Stars Quilt--Finished!

More than 20 amazing quilters contributed blocks to this quilt! I participated in two different quilt bees last year. Both groups sent blocks for this quilt. I requested they make a 12" paper-pieced star block using yellows and grays. One bee group used their own stash. I sent fabric out to the other group.

I admit when I received all the blocks back, I just wasn't feeling this quilt. I struggled with how I wanted to put it together and how all the blocks would work together. They went in a box for almost a year. I'd occasionally pull them out and give it a try, but nothing clicked for me until last month. I decided to make a few extra blocks so I could do a 5x5 layout rather than 4x5 that I originally planned. I posted a pic on Instagram requesting ideas. One person suggested making a few blocks with dark grey backgrounds to make them stand out. I'm so grateful for that comment because those few darker blocks really pop and make a huge difference in this design.

Final dimensions are 76" x 76". The blocks are 12" finished. Sashing is 2" finished, and the outer border is 4" finished.

I quilted an all-over swirl. I wanted the quilting to tie the blocks together rather than emphasize the differences. Originally, I was thinking of trying to do some type of custom quilting on each different star. I knew there were two problems with that. First, I didn't feel my quilting skills were up to the task. Second, I worried that it would divide the quilt and make it look disjointed.

Unlike my normal style, I chose a very simple back. I pieced just one block in with 4 yards of yarn-dyed essex in black.

I have no specific plans for this one as of yet, but it's nice to have another quilt off the WIP list.