Interruptions and Pleasant Surprises

I once again set aside my Irish Chain quilt to attack another project. I was asked to help a group of women to create a memory quilt. This combines my favorite things. Creating, teaching and working with other women.  So of course I could not say "no".

I started on it last week. The only thing I knew for sure was they wanted to have pictures on it. It has been at least 10 years since I attended the USU Master's sewing training that taught us how to do that. I dug out my notes (yes I keep all of that stuff and am glad I did). Then I started doing a little research. Things have changed in the last 10 years.  I knew I could use my computer and printer but I remembered that we had used a fixative after wards. In My research I found out that June Tailor has fabric printer sheets that have the fixative already in it. I ordered it and waited for it to come.

They other thing they seemed to want was pieced quilt blocks in it as well. So I needed to come up with a quilt block that was easy to do but still looked fantastic.  I was not sure what to do do. But when I ordered the printer fabric, I also ordered "The Quilt Block Bible" by Rosemary Youngs. So when they both came on Wednesday I started perusing.

To be totally honest I had misread the title of the book when I ordered it. I thought I was ordering a book about quilt blocks inspired by the Bible. My daughter and I were excited to see it, we thought that as we made the blocks, we would read the scriptures that inspired them. But alas it was not so. Instead it was a book of quilt blocks. We feel that this book is a must have and are glad we bought it. That was our first pleasant surprise.

In the end, I decided to do a variation of the morning star block. It is a nine patch star that uses a small flying geese unit about have the size of the patch for the points. I liked the idea of a star and that points that did not come up to the edge of the block. With different women sewing the blocks I wasn't sure how easy it would be to match up points. I also didn't want to do the flying geese unit. So I did away with it and used "flippy corners" instead to make the points.

I came up block that had a white center star. That way the women could choose what print and colors they liked and the white stars would tie it all together. Plus my daughter pointed out they could sign in the center of their stars.

So a 4 by 5 block quilt, made up of star blocks and picture blocks.  I did my math and figured out what sizes I need to cut and then I made an example block.

I have a great love for batik fabrics and the color blue is my favorite. I grabbed some blue batik fabric out of my fat quarters and proceeded to cut and sew my block. It worked out really well. My math was okay and the block would work for a beginner. Then I stepped back and really looked at the block and got my second pleasant surprise. My daughter also saw it and we both know I didn't plan it. The blue batik fabric was a dot print. The block looked like it was in space. It was perfect.

Pleasant Surprise #2

I sometimes get too focused on the process of the project and forget about the design. This time the fates were taking care of me. I love this block so much I plan on making another one the center of a medallion quilt.

Have you had any pleasant surprises this week?