Red & White Star Sampler is done!

I finished the Red & White Star Sampler quilt a few weeks ago, but I wanted to complete the piecing instructions for the last block (Castle Garden) before posting about the quilt. So, drumroll please:

I quilted this on my Janome, and it did take me some time to finish, mostly because I spent so much time marking the heck out of it. Here are some close-ups of the quilting details:

Moda Block Heads 2 Sampler - Finished!

With so much anxiety in the world right now, it becomes even more important to seek out activities that bring peace and joy.

Quilting on a domestic machine (after deciding the beloved longarm was indeed too great an extravagance) is an arduous process, but so satisfying when it is done. This is just a simple all-over stipple, but it still took me a couple of weekends.

The quilt now hangs behind my desk, now that I've been working from home for about eight weeks. Here are some of my favorite blocks, in no particular order:

Blocks 7 through 10, done! (Red & White Star Sampler)

Oh my gosh, I've been on a roll since the beginning of the year. I finished piecing and writing instructions for five more blocks, four of which are posted here with downloadable instructions when you click on the picture. With lots of fanfare and such, here they are:

Block 7, Federal Square

Block 8, Golden Samovar

Block 9, Gold Rush

Block 10, Corner Star

Block 6, Eight Hands Around (Red & White Star Sampler)

Eight Hands Around is a nice block to get in some practice for flying geese. The instructions given are for the no-waste flying geese method, which I love. But this method only works if you need four flying geese for the block, otherwise you will have some extra.

As always, click on the image above for a PDF of the cutting and piecing instructions. The rest of the blocks can be found here, or under the tab above for Red & White Star Sampler.

Block 6 Sneak Peak: Eight Hands Around

Next up is Eight Hands Around. I have the first draft of the instructions done but need to piece the block.

In the meantime, I was also playing around with some settings for a baby quilt (my nephew and his wife are due May 18th!). I still have some time to plan and execute, so more to come!