Tu-Na Quilts: Wish Upon A Star Blog Hop Starts Today

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Welcome to Wish Upon a Star Blog Hop

We’ll all be seeing stars this week.

star quilt block[1]

This hop is hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt. Thank you, Carol!

The Big Plan

I knew I wouldn’t have much time to work on my chosen project as all my fabric for it was at my ND house and I’d arrive there less than a week before my turn to post for this hop (I winter in Arizona). With unpacking, resting, shopping for groceries, visiting family, and settling in, I knew that I wouldn’t have much to show.
While I could have chosen another star pattern or project, I knew I had something spectacular that needed to come out of hiding. I figured joining a hop is a good reason to begin a project. So my take on this hop is for me to begin a Double Star quilt for myself. This pattern can be found on the Blossom Heart blog here.
1a

This is the block that now resides in Montana. It was very hard to mail this one away.

I made the block pictured above last year and sent it away to my hive mate in Montana (post can be found here). I liked it so much that I put it’s picture on my blog header, used it on my blog business cards, and set the fabrics aside for a rainy day.
tunaquilts 1a
When I was making that star block for my bee mate, I chose the coneflower fabric that I had ordered online. It was the right color to match the dots that I wanted to use.
I really like coneflowers but when that fabric arrived, I thought it looked rather ugly. That is until I cut the piece and inserted it into the center of the star. Wow! It looked fantastic.
Maybe that’s because it works well with the pattern, or maybe it’s because all the fabrics play nicely together, or maybe it’s because the coneflower fabric just needed to be cut into small pieces. It was then that I decided I must make a quilt of beautiful stars using that fabric.
tunaquilts 1a

I keep my projects in a plastic bin. This one was waiting for a rainy day to come out to play. That’s 5 yards of fabric minus one block’s worth to make a quilt.

When I read that Carol was taking registrations for this hop, I decided those fabrics had to come out to play even if all I had were a few minutes. I only have a yard of each fabric (with a block’s worth cut out already) so we’ll see how big of a quilt it can become. I’m hoping for at least a nice lap size. If it’s not big enough I’ve also got a couple yards of these pictured below that I can coordinate and add to it.
tunaquilts 2a

The pink one with the brownish background is really ugly. Hmmm. I wonder what it would look like cut into smaller pieces.

The Plan at Work

Sunday afternoon, I set to work cutting enough for 16 blocks. Putting the blocks in a 4 x 4 layout would make a 48″ square quilt. I’d like it a bit larger, if I have enough fabric. 

First, I cut out the coneflowers. I’ll have plenty for this quilt and enough left over to expand it if there’s enough of the other fabrics.

tunaquilts 3a

I have 16 4.5″ squares cut and a lot of leftover fabric.

I learned lately that blue fabrics are one of the worse colors for dyes to run when washed. So I decided to soak and rub this dark navy in a tub of water before cutting. No dye reside showed even in hot water.

tunaquilts 4a

Both the white and navy blue have stars. This will be a star-studded quilt.

I carefully started cutting sixteen 5 1/4″ squares from the white fabric before cutting the smaller squares that were needed. And that’s as far as I got because Tu-Na Helper called and needed my help.

I’ll keep working on it this week. Stay tuned to watch my progress.

Thanks, Carol, for giving me the nudge to start my star quilt!

See More Stars

Here’s the line-up of all things twinkly and sparkly. Be sure to check them all out.

May 21

Moose Stash Quilting

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats That’s me. Thanks for stopping by.

Quilt In A Not-Shell

What About Rheema?

Clever Chameleon Quilting

Sunlight in Winter Quilts

Life in the Scrapatch

Sew Many Yarns

Hazel’s Daughter

 

May 22

Want To Be Quilter

Cynthia’s Creating Ark

Selina Quilts

Ridge Top Quilt

Creative Blonde

Days Filled With Joy

Seams To Be Sew

Lily Patch Quilts

Why-Knot-Kwilt

 

May 23

Marjorie’s Busy Corner

Quilt Doodle Designs

Adventurous Applique and Quilting

Vroomans Quilts

Peanut’s Patchwork

Ms P Designs USA

The Little Mushroom Cap

Stitchin At Home

That Fabric Feeling

 

May 24

Kathy’s Quilts

It’s A T-Sweet Day!

Freckled Fox Quiltery

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Melva Loves Scraps

Beaquilter

Den syende himmel

All Thingz Sewn

 

May 25

Creatin’ in the Sticks

For the love of geese

Words & Stitches

Quarter Inch Crafter

Quilt Fabrication

Home Sewn By Us

Kathleen McMusing

Just Let Me Quilt

What I Learned Today:

  1. Cold water coming out of the cold water tap in ND is really cold.
  2. Ugly fabric is only ugly until it gets cut up and put into a project.
  3. “Rainy days” never come.
  4. “Taking the time for making” is a better philosophy to get something accomplished.
  5. A truly good friend is someone who will tell me if I have something in my teeth, or if my zipper is open, or if I have an embarrassing typo on my post. Thank you Kathleen of Kathleen McMusing for catching that typo!

Question: What project, meant for yourself, do you have tucked away for a “rainy day?” How will you take the time to make it? I plan to devote at least 15 minutes on this project each day, well, most days. I’ve got a brand new grandson who will be arriving any day so I might need to have a few days off to cuddle and snuggle him or his older brother.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

 

50 thoughts on “Tu-Na Quilts: Wish Upon A Star Blog Hop Starts Today”

  2. Anita

    The block is amazing, I have made a couple of these blocks myself, for a bee mate. I love your fabric choices, it will become a wonderful quilt!

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  5. Velda at the Freckled Fox Quiltery

    Karen I love the pink and brown coneflowers. They look bright and beautiful to me. I also love your star block. Good choice for this Hop. I have lots of little projects started which will get finished some day. Sigh….I just have to stop starting new things.

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  9. Lisa

    Congratulations on the new grandson when he arrives Karen. I bet you can’t wait. Your quilt will be gorgeous and I agree with point 4.

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  12. Colette

    Gorgeous star and I have a lot of “rainy day” projects. But I have been getting some finishes and I have been getting the quick and easy accomplished (projects partially done) completed. I like that fabric, but in a large block I could see where it may not be great but as a focal, fabulous.

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  13. selina

    Wow that fabric really pops when you cut it into smaller pieces, it’s going to be a wonderful quilt. I believe most quilters have rainy day projects. All the quilters I know have them . Looking forward to seeing your finish no matter when that may be.

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  14. cneve1

    I always love reading your “What I Learned Today” and the “Question” you pose! Your words are so imspiring and so is your quilting! I was wondering how you add your name to the pictures. Do you use an app or program and if so, which one? Also, what is the font you use. I really like it! Thank you for all you do!

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  15. Carol S.

    That is the prettiest star block…no wonder you love it and used it on your cards, etc. It’s amazing how beautiful all your fabrics came together to make that star look amazing! It’s always good to have a friend tell you there is food in your teeth or there’s a typo. I have a few of those friends, too. It’s so exciting to have a new grandbaby and giving them snuggles is the best thing ever! Thank you for playing along on this blog hop and sharing your shining star. You are a star, sweet lady!

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  16. piecefulwendy

    I love the block, Karen! Those ugly fabrics are often the ones that make the block, or quilt, shine. My rainy day project? I have a few, but my current one is a kit that I bought on impulse. It’s sitting on my quilt room dresser, waiting for me. Meanwhile, I keep starting other projects and QALs. Hmm. You’re right, rainy days never come!

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  19. Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

    I look forward to seeing your star studded quilt come together, Karen. The flower print is lovely, but it does look better cut and put in the block. I hope you can make enough blocks to make a nice lap size quilt easily.

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  20. Rosalind Gutierrez

    Love your flower fabric and star block. I have a memory quilt I’d like to make for myself and you are right usually we are making projects for others.

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  21. Kathy E.

    Karen, coneflowers are a favorite of mine and your colors together are so complimentary! I love this block too! Yep, a nudge, a poke, a wink is all I need to get me started on a new project. I am trying to put some time daily into the next blog hop for flowers. Not sure if I’ll get it done with a week-long trip set before its due date. Oh, the pressure!

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  23. Joan

    I love your block…those colors are so dramatic! It makes for a fabulous block. I can’t wait to see the other blocks with those cute coneflowers!

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  25. Preeti

    Really ugly, you say 🙂 When I looked at the fabrics in the bin – grey and navy, they seem rather dull to me but that star you made with them really shines. I am sure with a right of mix of fabrics that ugly fabric too will make a darling block.
    No dearth of projects here. Looks like I will be busy till Thanksgiving.

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  27. rl2b2017

    Hi Karen,
    I remember this block from last year, and I was sad that you had to send it away . . . all the way to Montana. I am so glad this tub of goodness is out and being worked on to replicate this pretty block. And I’m sure that ‘ugly’ fabric would shine in the right setting! Happy Monday! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  28. Liz W.

    Congratulations about your brand new grandson! Your fabric selection looks like the beginning of something fabulous! I don’t see anything ugly.

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  29. Pat

    Beautiful star block! I love the coneflower fabric and you have made wonderful use of it. Looking forward to seeing more … 🙂 Pat

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  32. dezertsuz

    I’ve always loved that block, since you added it to the banner. The colors really are appealing, though I would never have bought those great flowers! See what I’m missing here? I know this is going to be a beautiful quilt.

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  33. Barbara Mitchell

    I love the material…what a great star block….I always enjoy your…what I learned today! So exciting for a new grandson…I like the 15 minutes a day set aside for a project….as always, I enjoyed the post….

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  34. Leslie Schmidt

    Your block is lovely. And I like all of the cone flower fabrics, even the pink and brown one. Have fun with your grandchildren! And welcome back to the North land.

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  35. Lori M

    Very creative use of the Coneflower fabric…they will make into a Gorgeous quilt! I also have “Rainy Day” project…like your idea to whittle away at them..even if only 15 minutes a day (tho I will be working thru so many “Rainy Day” projects..they will come two by two & I will be floating in the Ark!! giggle…)

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  38. joymcd305716439

    That’s such a beautiful block, love the fabrics! How exciting to have a new grandson arriving 🙂 xx

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  39. My Sewful Retirement

    I LOVE your block! I want to make something using that double star! Your coneflower fabric is beautiful. We are currently in our rainy season here in central Florida – so I’ve been busy sewing new projects and finishing some of my UFO’s. How exciting to have a new grandchild!

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  40. Lj Meyers

    Cute block. I’ll be anxious to see your quilt – no matter what size it ends up being. Enjoy the grands!

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  42. seamstobesew

    Your right, the fabric by itself is not so pretty… but when placed with those fabrics, it just stands out and makes a gorgeous block. I’m not so sure I would have bought that fabric had I found it in the store, but I will say I would have regretted it after I saw your block today. Can’t wait to see the finished project.

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  43. mspdesignsusa

    What a fabulous star block! And I really like how your other fabrics help turn that “ugly duckling” fabric into a beautiful swan. Enjoy the new grandson, when he arrives!

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  44. Susan Shaw

    I adore the star block that you have already made. I was shocked when I shaw the cut of fabric from which the coneflower center was cut. Oh, my! I thought, “What was Karen thinking?” Then I thought good choice. Then I saw the other two brights and knew those were ones that my mother would have chosen, too. It’s amazing how a snippet of a fabric paired with other fabrics can really have a new life. I think a combination of the blue, yellow and pink coneflowers would make a beautiful quilt. Congrats on the new grandson. I don’t think I’ll have any more grandchildren. I have four – two per each child, so we are very blessed. You’ll have a wonderful time with the new baby and his big brother. Thanks again for the inspiration.

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  45. thatfabricfeelingcom

    Your block is lovely and I see exactly what you mean about the coneflowers looking better when cut into a smaller section for the center of your block. I just love when “ugly” or busy fabric pops out a surprise like that. I can’t wait to see your finished quilt.

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