Scrap Jar Stars complete and ready!

     It was a long while ago that I started Scrap Jar Stars, a tutorial by Gigi's Thimble. I sewed all the components of the blocks as a Leader Ender in between other projects as there are so many small same units. Once they were sewn, I sewed the blocks as a project. I love scraps and this quilt is great for them. It took a while, but that is ok because it is finished, ready to be a comfort quilt.
    I had fun quilting it according to block design. I tried a lot of binding choices, but this kind of crazy green dot one just did the trick. The backing is from a bolt someone from quilt guild gave me.

Back

Finally, the H2H baby quilts done and mailed

       Even though I had sewn the Hands2Help baby quilts for this year's challenge, for many reasons, could not get them quilted and bound in time for Sarah's deadline (Sarah told me not to worry). I did finally get them done and then mailed out using the Give Back box postage plan for Little Lambs of Utah and was relieved. I made one girl one and two boys. I used the same pattern (Scrap Jar Stars), but different fabrics. I quilted each one differently. They are about 50" x 50". I printed the butterfly on the label with a rubber stamp and fabric ink then added words.

I used the same fabric for all 3 bindings- a wonderful stripe.

The box ready to go

Scrap Jar Stars sewn

      I have no idea how much time has flown by. I was sewing and moving fabric around, but somehow writing and posting eluded me. Scrap Jar Stars is now sewn, it is 72 x85. I added a 3" white border to contain it and to stabilize the edges. More and more, I do not like enclosing so many seams in the binding. I like the snap and brighness of it as well as so many different fabrics. I used lots of different white on whites for the background so the colors were not in a boring flat white sea.
     Once again, I did all the components- the center 16 patches, the corners, the HSTs, as leader enders. Then I laid out each block on freezer paper and stacked them and sewed them as a web block. I also sewed the sashing on each block, and then sewed the blocks together web fashion. I do not like the technical difficulties of sewing long thin strips of fabric between rows of blocks. I have better control and results this way.

Back to the Stars

     Back to the Scrap Jar Stars, I mean. This has been a leader ender for a long time. I finished 22 blocks, needed 20, to make a quilt. When I looked back at the pattern, I realized if I made 8 more blocks, I could have a bigger quilt. So, I girded up and sewed more components. I have the last 6 blocks layed out on sheets of cardboard stacked at one of the machines to work in between other things. Then I will have 30 blocks to layout 5 x 6. The blocks will finish at 12". However, they still need sashing and cornerstones, which I will have to cut, and use a leader enders to put it together. I am trying to push this along, as it has been around too long (April 22) in pieces.

Single block

This pile of blocks was too hard to iron on freezer paper, so I put each block on a cardboard.
     I also tried out a quilt pattern I found on Pinterest, Illusion Rings, to see if I like it before committing to it. I came up with the sizes to use standard cuts and I am not sure if it is too large scale. The centers, HSTs are 4 1/2" squares, 12" Finished. Used the Tri-Recs ruler for the star legs.

Hands to Help Quilts

      Every year I try and complete some quilts for Sarah Craig's Hands to Help Challenge. This year, as last, I will send these 3 baby quilts to Little Lambs when completed. The great thing about them is they participate in a shipping service that lets me ship all them for one low price.
    This year, I made one baby girl and two baby boys. I used the same design to make things quicker and easier. For a while, I have been making a scrap quilt called Scrap Jar Stars as a leader ender. When I started it, I made sample blocks for the star. I loved the little one (uses 1 1/2" squares), but the amount of blocks needed to make a quilt was daunting. I used 2" squares for the center, 3 1/2" for the HSTs. As I looked at the blocks, I thought, why not supersize? I graph papered it out and used stash fabrics. Later, I found that she has a baby quilt pattern available for this star. Well, my brain got a workout, always good.
    Because of the eye surgery, I have not been able to quilt them yet. I may miss the June deadline to ship them, but I will complete them and send them. I am making the backings now. They are about 49 x 49.

Big and little stars

Girl quilt

The Starry Night fabric for the border is special because it is from my friend, Terri, was passed away in December, and I used it in her grandkids quilts. I know she would have loved to see this.

Bits and Bobs

    I always wanted to use that phrase. I continue on my Leader and Ender project, which is Scrap Jar Stars. I have all the components done leader ender style, and now putting them into a block is a full job on its own. I try and sew 2 at a time. I have 11 more to assemble. These will get a white lattice strip with another color square in the intersection. I realize I put the blocks up not all oriented correctly- the 16 patches need to start with the color square in the top left corner. When I web it, I will make sure of the orientation. I love the cheerfulness.

    Also, I am sewing the strip sets for another Upstairs, Downstairs with the Watermark jelly roll. I have all the sets marked and am working on the first one.

Leader Ender currently

      My leader and ender quilt at this time is Scrap Jar Stars. I have all the 16 patches made, I am working on the corners, and then I will do the HSTs for the points. I am content to work on this bit by bit as it is scrappy and small piece components. All the centers are done (need 20 blocks) and I am making the corner pieces (half done) and then the HSTs for the points. I made two sample blocks to make sure it all works.
     I just keep a stack of the pieces next to the machine and keep feeding them through at the end of whatever I am piecing. It really is not confusing. I just keep things in the same places and can really make another quilt at the same time I am working on something more complicated.