SWOONING OVER A STAR DESIGN

 My hat always goes off to the pattern designers out there...

even the unspoken ones from 100 years ago.  

Take for instance, there is a block called "Swoon" 
by Thimbleblossoms
 I have the pattern and this is the block... 

Sometimes the tiniest change in color placement or
cutting a piece of fabric to place in a design
makes it new!
I have to chuckle when I see all the excitement

over a block that has been around for years 
like this...

Star of Bethlehem

I decided to give the "Swoon Block" a try
by making a mini quilt using my  

Charley Harper stash fabrics.

 I studied the pattern, did a little math (I hate math)
and my process began. 

Diagram A - Original pattern - cut pieces

Diagram B - My pieces - some one large piece vs 2 small pieces

Diagram A - Swoon cut pieces - Several HST

Diagram B - My cut pieces - 2 HST

The Chickadee birds fit the center

and some coordinating HST

 Zen Chic "Comma" mustard and dots plays well!

 

The dark teal flower print was up next...

I just began building it out as I went...

using more of the Zen Chic with it.

Here is where my stash FQs decided 

how to finish the  "white" area.

 diagonal corners are different and now my deign. 

I marked the sizes I had to cut to make my fabric work

I made four sections sets using the 

Charlie Harper leaves and Gray flowers

The Kwilty Pleasures "hack" uses fewer HST 

I sewed it all together, added a small blue border then
quilted it with an elongated serpentine stitch.

In the end....I like it and not sure what I will call it...
other than done!
 

BASKETCASE

 If you know me...I can be a basket case...

  I can get behind in my posts but my intentions are good.

Maybe if I stayed home a while...nah I like my adventures!

One of my favorite swaps in 2016 was 

The Basket Case Swap sponsored on Instagram.

My partner, Janet Smith (@bayleebarkley) 

loves Tula Pink...found this in my stash.

I decided to make a one hour basket...

added some simple quilting...

The finished basket turned out great!

She also mentioned Cotton and Steel was a favorite fabric...

I did a little research and found she enjoys paper piecing.

So I made a paper piecing tool pouch.

Here is the entire package I sent.  

With paper piecing tools in the case.

( small cutting board/rotary cutter)

 and a fun flying geese pincushion.

and of course my partner Jaia @handmadebyjaia

 NAILED.IT

Sending me all this Ghastliness!

I should have made a resolution for 2017 to keep on top of my posts...

but I am not a resolution kinda gal...

better late than NEVER

and hopefully you enjoy them regardless of the timing!