I finished it!!!
Here is Santa Fe String Star. Â It’s from Bonnie Hunter’s String Fling book. Â This is one of the quilts that I loved in the book from the moment I opened it. Â Stars are a favorite of mine….and then the original was done in what looked like to me a red background. Â For me stars and red is wonderful.
After much debate…I ended up going with a blue batik for a background and my-oh-my, I’m sure glad I did! Â I love the blue. Â Connie always gives me a hard time about using red all the time. Â (Aren’t you proud of me Connie?)
Another debate I did was on whether to add the outer border or not. Â I’m so glad I did. Â Adding it made this a really nice size. Â (No green grass here yet!)
I also did a debate on backing and binding. Â This is what I ended up with….
I didn’t know if I liked the “very Civil War” fabric on the backing with the bright batik on the front….I know, I know…sometimes I too picky and other times not picky enough!! Â I did go with gold for the binding. Â Typically I would have used the blue batik…oh my, “out of my box” again.
I love the scappiness…. in my world scrappy=happy….kind of like polka dots=happy.
That makes a UFO completely and entirely finished. Â It isn’t just a top…IT’S FINISHED!!
The worries I had about it laying flat….they were needless. Â I didn’t have any troubles at all. Â I didn’t do a fancy design on this at all….just a stipple…when quilts are busy I like a simple stipple. Â I think it’s more calming and a simple stipple lets the colors be the eye candy.
If you remember I used charcoal thread on the top. Â I’m sure a multitude of you were yelling NO!! Â But it turned out good…navy thread was on the back.
Take a look and note the corner. Â I have heard quilters say that they don’t like same fabrics touching on a scrappy quilt….look, three flying geese with the same center are touching. Â It’s okay. Â In fact, I think it adds interest. Â I love the freedom that scrappy quilts give because they “allow” same fabrics to touch. Â Planned quilts are…well, planned.
One note on the pattern. Â After you get your star sewn together, test the size of square that is needed for the corner back ground fabric to complete the quilt. Â For me, I needed pieces that were larger than the pattern indicated. Â A blog reader gave me the advice to cut the pieces bigger, sew them in place and then cut the center of the quilt down. Â I did that. Â I couldn’t cut it to the size the pattern suggested so I also added four more flying geese to each side of the border….and then added the outside border-making my quilt bigger. Â I don’t think there was a pattern misprint. Â I think those little diamonds have “give” to them and some stretched.
As I was folding it up I said to Hubby, “This one, I think I’ll keep.” Â He laughed and asked me how many I could keep. Â Men…what do you do with them?
Find me here Wednesday morning…I’ll be working on another UFO. Â I hope I’m as happy with that one as I am with this one!
To see other finishes check out Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Scrap Addict.
Stunner of String Star……. I would keep this as well.
Stunning quilt! I love your background fabric, flying geese and border. I printed off a few diamond patterns but have yet to try it. Was this ever a leader/ender project for you?
NO. This wasn’t a leader ender for me ever. I don’t like using strings as leaders and enders. It’s too messy.
Jo, I absolutely love this with the blue. I haven’t made this one because the red seemed to scream at me. I know. I’m being weird. But this beautiful blue is awesome. Scrappy is best for me, too and I love your variety. You are right to keep this one for yourself. Tell Hubby that switching quilts every month keeps life interesting.
Super job! I love Bonnie’s Sante Fe String Star design also. I would love to make one but I have too many unfinished projects to even consider it. Glad you did. Thanks for ALL you share.
Yup, this one’s a keeper! Using the blue for the background literally lets the star shine.
Love it! I would keep it also.
wow – it is stunning! Congrats
Wow! Love everything about it.
This is a beauty! The blue is awesome. Great job!
Over the Moon! Stellar star quilt and you made fabulous choices for fabric.
Jo, this quilt is absolutely beautiful! It is on my Bucket List for sure. I don’t blame you at all for wanting to keep this quilt. Thank you for sharing your life and quilt stories with us!
Love this one! A keeper indeed!
It’s beautiful! Gives me inspiration to start making one…that’s why I bought the book!
Your quilt turned out fantastic. I started this quilt and quickly got discouraged when my stripped diamonds didn’t match up when sewing them in rows. Your quilt is so gorgeous I may just pick this quilt up again and finish it matching points or not. I also love the blue rather than the red. Good job Jo.
OH Jo, I LOVE it in blue!!!! I am with Stoney on this one, I never liked it before because of the red! I am so glad that you went out of your box on this one. It looks like you have several of us that are going to put it on our to do lists! I know, I can see it in my future now. Awesome job!
That is a stunning quilt. Those geese are really gorgeous. Good job! And thanks for allowing us to put the same fabrics next to each other! hahaha!! no quilt police here!
I really enjoy your blog. I have been reading it for a few years now but all of a sudden I quit receiving it. Not for the last month. Just wondered, did you make some changes to your address book or your sender list? When I try to sign up it tells me I am already a subscriber but just not getting it. Hope it starts again….soon! Miss you cute stories! Thanks!
I was not crazy for the quilt in Bonnie’s book but seeing yours makes me put it on my bucket list!! Love your color selections.
Love, love. love this! It is definitely a keeper!
Sà que usaste los retacitos más pequeños. Te felicito por ese hermosÃsimo trabajo
A gorgeous finish!
I so agree with others – this is one stunning quilt. I’m going to check through your blog posts on how you made the little diamonds, I remember reading about it. If I had a wall big enough, I’d hang it up. I’d want to look at it every day. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely fabulous! You were right to go with the midnight blue instead of red, it is stunning. The outer midnight border is perfect, sets off the whole quilt. Backing and binding equally fabulous. Definitely a keeper!!!!!!!!
Jo, your Santa Fe Star is beautiful! I think I will have to start one maybe real soon.
Congratulations! It looks gorgeous!
I’m glad you went for the gold binding. It sets off the blue nicely.
Congratulations on a fantastic finish… this does sparkle like the stars!
It’s fantastic…………..
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