Wonky Stars

I currently have several projects that I'm working on.  I like to strike while the inspiration iron is hot, then when I'm not feeling totally creative, I can do things like sew on binding.  I had been wanting to try the "Wonky Star" pattern/technique out, so somewhere back around Thanksgiving, I started playing around with it.  That long ago?  That doesn't seem right, but that's what iPhoto has for me.  Ooops.

I grabbed some fabric and thought I'd just play with it and if it didn't come out right, I could turn it into a quilt for Zim and Dave.  (I had kind of planned to make them something with that fab, anyway.)  I really  wanted to expand my horizons a bit and try the "free form" nature of the Wonky Star out. I can be WAY too structured and Type A-ish WAY too often.  Here's how the first block came out:

I actually enjoyed the process quite a bit and wanted to make more!  It would be too unlike me to just make star upon star, though.  I needed a cool layout, right?

I decided to put two stars together, having them "share" a background square, and add in a couple setting blocks.  Like so:

Please excuse the mess on my work table. That was during the Christmas blitz.

I liked my larger block and decided I needed to make 4 of them. That would be a generous size for the boys.

Oh. I ran totally out of the black helicopter stripe fabric. I thought I'd substitute in some black and white camo. You know... because camo blends right in ... right? Moving right along...

I came up with two different layouts. Option 1:

And Option 2:

You can tell I was getting help deciding. I ❤ my Guide Dog for the Color Blind!

In Option 1, all the writing on the fabric in the setting blocks is right-side-up and a diagonal movement to the stars.  In Option 2, you have the writing going all four ways -- and the cool circle made by the Wonky Stars.  For a "throw" for the boys, that would be pretty cool.  But I kept looking at it, thinking
     a)  that I really liked the whole thing
     b)  that the wonkiness of the stars almost needed the structure of the setting blocks all facing the same way
     c)  that I was over-thining the whole thing
...and then "d" happened:
     d)  my husband saw it, said he really liked it, and we both agreed it would be a cool wall-hanging for a blank wall in his office!

Since it will hang on the wall, we chose Option 1!  Yea!

I've sewn the top together and have it basted together with batting and backing:



The backing is a digital desert camo print, with a strip of fabric bearing The Star Spangled Banner dissecting it.

I bought the PERFECT King Tut quilting thread and have been practicing the quilt pattern I want to try to do on it.  While I gain confidence that I can pull it off, I'm ... umm ... piecing something else.  Will share soon!

Thanks for reading!!