Dancing Stars Quilt-Along Planning

Amy's Dancing Stars Quilt-Along project is designed to be foundation pieced. Before I jump in I thought I might like to piece it traditionally. An Etsy seller has even created acrylic templates for it. I know that if I do piece it traditionally that I will have to starch all of my fabric. These pieces have LOTS of bias edges.

I needed a sample block to test it out.

If I do decide to piece it traditionally I will likely just use paper templates taped to the back of my rotary ruler. I start by cutting strips (2" in this case) and then use the template to cut the piece.

Here are all of the pieces arranged. I used some scrap fabrics for my test block. These aren't the colors of my quilt.

Really close! It's hard to see but the block is a little short on the right side but I think I would get more accurate results if I starch all of my fabric. Now I have to decide if I prefer starching at the beginning or removing paper at the end.

Hmm.......back with a decision and the start of the project soon.

Also, I want to make sure you all know that yesterday's Thankful Thursday psot is open to everyone so please enter to have a chance to win these great note cards that Pamela made.

 

Comments

[Debra]

If you knew exactly which fabrics were going in the triangles in the middle, you could cut your strips, sew both long sides and then cut your triangles out of the strip, open and press. This is the method I use for my pyramid quilts and it is very accurate & less time-consuming.

I thought about joining this Quilt Along but decided to donate all the little pyramids I had cut (from the scraps of the bigger pyramids) because I just could not see myself staying dedicated to those fabrics in this pattern for very long.

[Becky in VA]

Dancing Stars is going to be such a spectacular quilt - especially with your hand-dyed fabrics. I want to make one - but just can't start something else!

[Vicki Welsh]

I will think about that and try to figure out how to work it with the gradient background ABS scrappy star points. I think I have talked myself in and out of foundation piecing at least twice now.
Vicki Welsh, Sent from my Droid

[laceflower]

Or you could foundation piece with the method where you fold back the paper on the stitching line to sew the seam, then fold it back into place, repeat for all seams. I would never foundation piece where you have to pick out the paper, oh the tediousness; then I discovered this method and I'm in business. I think I've got a document on the method, I could send to you if you wish. I'm working on kaleidoscope blocks right now using this method.

[Linda]

If you have never tried using the folded freezer paper method, I suggest you look into it. It has been taught by Judy Mathieson, and I've heard there is an episode on "The Quilt Show" #707, but I have not seen it myself. Basically with this method, you use freezer paper templates, fold them back and sew next to the edge of the fold, then flip the paper and press to the newly added piece, and etc, until you finish the section. At the end, you simply peel off the freezer paper. You never sew through paper. Prepare the templates by sewing through the paper with no thread in your machine to perforate the fold lines. It makes them easy to fold. The templates are reusable. This is the ONLY way to paper piece for me!! Here's an excerpt from her book that shows it, not sure if the link will work..

http://books.google.com/books?id=AE6ZdSFU6LYC&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dq=judy+mathieson+folded+freezer+paper&source=bl&ots=nYAw5_L3pi&sig=cYB1IOb3n9LlTXBoJkoMs9arKC8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=13T5UM7xEcH9iwLproGICg&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=judy%20mathieson%20folded%20freezer%20paper&f=false

[Linda]

I just noticed that I sound like I contradicted myself...oops. I meant you never sew through paper and fabric. The freezer paper templates are perforated by running them through the sewing machine, but not actually sewn. You only stitch through fabric when you're doing the piecing.

[Kim S]

Love!