What made you choose the pattern?
I wanted to make two pillows for my living room, and chose a book of star patterns. The directions were very complicated and I could not follow them. I then adjusted the pattern and it kept growing.
Did you finish the quilt? If not, why?
Yes. It took me nearly 4 months but I kept working on it steadily.
What do you love (or hate) about the quilt?
I love that I finished it and learned a lot about quilting. I hate that I did not understand color placement and feel that I could have done better.
What would you do differently next time?
First, I used a double thread when I quilted my first quilt and it kept tangling. Now, I use quilting thread and only use one thread which is much better. I also make sure to buy sufficient fabric all at once even if it turns out to be too much. On my second quilt, I had to drive over 200 miles to find enough fabric to finish the backing. I bought the last nine yards available in the area.
What was the most difficult aspect of the project?
I don't have room for a quilt stand, so I had to make the quilt in strips and then hand sew them together. I had to carry the strips to our community room where they have larger tables and spread them out there to work on them.
Tips and Tricks
- Buy enough fabric all at once, even if you have too much.
- Use one strand of quilting thread to hand quilt the squares.
- Lay out your pattern for one square first and be sure the color values are accurate.
- Don't get discouraged.
- Take pictures of all your quilts.
