Quilting Friends

 Created for Project Quilting 14.4 - A Novel Project.

For my inspiration book, I chose The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken. My friend, Mary Lou, gifted this book to me for Christmas, 2002. It is a wonderful children’s story with amazing illustrations. I chose to make a friendship star quilt since one is shown on the page where the quiltmaker throws the quilt out the window to keep it from the king. And it also honors the many wonderful memories of the hours I have enjoyed quilting with my friend, Mary Lou.

As a side note about my week. Pip (my third granddaughter, age 11) had a big basketball tournament this weekend. I finished the binding on this quilt this morning while travelling to watch her play and took this picture in the parking lot between games. So, instead of my usual wood floor, this one has the blacktop parking lot in the background. I am so blessed to have 6 amazing grandchildren in my life. Every one of them is a special gift.

Created by Diane Lapacek near Poynette, WI
14" x 27"

Circle of Friends

This is my entry for the Project Quilting Focus Through the Prism challenge for June.  The inspiration was the Friendship Star block and I chose violet for my color this month.

I liked the circular design I made for the first challenge, so I folded up a square and set about designing a friendship star version.  I soon discovered I really didn't like the way the friendship star worked when drafted the same way.  

Time for Plan B. Start with a background of "made" fabric using assorted violet fabrics including the Cherrywood violet.  Add just a few bits of yellow for some sparkle. Quilt it, then add the friendship stars on the top for a 3D wreath effect.

I sewed scraps of pastels together to make fabric for the stars, then drew some friendship star shapes in assorted sizes and cut a few of each size from freezer paper.  My first thought was to face and turn each star.  Bad idea.  Those little points are a pain to turn.  I decided raw edges would look better anyway.  I simply ironed the freezer paper to the right side of the fabrics, added a piece of heavy interfacing in back and stitched just off the edge of the freezer paper.  I removed the freezer paper and cut out each star, then layered them on the background.  A button in the center of each star in the top layer completes the look.

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Created by Diane Lapacek in Poynette, WI.