Feathered Stars Are Fun!!!

REALLY?  FUN?  Well, let’s say challenging!  I am in the process of driving myself completely nuts!  But this is so much fun to start on a quilt where you learn by doing!  I was successful in making the first of nine (9) Feathered Stars and so happy! The remainder of pattern calls for 5 Stars in the center of each feathered star center and has other 6 and 1/8″ blocks that can be used in the remaining 4 stars.

Yesterday I decided that I would make 8 stars out of different fabrics from Marsha McCloskey Star of Chamblie for my centers rather than just using a fussy cut square in the middle of the stars (easy way to a finish)!   As a test case I made one star using her cutting instructions only to find out that this could be a wrong decision because I could not reach a 6 and 1/8″ square star.   So I went back to the decision to just do the ‘easy thing’ and fussy cut squares for the center like I did on my first block!

Yet this morning when I woke up I realized I just could not give in to that temptation of taking the ‘easy way’ out and all of a sudden the light bulb went on!  What was my problem, since when did I EVER follow the exact cutting instructions stated on a quilted pattern!  I always cut larger and trim to size!  Why not now???  So I proceeded to cut out the 4 corner squares at 2″ rather than 1 and 15/16″, cutting the center square as stated, and rounded the Flying Geese cuts up by 1/16″ and YEA IT WORKS!  I can square the extra off the Flying Geese by matching up to the 4 1/8″ star center!

Squaring was the problem with the block I made yesterday, but today, it came out a perfect 6 1/8″ square!  It just does not get any better than this.

One would not think that it would make a difference but it does.  I had to square my first block at 6″ and pray I could fudge!  Now I won’t have to!  Perfect little star.  I am thinking that I will make the remaining 8 today as they go pretty fast.

Moral of the story!  Do not shy away from experimenting with the Designer Instructions!  Additionally, I was asked about the way Marsha does the bias HSTs.  For this particular pattern, it works great because there are no issues with the critical HSTs used in the feathered star portion of the block.  I might consider using this system when I make OMIGOSH!  It might take a little longer, but to be able to cut the small HSTs without  problems, it will be worth it!

You all know how much I hate Mondays as there is always something thing that comes my way that I just do not want to deal with!  Today is no different as in the mail our house insurance company has now sent a new “Star Package” with a little higher price for me to read!  I glanced it over, put it back in the envelope, and decided to contact our Agent and let her tell me what the changes are and the impact on us.  I think I decided to do this when it mentioned “up to $250.00” for a mailbox that was damaged!  WHAT we do not have a mailbox in the country – we have a cluster of boxes about a mile from the house.  Why should we pay to have this in our policy!   Grrrr!

I leave you with the thought that you have a great week!  I will as I have some time before I deal with insurance companies!

Hugs, Nanette