Mini Quilt of the Month, November: Striped Star

My great-great grandmother and her daughter, my great grandmother, were both from Heber Springs, Arkansas, and like many women of their time and place, they were accomplished quilt makers. One of my great-great grandmother's creations, a queen-size quilt with appliquéd sunflowers, hung in my childhood home. I remember spending hours studying its delicate stitches and beautiful colors! We also had a large unfinished quilt top made by my great grandmother. It was comprised of hundreds of tiny cotton feed sack diamonds, all hand sewn together to form a gigantic eight pointed star. Later in life, I learned that this pattern is usually called a "Lone Star". (If you're unfamiliar with the traditional Lone Star quilt pattern, here is a link to a nice example.) 

I have always loved this pattern, but I've never sewn one because it usually involves slanted angles and scary "Y" seams. With our Mini Quilt of the Month Series almost finished, I thought now would be the perfect time to tackle this seemingly impossible shape. But since we’re not our great-great grandmothers, I decided to give the pattern a more approachable modern spin, eliminating the "Y" seams and the hundreds of tiny diamonds. Phew!

This Striped Star Mini Quilt is a simple take on a complicated classic. Strip-pieced stripes convey a sense of dimensionality and movement, and a pretty assortment of neutral dots and stripes add a clean, modern aesthetic. The pattern comes together unexpectedly in fascinating puzzle that will delight your quilting mind! To find your own inner grandmother, just visit our Striped Star Mini Quilt Journal here!

Comments

[Лиза]

Очень аккуратно! Чудесная штучка :)

[Nina]

That Lone Star example you linked to is amazing - is it just me or does it seem to pulsate slightly?!

[Emmy]

This is so beautiful! I tend to gravitate toward bright, bold colors in my quilting, but this blog always reminds me that subtle hues can be equally stunning. Thanks for the inspiration; I can't wait to try out this star (and try on some new and quieter color palettes) sometime soon!

[Apseed]

I like the pale colors, particularly grayscale. So subtle and gentle! Thank You for inspiration!

[Silvia]

What a beautiful design! I love the fabrics & colours you have used!! :)

[Ashley]

Love the design and colors!

[Josie]

Pretty....you grandmothers through the ages would be very proud.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks for this post. I think this is my favorite from your mini-quilt series. It is a traditional block with history that still has a strong graphic quality that lends itself well to a modern quilt style.
- Liz

[Glynda]

Just so you know your own family history, it's Heber Springs, not Herber.:-)

[purl bee]

Hi Glynda-

Thanks for pointing out my typo! It's been changed!

- Molly

[katie]

It's beautiful! I love the colors, and it's all so tidy.. great job :)