October Vintage Stars

Oh my, how I love this Candy Star die from Blue Wren!

It is a new version of a previously unnamed vintage block, published sometime after 1933 from Old Chelsea Station (magazine/newspaper mail order). I saw an antique quilt photo online, found the block layout in BlockBase+, and suggested the idea to Norma at Blue Wren.  Before long this new die was available. 

I selected two older fabrics from one of my garage sale finds. These autumn colored cotton prints were only 36” wide, dating around the late 1960's. Remember harvest gold, avocado green, burnt orange, and brown? They were the fashionable colors to have back then.

October Vintage Stars

I added a coordinating persimmon solid, black prints, and natural muslin to complete the look from that era. I used twelve blocks, framed with two borders. I really enjoyed sewing this retro inspired quilt, October Vintage Stars, which is 48” x 60” finished size. I quilted using a free motion meandering stitch in cream thread.

The corner sections that form the secondary stars are made with a Y-seam. I did a few test runs since I was out of practice, but only used the seam ripper once.  Key tips: sew precise 1/4" seams, stop 1/4" from edge and lockstitch, flip and sew from corner to edge, press each section the same way.   

It was very satisfying to sew, but the best thing about this die is that Blue Wren includes alternative pieces to avoid a Y-seam altogether and create more design options.

I was so inspired that I finished in only 5 days: die delivered noon Monday, quilt completed Friday. I have already designed more in EQ8/BlockBase+, and each version has a totally different look.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6958 Candy Star

Accuquilt
55054 Strip 4½”
55017 Strip 2½”

BlockBase ID: 2725

Summer of '69

What great memories! The colors and prints of this fabric take me back to 1969...bright orange, lime and avocado, psychedelic purple and aquamarine. These colors dominated my closet in wild and crazy peasant dresses, and tops to wear with white shorts or bellbottom jeans.

I was only fifteen, so my cool mama was driving me and my friends all over town, radio turned up, windows down, in her red Pontiac Catalina. Shopping centers, bowling alleys, movie theaters, skating rinks, and swimming pools were our hangouts. What carefree fun we all had!

Summer of '69 finished out at 45” x 51” size. It would have been perfect for laying out at the pool. I used several square and rectangular dies to cut these pieces. I quilted using aqua thread in straight stitch inside the rectangles, then changed to a curvy stitch on the aqua sashing.

This one was fun to sew, singing along with late 60's music like I did back then. I can't believe it's been over 50 years.

Accuquilt dies used:
55159 Rectangles 2½” x 4½”
55160 Rectangles 4½” x 8½”
55059 Squares 2½” multi
55017 Strip 2½”

Those were the days, my friend