It turns out having cut and mostly-ready-to-sew pieces of fabric for a specific quilt block makes it easier--a path of least resistance--to make those blocks when one's creative juices aren't flowing, or one doesn't have much energy. Over the past few weeks I've finished 23 scrappy stars. They're brighter than in the photo below.
Some are more appealing than others. The ones that are less appealing to me are similar to this one, below, because the star points get muddied with the medium triangles at the edges.
The ones I like best are like the ones below where the stars stand out strongly..
Though I like some arrangements better than others, I think all of them together will be interesting. I'm planning an alternate star - plain fabric (what color?) - star setting. I like that each of these will have its own space.
That's it for my quilting endeavors except for the little plaid baskets which I'll post about later.
Here are a couple of photos from being out and about.
We saw these at the thrift store and thought they looked like robots. I don't know what their true purpose is.
The angles and shadows of the railings in this photo caught my attention while I was waiting for my daughter after a physical therapy appointment.
And the grass in our yard is less like grass and more like straw.
We haven't had rain in weeks, maybe a month or more. So much of the grass is dead and many of the trees are losing leaves because of the drought. They drop to the ground, brown and brittle. I doubt we'll have much color this fall. In the countryside, we saw that much of the field corn has been harvested already, which usually doesn't happen till at least October, and the soybeans are as dry now and they are in late October other years. The weather app will predict the possibility of rain several days in advance, then change the forecast a day or so later to no rain. As I write this at 8:30 in the evening, it's 81 degrees outside. Please come soon, rain and autumn weather!
I'm linking this post to
>
Finished (or not) Friday at Alycia Quilts.
>
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
>
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Thanks for hosting, ladies.
--Nancy.
The ones I like best are like the ones below where the stars stand out strongly.. 
Love all your scrappy stars put together...just beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had much if any rain here either--dry everywhere--even our leaves are drying on the trees before turning colors...If it does deign to rain it's just a few measely drops here and there...;((( hugs, Julierose
Thank you, Julierose. They've been fun to make.
DeleteI hope you've gotten some rain by now. We had a few days with little rain each. The prediction for tonight is rain all night -- but we'll see. The predictions are so often wrong!
I love how these stars look together. It is so cheerful. You've chosen some pretty tones of red to combine. Sorry everything is so dry. That was us two summers ago and then we had a huge snowy winter. that turned things around. I always try to say a little prayer when it rains because I'm so grateful. I've finally found some quilting mojo and am working on two applique projects. It's probably not a good idea to do that especially since their color combinations are so different. I read Audrey's post on the final border of BBII. Her little quilts look so cute.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Robin. The fabrics for the stars are scraps. Sometimes there are pieces big enough for all the star points and other times, not.
DeleteI'm so glad your part of earth isn't dry. We've gotten a little rain, but not much. It's predicted for all night tonight but we'll see.
I'm also glad you've found some quilting mojo. Two appliques projects at once! I'm sure you'll make two great pieces at the same time!
Yes, Audrey's quilts are fun and definitely pronounce "Made by Audrey" even with labels!
I rather like the combination of the mellow stars along with the more sharply defined ones, it adds interest when viewing the whole grouping. These will look great either with your planned alternate blocks or with sashing between the stars similar to the way they look now grouped in that first photo. It's going to make a sweetly soft country cottage kind of quilt.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments, Pat. I agree that the variety adds interest when all the stars are together. I find these stars to be enlightening when it comes to the placement of lights, mediums, and darks. I'll probably be more attentive as I continue making stars.
DeleteI like the idea of a country cottage kind of quilt!
Pretty scrappy stars! Lots of nice variety.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sylvia! This is one of those quilts that I'll look at in ten or so years and remember the fabrics (that will be gone by that time).
DeleteI really like those scrappy stars. What a good idea to have them already cut and ready to sew even if the inspiration doesn't strike.! Its funny - they look so different when oriented differently
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alycia. What really helps with these stars is that I don't really have to think much, either. Two red triangles, two light triangles, etc.
DeleteI'm undecided about how they'll be oriented. I think quilts set on the diagonal are stretchier, and maybe less trong, than quilts with blocks set perpendicular. I'll make more stars then play.
Great plan about have the star fabrics kitted and ready to sew so that "if" you encounter a time when you aren't "feeling" the stitching vibe, you can still make progress. Those stars are going to glow nicely together!--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteThank you, TerryK. I'm glad I had them on hand even though I hadn't planned them for use after surgery.
DeleteDo you have a blog? If so, please let me know and I'll visit.
Your stars are wonderful, tho when I make Stars I agree about the ''muddy'' filler triangles and prefer the ones that are clearly delineated. That said, the mix of results will create a beautiful interesting quilt. I am seeing some spacer solids in odd colors that look really great and authentic. You should audition lots of ideas?
ReplyDeleteI have similar dry hot [but humid] conditions here. Even grass in neighbors' yards and golf courses that all irrigate are turning to straw. And the weather bug ''Oh no, no rain after all maybe next week'' thing keeps happening too. But I keep saying, Better a drought than a hurricane.
Love your photos! What ARE those robots anyway? Some sort of tea urn? Food prep vacuum vessels?
love
lizzy
Thank you, Lizzy. I think I'll try to make more starts with clear star points going forward.
DeleteSo what solids in odd colors can you imagine? The star blocks are all variations of red, from pink to red-orange to red to maroon/burgundy and purple. I really haven't thought much about fabrics or colors for alternate blocks or sashing.
Have you had rain? We had a little a night or two ago, and rain is predicted for tonight, too. Oh, yes, a drought is definitely better than a hurricane!
The robots are stage can lights. This link shows how they work if you scroll down a bit.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ebay.com/itm/223675185299
Thanks for figuring out what the robots are. I never, ever would have guessed can lights! Thanks for sending the link. It's strange that can lights were donated to a thrift store!
DeleteVery pretty scrappy stars. It's been dry here too, the leaves are turning brown, so we aren't likely to have a very pretty fall. Rain would be wonderful, but our forecast for the next week is completely dry.
ReplyDelete