Cheery Mellow: Double Star

More Cheery Mellow with this bright fabric - a double star made with a bunch of flying geese.  

I actually didn't follow a pattern.  When I first saw it, I thought it was made just of Half Square Triangles, but then I noticed that the geese units didn't have a seam in the middle...  That certainly caught my eye, and I just had to try it!

Something you need to double check is fabric combination. If there is not enough contrast between the three fabrics that make up the star, the shape could be lost. I initially thought of using the following fabric...

... but ended up with the following combination. There is certainly more contrast with the yellow background than with the smaller yellow flowers. Although I was going for a more significant contrast, I am not quite sure that I really like the final block; the white background blends a tad too much for my taste. I guess there is a second double star in the horizon (big sigh); but hey - that's the idea, right? Practice and learn!

So here is the beginning of the star...

Nice little squares and rectangles all ready to get transformed!

 

And here they are!  Nice flying geese units ready to turn into a star! This is one of the things that mesmerize me about quilting... all the different patterns and possibilities that may be formed using the same basic figure. I actually experimented a bit with them, and ended up with optional, extra HST (half square triangles) by sewing a second seam in the corner, rather than just cutting off what is not part of the flying goose. I ended up putting the cart before the horse and posting Cutting Corners: Tips on Extra Half Square Triangles before the Double Star...  I guess I can blame it all on a bit of quilty excitement!  :)

You can see how it all comes together. The MAJOR issue with this block is the sewing order...  Yep!  Even the order in which itty bitty pieces are sewn make a huge difference in how it all turns out.

And here it is! A double star ready to make it (eventually) into a sampler quilt.  I am really not planning anything in particular, I just want to practice shapes and techniques by making a bunch of 12.5" unfinished blocks.

Making something new to me, although it is a traditional quilting technique, is always interesting. Moreover, finding the extra surprises by adding optional seams sure is a major plus!

How about you? How do you stay on top of things and practice skills?  

Thanks for stopping by, and stay blessed!  :)