I have finished my Feathered Star Quilt! I should have been through in April, but a little vacation, paperwork, and ordering new carpet for the house tended to get in my way!
When making a highly technical quilt it is not smart to take a break in the middle of the process thinking it would be easy pick up where it is put away for a couple of weeks! I have thoroughly enjoyed making this challenging quilt, but another lesson learned is to make sure that I purchase extra fabric required to finish the quilt. I had purchased fat quarters in 2014 thinking that It would be enough to make A Star of Chamblie.
BUT, alas it wasn’t and it would not have worked out if I had not found 4 more fat quarters on Ebay and 3 yards of the sashings and border fabric from Snowy River Quilts. I was certainly blessed to find all the fabrics I needed. Of course this was after I had purchased other yardage from Marsha McCloskey.
It is difficult to believe that it began with this around the 1st of March 2019:
And ended up with this on 11 May 2019!
The border will be finished at 5″. I like to add an inch for the long arm quilter.
I completed all the pieced blocks for A Merry Christmas To You SAL and ironed all the fabric stash – which was a LOT of ironing!
My next project will be to finish Stonefields! That UFO really needs to be completed before I start working on another new quilt. Stonefields is not a difficult quilt – just lots of small blocks. I will be starting with Section 6 out of 10 Sections. So more than 1/2 way finished. Besides, it will be a cake walk compared to Feathered Stars!
I now have my Studio cleaned up and in neat orderly. (I cannot work in a messy environment)
Clean Design Board and Cutting Table!
There is a quilt loaded and waiting to be quilted called Dresden Plates. It is a quilt I did about 10 years ago. But it will wait a little longer.
I have so much fabric and know that I will never use all up!
Then there are more tops to be quilted and more fabric stash behind that! Like I really need more fabric!
In June we will have new carpeting laid in the house. I had thought about moving forward with more quilting until a week or so before that happens, but now I have decided to do the “downsizing”, throwing away paperwork that is not needed, cleaning out my old books and give them to the local Library, and taking clothes that I no longer need or want to Goodwill!
This really does not sound like fun, but it will be a nice break from sewing highly technical quilts and when finished, the moving of the furniture, etc will be easier on us!
Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!
Nanette
Linking To: My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday; Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts; Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Stitching Sunday Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party
Chopin - A Passionate Quilter From Texas 
Congratulations on finishing the feathered star quilt! I love the two color scheme and I love how the blue frames the star designs! Well done!
I see that green grass!
I think downsizing is necessary…at least for me. When I am done…I know what I have, and I use what I have (that is the goal anyway). 🙂
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I was really headed to do the pattern with the sashing stars – gave up on the first test case! I would have been nuts! So this is what I came up with! I wanted to showcase the stars! Thank you Laura. Yup we do have green – if this pattern keeps up and we get about 3 – 5 inches of rain each month it will be great – but that usually doesn’t happen.
I started late yesterday afternoon! Hopefully I will be finished by Friday! But I am so bad at thinking I can set a goal and meeting it! LOL
Hugs
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That quilt is beautiful!! 😍 enjoyed seeing where you sew!
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Thank you Deb! We love our 800′ Studio – Clay has 2 rooms and I have 2 but mine are the largest and I have still outgrown them! Oh well, we are spoiled. It is great to have this because the house is not used for sewing!
Have a great day!
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Congrats on the finish!! Your sewing space looks fabulous, and I think you might need 3 more fat quarters to ensure you have enough fabric to last the rest of your life.😉
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Thank you Kathy! I was thinking where I could stuff the fat quarters. I need to do a review and should gift some out! Hugs
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Wow….Your quilt is so beautiful. I love your sewing room and how it is laid out. Hugs
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Thank you Cathy! Spoiled are we! It is where we spend our days playing. Clay started this Studio with one room then when we retired in 1999 we added my room, then in 2009 we added 2 more rooms. We spend our days out here! We would be nuts if only had the house! We love our hobbies.
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Great job on the quilt. Can’t wait to see it quilted and finished!!
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Thank you Frances. It will be sent out early next year to be quilted and entered in the Austin Show.
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Lovely, lovely quilt. The colors are perfect! Sewing room looks so nice and clean, don’t see any thread on the carpet. Have fun with Stonefields!
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Thank you so much Gretchen! Working on the Will – LOL!
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Gorgeous quilt, congratulations on the finish! Great sewing room!
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Thank you Karrin! I am happy to have another finish this year! It is a great sewing room!
Hugs
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Mouth dropping fabulous on the quilt and your sewing space. Chamblie is really stunning! If you ever needed some extra cash you could open your doors as a fabric store lol – I have never seen a stash of fabric so large ~ love it!!!!!!!
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Thank you Sharon!
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I love your quilt. I am partial to blue. Your sewing room —so clean and in order. I should be inspired to do the same. Get things in order. Nancy
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Sorry for late response. Cleaning out paperwork and getting of things not needed in the house. Back in Studio by Saturday
Thank you Nancy. I am pleased with the way I finished it!
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Hi Nanette! I love this whole post. Of course, I adore your finished quilt top. It turned out so beautiful and you have to be beyond proud of it. I also love seeing your view that you see when you sew. WOW – it’s a wonder you get anything done. Your stash is impressive, and your sewing space looks so nice and neat. I love all the fun fabrics you can choose from for inspiration. I have been putting off paperwork sorting myself. Would you like to come and go through mine when you’ve finished yours?! Yeah, I know – that would be a big NO thank you. Happy Mother’s Day to you. ~smile~ Roseanne
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Oh Rosemary. I started Sunday. Cleaned out 8 file cabinets, organized remaining. Got rid of old file cabinet, computer desk , and old Hutch. computer cases, old phones, and now to the library and gather books for Goodwill. Clothes also. If I finish this afternoon ( after this ear checkup. I will make trip to Goodwill tomorrow.
Thx on quilt compliments. Hugs 🤗
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Beautiful finish, congratulations! That’s one big stash of fabric and how many ribbons have you hanging up? Good luck with the tidy up!
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Thank you. I hope I can resist buying more!!LOL. A few Blues, Reds, and Yellows. I have not shown since 2014. Hoping to show in 2020
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Thx. Have not counted. Last show was in 2014. Hope to show in 2020 in Austin.
1, 2, and 3 places and Honorable Mentions
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Your two color Feathered Star is a beauty. I made a sampler Feathered Star years ago from Marsha McCloskey’s pattern. Just a wall hanging and it was a lot of work.
I like that you have the two windows in your sewing area. Good daylight and a nice view.
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Thank you Karen! I am in the process cleaning out paperwork and things. Downsizing! Miss the Studio.
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That was a fun tour of your sewing space!
Enjoy your hand stitching today!
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Thx Kathy.
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That quilt is amazing, as is your sewing studio – wow! I like how you have the plastic to protect the fabric!
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Thx Tierney. Are you settling in well in new environment?
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Your quilt top came out so Amazing! I love to see what you’ve been up to, you always inspire me. The peek into your sewing space is wonderful! Everything looks so neat and tidy! Where did you get those mesh drawer shelving units? I’ve been looking for something similar for awhile to upgrade from the plastic drawer shelves I’m currently using.
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Thank you so much. I hope to encourage all quilters to take on challenges. They are Elfa units. Sold at the Container Store.
Hugs 🤗
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I love a blue and white quilt. This one is gorgeous. I have to do the carpeting thing too. Just another chore on a long list. I love your neat and organized craft room.
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Thank you. Late in responding because I have been working since Sunday on cleaning out paperwork unwanted furniture and next is pictures, books, clothes. Then it will be playtime.
And no one will have to do it later
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Your feathered star is beautiful especially in blue(my fav). I have been cleaning, purging as we do renovations in our house. It feels so good to give away and or donate items I am not using, freeing up space for things I do want to keep.I am sure you don’t have to go cold turkey with the quilting. I can always find some smallish project to work on.
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Thx Deanna, I am almost through. We are 74 and 75 and really have no one to leave things to. So this is two fold. First less things to move during installation of new carpet, getting rid of things we do not need (clutter) and clean out old paperwork. I am down to one more drawer of old pictures and then pull books for Goodwill along with clothes. I was going to wait until end of May! I can tell you I am glad I did not. Now all is off my mind. Just the trip to Goodwill and wait for my cousin to pick up a bed and chair!
Then on to play time and a cleaned out house. Almost like moving.
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Oh my goodness, Nanette — the feathered star quilt is gorgeous and I’m amazed that you were able to complete the top in just a few months. What you consider “taking a break in the middle of a technical quilt” must be like what I consider “sleeping when it’s dark outside!” I’m curious about your extra inch of border for the longarmer. First, didn’t I see that you have a longarm machine in your studio? Are you sending the feathered star to someone else or planning to quilt it yourself? And second, why the extra inch? Is that so the longarm basting stitches can just be trimmed away when you bind the finished quilt? I suppose it would be important to TELL the longarmer that you’ve given them that extra inch so they don’t quilt a border design all the way to the edges that would need to be trimmed off!
Like you, I get paralyzed by clutter and need to stop and neaten my workspace often before I can proceed. At the moment I’m contemplating rearranging in order to try to get access to more sides of my cutting table but limitations of where lighting and outlets and windows are located tends to complicate things!
I loved seeing pictures of your studio, especially your ironing board. Can you tell me more about what the dimensions are and how you made it? I’m still using the largest size folding laundry-type ironing board and it’s fine throughout the block stage, but gets very frustrating as a quilt starts coming together into a LARGE piece that is hanging off that pointy end of the ironing board. I would love to have a rectangular pressing surface in a large enough size to press backing fabrics and finished or nearly-finished quilt tops more easily.
Good luck with the new carpet and the Spring cleaning, Nanette! It feels so good to let go of “stuff” that’s been weighing you down and cluttering your space.
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Thank you Rebecca! Yes I have a long arm but do not do custom quilting. My Show quilts will be sent out for 2020 show.
The extra inch will allow me to trim when quilted. It helps the quilter. I will advise the quilter.
The ironing board sits on top of the 4 Elfa Units. It is Mahogany wood or some other solid wood. Clay ripped it to fit.
Then I cover it with muslin and that way I can change it out if dirty.
I use thumb tacks to hold it in place.
A regular ironing board is horrible for a quilter. The worst thing is to iron on a padded surface. No padding on my board.
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Nanette, oh my goodness, your Bit Star of Chamblie quilt top is beyond amazing. All that intricate piecing in those blue and white prints really sings a glorious song. I cannot believe you stitched this pretty in such a short time. Now for your sewing space. It is fabulous. Everything looks well planned out and I must say my jaw dropped when I saw all those glorious quilt tops hanging there waiting to be quilted. Gosh you are a whirlwind when it comes to stitching.
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Why thank you Kim. I really need to get the non show quilts done. I will be getting more done after the cleaning is done and especially when the new carpet is laid.
Hugs
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Such a beautiful quilt. One of my favorites. I am envious of your studio. I would not even dare to post pictures of what my area looks like. Yikes!
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Thx Lori. Hope you day goes as it should
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🙂
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I like the bar for batting under your frame. What kind of frame is it? I’m not sure what your machine is, or if the frame came with it. I loved seeing both the star finish and your sewing space. Such a wonderful area! The ribbons are displayed nicely, too, and the quilt hanging rack. Good luck with getting that carpet down on the 14th. =) And getting everything all organized again afterward!
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