Starry Bright Sky QAL - Textured four-patches - Star Gathering month 7

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/07/starry-bright-sky-qal-textured-four.html

I'm a bit behind in the optional textured four-patches part of the Starry Bright Sky QAL.  This month finally had time to get the materials out, read the directions and do the stitching. for the challenge for month 7.

I had fun relearning how to make the knots for hand stitching...!  I like the method where:

1. Thread the needle
2. Take the long end of the thread and place it on the needle so the end is near the eye of the needle.
3. Wrap the thread a few times around the needle.
4. Transfer to the other hand
5. Hold the thread so the wraps stay, and slide the resulting knot so it magically appears near the end of the thread!

After I did some of the gatherings, I had to return to make it so more the fabric would be gathered.

Here is how it looked after I finished the stitching:

I don't have a steam option on my iron, so I left the work pinned on the board for a few days before sewing in the four patch.

Something was wrong with the tension on the stay stitching, but I thought it was making the noise when I got to a stitch that had to be sewn.

Starry Bright Sky QAL - Textured four-patches - Cross Tucking month 5

I completed Alida's Starry Bright Sky QAL fifth textured four patch challenge!

Instead of marking the grid as it was described in the original posting, I modified so it is (I believe) as Alida did her block for the quilt.  That is I was consistent in the folding so it was every two inches.

Starry Bright Sky QAL - Textured four-patches - Centered Tucks with Bow Ties Month 3

I finished another textured four-patch for Alida's Starry Bright Sky QAL!

The link to this QAL block is here! The procedures for this are linked to from her site, they are from Teresa at Teresa Down Under.  

This one was intimidating for me as it involved some hand stitching...  The first time I used the same thread to do all the tying....  But then I realized it would be easy enough to do each one separately.

I brought the needle from the back in the seam to the center of the marked location, then looped the thread three times before returning in thru the fabric to the seam in the back.  Then I took a bite of fabric and brought the thread thru the loop, three time before I pulled the thread tight and cut it off.

Didn't seem stable to leave it this way!

It was important to bring in to the seam line, when I did not do that (instead I brought it to the center of the tuck) the stitching line was visible.  So if you are going to do this texture remember that!

I understand the reason for the stitching in the center the opposite direction, but I find that distracting, even though I used thread that was pretty close to the color of the fabric.  Now that I am comfortable with the knots I think I'd do two knots at that location, and maybe add a little bow tie to the center.  Maybe it would be too busy.  I'll try to try that later.

Starry Bright Sky QAL - Textured Four-Patches - Gathered Strip Month 4

This year Alida is adding a free event to her quilt along, textured four-patches.  The procedures for this are linked to from her site, they are from Teresa at Teresa Down Under.  What a great collaboration!

This was a easy block to make.

My only tip would be to use a different color in the bobbin, then it would be easy to know which threads to pull to make the gather.

To be sure it doesn't unravel I sewed at the exposed ends of the yellow strips - about 1/8 inch from the edge.

I found this darker blue so decided to start putting it in the quilt.  I hope it doesn't distract from the other shades.

Thanks Alida!

Here is the link to her blog with all the information:
http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/p/starry-bright-sky-qal-2018.html

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Ireland

I'm going to go to Ireland the end of June and July.  The first part I will be with my husband.  We will have a few days to get acclimated to the time zone and location, and visit a former student I hope in Ireland but in the north,  then his American cousins will be joining us.  We will have about 10 days with them.  Well, I will.  My husband is speaking at a conference for 3 or 4 of those days so he will be tied up with that.  Then we have 3 or 4 days staying at an Irish cousin's house.  I have only met her daughter and her friends but had fun taking them around a few years ago.  So we are staying at her mother's place - she has a guest house and wanted us to stay there.  The other American cousins will be at a hotel nearby and we will hook up with them for site seeing every day.  There is going to be a reunion party that we will be helping out with and attending.  Then we end with a few days in Dublin - and say our goodbyes.

My husband also will leave and I will be there a few days alone - then I'm pretty sure our son will come over and spend a week or so I think with me and Ireland.  Tips? Suggestions?  We don't have to stay in Ireland - we could go to Northern Ireland, or England, or Scotland.  It's all up in the air as I really don't know specifics.  We will be renting a car - hopefully an automatic - but at this late date will have to accept what ever we can get.

Anyway, if anyone happens to have any ideas, please send them along.  I'm starting to look up quilting links, but I really enjoy museums and walking about.  I've heard about the canal boats - that seems like a fun thing to do, but I think might be better with 4 people...

My email is linked in my profile.

Starry Bright Sky QAL - Textured four-patches - Center Tucks with Bow Ties - month 3

Measurements for block to fit in the Starry Bright Sky QAL:
http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/03/starry-bright-sky-qal-textured-four.html

Download Alida's related file:
https://goo.gl/5ncfdp

Directions to make at Teresa's Site:
https://mypatchwork.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/centered-tucks-with-bow-ties-textured-quilt-sampler/

Starry Bright Sky QAL: Textured Block 1 Faux Cathedral Window Variation

This year Alida is adding a textured block for between the stars, and I have completed the first one:  Faux Cathedral Window Variation...  With her directions very easy to do, even though I used a walking foot for the top stitching!

There is still time to join in this QAL, I did one a few years ago and learned so much!  Her directions are very clear and you are of course free to make changes based on your ability or time. For the textured blocks she is using Teresa's directions for the blocks, but changing the measurements so they will fit with her star designs.

She had suggested making improv fabric where I put the plain blocks, but I wanted to be sure to keep on track so went with the solids.

I have a collection of solids in yellows and golds and blues so that is what I'm going to be using for this project.

http://alidatweloqdesigns.blogspot.com/