other three, then decide what I'll do about sashing and a border.  I used the mottled white, called "Grunge," from the Blitzen line for the background. 
 
 

2 comments:

  1. I made this quilt a few years ago and love how it turned out, but I haven't quilted it. It turned out much bigger than I thought it would and actually will fit on a queen sized bed. It was a little difficult matching up the seams, but I somehow worked out a plan that was working like a charm and now that years have gone by I forgot what my trick was, but I remember it involved pins and lots of starch!

    I love how it came out and am feeling ready finally to tackle the quilting this winter...I hope that happens!

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  2. Ohmygosh -- this is going to be a beautiful quilt! I love that pattern -- those stars are on my quilt bucket list. I love the color combo you've chosen!

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