Monday, April 22, 2013

two more blocks become stars

A Sunday trip into town is a good time to make progress, but only if you plan ahead.
Saturday evening I cut a few more triangles for turning my little friend blocks into stars.

I pulled out a few water prints from my stash to see if there might be something to add to the lake, but when I compared them to the block, they looked more like a stormy sea than that placid scene on Marlene's header.

I had a strip left over from my grandson's "big boy" quilt and the batik looked almost like water drops on a lake. I decided on more trees around the lake and am satisfied with the result.




I had cut enough for three stars but decided to tackle the hardest one first.

(Not that it was so difficult to sew together, it's just that I had to pin the fabrics in place so I would get them where I wanted them before losing all the pins).

I was happy to find more sparkly fabric, blue, gold, olive and hearts all have some glittery print.

Then I went back to my stitchery book and hunted up a few stitches that were within my limited ability.

I am working on a new block now but I still have one more set of points to add on my next train trip. I find it interesting that these friends of mine have managed to stretch my limits in new directions with absolutely no effort on their part. Bur then, I think that is a part of what friendship is all about.

I also still have one more edge to quilt on my + and x quilt before I can add the binding. The weekend was quite cold but today the sun has come out to remind me that if I don't get that done, it will be way too hot to hold on my lap before much longer.

Wishing you, too, a happy and fruitful week.

11 comments:

  1. Julie, your blocks and the lovely stitches, these will be in a quilt to treasure, with great joy. Do you really stitch on the train journeys?? I would find it so hard to balance the fabric on my knees, and keep it still enough to sew.This makes it all the more special. Greetings from Jean

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, Julie! You have made my crazy block a real STAR! It is so beautiful. THANK YOU!
    I was reading Nancy's comment and MY admiration is that your manage to stitch on a CROWDED train where the seats always feel cramped, especially for us 'foreigners'.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautiful, personal blocks and I agree with Queenie - I admire your industriousness. The most I manage on crowded trains is browsing blogs on my iPhone!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love that the blocks are so different from each other and yet they are each stars. Your quilt is going to be beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your blocks are lovely. You come up with such good ideas for each follower and then you sew them by hand. OMG, I had to hand-sew one of "My Jane" blocks and it was an ordeal for me. I find that I can't really sew in a straight line and then my stitches seem rather large.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Julie, These blocks are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wonderful friendship blocks! I can see the personality of the friend in them and I am sure they will be lovely reminders of your blogging friends fro you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Julie - your blocks are really lovely! It is nice to see the actual colours that were used in Paul's Big Boy Quilt which I saw at Quilting Gallery. The quilt is beautiful so I voted for it! What a lucky boy Paul is!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Each one is stellar and each one has it's special personality. Very lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the way you have been doing the centers - so clever.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I absolutely love "my block!" I can't wait until you are finished and get this made into your finished quilt. :) blessings, marlene

    ReplyDelete