Star Crossed Pattern and Plan B

I’m so glad to be participating in the Star Crossed Sew Along going on at the Fat Quarter Shop’s blog, The Jolly Jabber!  They are celebrating the newly released pattern by It’s Sew Emma titled Star Crossed.  It’s a beautiful interpretation of a vintage star quilt that was found at Quilt Festival.

ise-starcrossed-850

 

This pattern was so much fun to work with and the instructions were perfect.  I made a much smaller version using grey and cheddar yellow.

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

My Star Crossed quilt went in a very different direction than I originally intended.  Let me tell you how it began, and then I’ll share some tips for piecing the blocks.

I love starting a new project.  It’s my favorite part of the quilting process!  Sometimes I start a project with the fabric in mind and other times it’s a pattern that gets me going.  Since this is a sew along, I had the pattern to begin the process.

I wanted to do something with solids and I had a color scheme in mind.  My inspiration was this Vintage Sampler BOM from Fig Tree Quilts (which has ended).  I absolutely love these colors together.

Vintage Sampler BOM from Fig Tree Quilts
Vintage Sampler Block of the Month at Fig Tree Quilts

 

With that picture in mind, I chose grey, tan, yellow and rose as my colors for Star Crossed.  I used Kona solids and I was excited during the whole piecing process.  Until I put my blocks together.  Ugh.  Nope.  Not happening.  It might have worked if I did a scrappier rendition with more color variety.

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

This is where Plan B can be very handy to have around.  I even dipped into Plan C.  And I’ve made a Plan D.

Plan B:  I liked the grey and yellow (cheddar) together.  Unfortunately, I don’t have enough of those fabrics to make a lap size quilt.  But that’s o.k.  It’s perfect for a baby quilt, so, baby quilt it is!

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

It’s gender neutral and has a modern-vintage feel to it.  I really like it and I love the quilting possibilities in all of that open space.  I have a grand baby coming in July and he/she is going to be the recipient of this sweet baby quilt.  I can’t wait to be a grandma and start reading some of my favorite books to him/her!

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

The other half of the blocks that I made in the rose and tan fabric are being criticized studied.  Plan C is not as easy as I thought it would be.  I like the sashing around the blocks.  It really makes the stars stand out and I think it’s a great design addition for this quilt.  I’m having a hard time with the colors on this one, so let’s put it aside for now.

blocks plan c

 

Each Star Crossed block is 16 1/2″ (unfinished) square.  One block would be the perfect size for a pillow.  So, that’s my Plan D.  I just can’t stop with all of the planning!  I’m making a pillow from Cotton & Steel’s Black & White collection.  So far, I have the block pieced.  I need to layer and quilt the top and then add the pillow back.

Star Crossed pillow by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

You’ll notice that I added a different square of fabric for the center of this block. It’s perfect for fussy cutting and it could lead to all kinds of possibilities for quilts and pillows and….

Star Crossed pillow by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

TIPS for piecing the blocks.  When you sew the flying geese unit to the center square, feed it through so that the flying geese unit is on the bottom.

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

I know most people say to have the flying geese unit on top so you can see the “x” (where the point is) and stitch right through the center of it.  However, on my machine, the presser foot has a hard time going over that big hump.  It’s hard to sew straight through, and I end up with a wonky seam.  You can see below that my stitching missed the “x”.

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

When you feed the flying geese unit through on the bottom, the feed dogs help move it through and I get a straight seam that goes right through the “x”.

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

Another tip:  Make sure to match the points of the stars by using a setting pin.  To do this, you place a pin through the center “x” of the top seam and bring it through to the center “x” of the bottom seam.  That’s your setting pin.  Then pin on both sides of that, close to the seam.  (You can also see this technique in my Pinwheel Star Block Tutorial.)

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

Take the setting pin out and when you’re sewing, make sure to stitch through the center of the “x” so you get nice, sharp points.

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

Cooper has other ideas for this quilt.  He’s just going to have to learn how to share.  (Don’t worry, he already has his own quilt).

Star Crossed baby quilt by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

 

I’ll be posting pictures of my progress of each of these “plans”, so make sure to visit again soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Julie

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28 Comments

  1. Oh, my goodness, how did I ever miss this post! Guess I should crawl out from under my rock more often! Great post, great design, super tute!

  2. so much achieved from one pattern, they all appeal to me and with the block being such a good size wondering about a tote bag too. Next time I do flying goose will try your method, like you I have a bit of a problem going over the bump

  3. I have done plans A thru Z too! Funny how we start out with one idea then end up with twenty more. I would take the tan and rose blocks and slice them up and add a print(vertical and horizontally in the middle of each).

  4. I am lovin’ that black and white pillow and am also in love with the grey and cheddar. It reminds me of that song that says “Everything today is thoroughly modern…” from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

  5. haha!! I love Cooper on your grandbaby’s quilt!! My little dog ALWAYS has to sit on any project I’m trying out on my “design floor!” The baby quilt will be fabulous with your FMQ, and I totally LOVE the pillow top. Looking forward to seeing how all your plans turn out 🙂 Thanks for the tips!!! I love the new pattern!!!

  6. The cheddar and gray is also my favorite. Similar colors are coming out soon, a good excuse to buy that line. Thank you for the tips!

  7. love the cheddar and grey version and also your gorgeous C+S fussy cut block – it will make a nice pillow ! love the photo of Cooper too !

  8. What a lovely colour combination on the grey and yellow quilt top. The sashing is an improvement on the rose top but it still needs something extra. A deep navy somewhere? Looking forward to seeing the results.
    Thank you for the extra lesson.

  9. Love the yellow and gray baby quilt. The sashing looks great with the other stars. Nice pillow too! My goodness, you’ve been busy!

  10. I too love the gray and cheddar; it’s a great pattern. I wonder if you reversed the colors on the tan and rose for the outer blocks if it would work or go to a darker value of each. Just a thought the floral and patterns look to weak for such a strong center it needs something bold. Thank you for sharing your knowledge of quilting I have learned so much from you.

  11. I really love the fabric combination for the pillow. I do like the two quilts and think solid is the way to go with those. Thank you for the hints on sewing through the points.

  12. What a gorgeous baby quilt it will be!! I personally LOVE gray and yellow… and put it together a lot. This is a wonderful star block pattern. And your B&W pillow will be stunning!! Thanks for your tips ( another ‘Julie Class ‘ for me! And for the story of your journey making these projects! I think that many of our “mistakes” allow us to try new possibilities!

  13. Julie, I appreciate so much your tutorials showing that you are a real person & experience the same problems we “non professional” quilters. Your work & solutions to problems that occur for everyone in the art world are great, thank you ever so much.

    I always choose bright colours & as hard as I try, I can never complete a quilted project in other than bright colours. However, I do persevere.

  14. Cute pattern. I’m partial to the color Mauve/wine family myself (and i tend to lean this way in choosing fabrics). My girlfriend made a yellow,black,gray quilt-all the fabric was patterned and it looked nice. Your pillow top is cute too. What an awesome opportunity again to participate in an opportunity like this! I love the FQS! 🙂

  15. I really enjoyed this tutorial and show and tell. When my youngest son was around 12 he started wearing grey and yellow in his clothes combinations. It use to offset my senses. Then a friend made a quilt with yellows and greys and my brain was able to expand on this combo and now I really love it together.
    Your piece is also well written.
    Thanks.

  16. Wonderful, love the yellow and gray. Thanks for the tip on sewing the flying geese. I have the same problem with mine.

  17. Beautiful quilt!! I think the grey and cheddar is a stunning combination. Love the pillow also!

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