Missouri Star Quilt Co Hunter Star Block

I have been working on this Missouri Star Quilt Co pattern called Hunter Star pretty much all summer.  It seemed scary because there were lots of bias edges but it worked stunningly well.

A bit bright but I was using up my stash :)

Star Pincushion

As usual, I spend more time looking at what others are up to, and I sometimes wonder when I will have time to sew myself.  The couch is comfy and the coffee soothing...

Anyhow, I saw this clever pincushion made from 15 equal sized squares sewn together.  First I cut the squares 1 1/4" on a side.  Then I sewed y-seams to join 5 squares into a star shape.  Then I made another star shape and the last five squares became the vertical edges joining the two 'star' pieces...

Isn't that cute?  Above I laid the pincushion on my latest drawing...and below I laid it on my latest library book...which is super interesting by the way.

Here it is posing with my driving top down hat....that I made a while ago to fit my extra large noggin... LOL

Simple Spinner

These new blocks are sort of an experiment.  You know how you read instructions in a new magazine and wonder at the cleverness and then wonder if it works...

Spinning Wheels, my Aunt Maude Quilt

When my parents married, my Mom was sent a quilt top made by her Aunt Maude who lived in BC.  The top languished for a few years and then my Mom undertook to quilt it herself although she had never done such a thing.  Winters in Manitoba are long and cold. It seemed like a good idea.  I have always admired that quilt and was mesmerized by the pattern.

It has seen a lot of wear since the early 1950s.  Recently my Mom gifted it to me.  I am delighted to be the keeper of Aunt Maude's quilt.

But I had to go one better and try to make some of these blocks.  Well I found out why you don't see this block in quilting magazines.

It was a challenge just to get it drafted up.  But I think my effort was worth it.

When I finished nine blocks I called it a day.  Let me tell you though there are lots of mis-cut and wonky pieces in the bottom of the bin, sigh.

The Christmas Stockings fini

Wow, Caroline worked hard,
Look at these...

the one on the right is the one we/she was working on at my house.  Now they are done.  Too cute.

Christmas Wheel Quilt

I made this a few years ago and it always makes me smile when I pull it out this time of year.  It is all hand pieced and hand quilted.  It was fun to make and I realize how much pleasure I get from looking at all those careful and not so careful stitches.  I think in this fast paced world we  cannot forget the pleasures of slow both during a project and after.

When a quilt is finished by machine there is a great sense of accomplishment that goes with the finish and after, at a job well done but I challenge you all to try the slower pace of the hand made for a deeper sense of how our foremothers operated and as a testament to what we can accomplish with our own two hands.

Buggy blocks taking shape

I am very happy with these.  Super cute.  I will power on with the block units.