Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Star Crossed goes to the festival

Years ago, when I was performing regularly with the Tokyo Piping Society, a small group was asked to play outside a Tokyo department store to draw attention to a "Festival U.K. '98 "that was being held inside. When we had a break, I went inside to see what the "Fair" was all about. Along with British goods there was also a small quilt show and one quilt by Lucy Boston caught my eye. It was all done in lozenge-shaped hexagons and, I think, called "Stars and Crosses". The interesting thing was the variety of patterns that could be made with just one shape. I took out my notebook and made a sketch of the general design before going out for another piping session.

As time went on, that sketch in my notebook kept calling my attention and I decided to try that pattern out. I had begun assembling a selection of red, white, and blue fabric for another quilt I had in mind so decided to limit the color to that just to try out the design.

This pattern was particularly good with striped fabrics and somewhat fussy to do so I only made 20 blocks as a test. I swore at the time this would be my last adventure with hexagons but that was not necessarily the case. I named it "Star Crossed" because I was doomed from the time I first saw it. Later I made a full sized quilt of the same design and named that one "Double Crossed".


The backing was made from Japanese Tenugui, printed cotton towels. These four are of Japanese Children's games. When I showed the quilt to the elderly man who made the towels, he was delighted to sign his name on the lower towel. Since them I have acquired a set of 17 of these towels and am thinking I may again use them for a quilt back.

With Blogger down and my computer having it's dying spasms, I am a bit late to post for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival. I will give it a try but the computer guru came in and re-arranged everything and I'm not too sure I can link in or add the button. The quilts are great and I could spend the whole day looking at other's posts.

(LATER) I have spent a frustrating two hours trying to figure out how to get that button added but nothing has worked so far. You can check them out by clicking on Amys Creative Side on the right side of my blog.

24 comments:

  1. Your quilt is amazing!! Thanks for sharing!

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  2. The backing with those towels is amazing. How wonderful to have it signed, a great memory to charish! Stopping by from BQF.

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  3. I love all the fabulous fabrics and fussy cuts! Beautiful quilt.

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  4. Julie your quilt is simply gorgeous and looks very intricate. I love the idea of using the towels as the back - are these towels made for everyday use or are they simply decorative? blessings, marlene

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  5. Lovely quilt, Julie. The back is great. It would make a great front of a quilt. Sew cute!

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  6. Wow! That is an amazing pattern, but you have turned it into something even more special with your fussy cutting. I am in awe of your prodigious talents. Can you tell, I just love it.

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  7. I am amazed at those towels on the backing - how neat. ANd also impressed, after reading your bio, that you do everything by hand. Wow.

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  8. Hi Julie, What a fabulous quilt and such an interesting story too. Thank you for sharing and for taking a look at my quilt. Chris

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  9. I like it very much. I also went to the Festival. I am glad to see such distant countries as well quilteket.
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  10. Have to echo what's been said...it's amazing! And the way you used your fabrics make it even more so.

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  11. Love your quilt, and the story.

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  12. Wow, impressive quilt. I like that you told the story that goes with it. Thanks.

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  13. this is a beautiful quilt. Great job, Julie!

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  14. Hi Julie ... What a beautiful quilt! I love all the block designs and colors! And using the towels for the backing really makes it special. Great job!!

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  15. Lovely, Julie .... lovely! The fussy cutting of the stripes gives a sparkle and an unexpected look!

    When trying to link up, did you enter your URL as shown below?

    http://myquiltdiary.blogspot.com/2011/05/star-crossed-goes-to-festival.html

    If not, copy this link and try again.

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  16. This is really beautiful Julie. Love all the fussy cutting to make the designs.

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  17. Beautiful quilt, I admit. Back and front. I was thinking of the time you spent to work on this quilt project. Beautiful.

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  18. Your quilt is stunning. It is interesting what a fascinating effect is created by these shapes.

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  19. BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL!!! I saw a quilt at a talk with Sue Daily a few weeks ago that also was made inspired by the Lucy Boston quilt. I felt that special itch in my fingers then, and I have to say the itch got worse seeing the picture of your quilt :-)

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  20. That's such a beauty! What a work of love with all the hexagons and fussy cutting! I haven't fussy cut for years. Just beautiful!

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  21. It's stunning. I love both the front and the back. I love the story that goes with it too.

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  22. Gorgeous quilt! I don't know which side I love better, the front or the back.

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