One Cutting Marathon Ended

Jean wrote:

Whew! I finished cutting out all the stargazer squares that I'll need for the 2nd narrow quilt and the remainder of the large one. I JUST had enough. How "just"? If there were 2" less, there wouldn't have been enough! That's scary. An angel must have whispered into my ear to get 5 yards.

My back will appreciate not cutting out anymore. I haven't even counted how many there were - GOBS...

Squeezing Out Some Squares

Tracy wrote:

Okay, I double-checked the measurements - ignored what you put on the sticky and found this info.  I wrote down what you said.  I cut a 6 1/4" template.  I ironed the fabric.  I found a purty spot on the fabric. 

I counted motifs.  Before drawing or cutting.  What a concept, eh?  There are only 7.  As in, I can't cut 8 regular 6 1/4" squares and 8 reverse 6 1/4" squares.

But, I thought that I was only cutting the last block - ?  That's only 4 of each, isn't it? 

Well, anyway the problem is that I can't cut 8 of each.

Re: Squeezing Out Some Squares

Jean wrote:

Okay, I'll bring all the rest of the swiss cheese opulence tomorrow, unless you want it today. I think then you'll be able to do it. I need 4 blocks. Instead of 16 little B blocks (above and below Steve), I decided 4 large blocks would be more sane. I know I thought I could just cut 16 pieces from fabric and now do pieced blocks, but that's just as crazy.

Let me know if you want to mark and cut today to get it over with. Otherwise I'll bring it tomorrow and you can give them to me on Tues.

I have ALL the stargazer blocks cut and only one set to sew making two sets of half blocks. Whoopppeeeee.

I'm planning on bringing you a narrow quilt Tuesday. There's a lot of quilting ahead.

More Progress and Division of Labor

Jean wrote:

Okay, you won't feel too bad after you quilt them all!

Here's a couple of pics so you can see how things are laying out together.

The newest strip is stargazer blocks with leading.

Making the Kaleidoscope Blocks

Jean wrote:
This is a sample of the Madame Butterfly Opulence fabric that will be used for the center blocks of the lower quilt. Although somewhat dark, it will be set off with the narrow white inserts between it and the Stargazer fabric.


Templates for the Opulence and Stargazer fabrics are cut to size needed for a particular block and then placed randomly on the fabric.



Using a black, narrow tip permanent pen, features of the fabric are copied onto the plastic template.  Then lines are drawn on the fabric around the template.  The fabric is cut out on these lines, leaving a swiss cheese hole in the fabric. The template is then moved to an identical location on another motif and another square piece is marked, matching the hints on the template.

After cutting 4 squares, the template is turned over with the front side down, and the process is repeated for four more squares.

Each set of squares are cut diagonally (one set from right to left, and the reverse set from left to right).

The halves are then matched and sewn to create a unique block.

If you think this is a bit ridiculous, don't blame us.  This is a wondrous idea from Paula Nadelstern, a renowned New York quilter who designed the Opulence fabric and many award winning quilts using this kaleidoscopic technique.

Kaleidoscope Block progress

Jean wrote:

Regarding what I gave you today. Just make a 6 1/4" template, then cut 8 regular squares, and 8 squares in reverse. That will finish ALL of the 36 pink blocks. I have all the other 32 pink blocks sewn!!!!

I have 16 of the 46 stargazer blocks sewn. I'm making pairs of the blocks that are on different sides of the large nad narrow quilts. That makes for a symmetrical border as well as cuts in half the number of different templates that have to be made.

(picture is of the wrong side of stargazer blocks)

I'm keeping a lot of stargazer scraps. I can't bear to throw them away.

Oh, I have one extra sewn pink block and 1 or 2 cut pink blocks. We can use them for totes or handbags or placemats, or.......

My back hurts so it's time to sit and peruse the knitting books you so kindly brought today.

Oh, if you think the quilter identities are secret, think again. I heard Karen Rogers telling someone all about it. At least a few people saw the board and Margaret said it was very nice. So now to prepare next week's.

Oh, did I send you a beginning leading picture? If not, here it is.

First mistake

Jean wrote:


Okay, I've started piecing the large lower quilt - putting the leading between the A blocks (either side of Steve).

So first I trimmed the first A block to the finished size - duh. Luckily, I had some cut pieces from the workshop, so pulled them out, and there's only 7! Where oh where did one triangle go?? I mean, since they were in a bag...

But I'd rather match and cut one triangle than 8 more pink squares!
(Here's a pic for missing persons - uh - missing triangles. Just in case you sight it.)

Here's a pic of the leading between the A blocks.

BTW, when we were talking about division of labor, I don't remember if you wanted to be a part of the piecing. Putting the black leading in is a piece of cake after drawing, cutting and sewing all the blocks. No, I'm not done, but very close to having all the stargazer ones done. Or are you saving your sanity for the quilting?

I just don't want you to feel deprived in any way. I'm kind of on a roll.

Another Element!

Jean wrote:

While it's snowing beautifully, I tried cutting out some squares from the Stargazer fabric.  

First I had to figure out the template size.  These half square examples, for the narrow quilts (blocks S), are really pretty.  They are just the wrong size.  They are okay for the length but 1/4" shy for the width.  

I've got the formula straight now.  Here it is:

finished block size + 1 3/4" divided by 2 = template size

Here's the new fabric.  It shows lighter than we thought it would which is great.