Starry Night for Josh - the final layout

It's the final layout ( for some reason I am singing that as a song.... hmmmm ... like :Its the final countdown")

Designing Quilts is  bit like wearing my heart on my sleeve. I LOVE what I have designed, and then hope that others do too.  I told you before that this one was inspired by Josh - hence the name in the title. But I also tried to see what Josh might see when up in the Blackhawk - and interpret it as a quilt....

Are you ready???


The best way for me to assemble this quilt is to lay it out according to the diagram. I stitch each row together, and press.

*For rows 1,3,5,7,9 I will press one direction,
*and the other rows press the opposite before sewing together.

There are actually two different layouts –

Here is the original layout:

.. Or you can turn the large stars to spin another way – giving you two variable options.


Here is the Variable option – check out the big Red Stars – they turn differently

Who is this Josh that the pattern was named for?  ( I know - I told you at the beginning - but I just wanted to tell you again)


Josh (Chief Warrant Officer 2) was assigned to the third helicopter battalion and was shot down during Operation Enduring Freedom by enemy fire. Six of the Seven soldiers on board were killed, including Josh.  Josh is also the son of two of my most favorite people in the world. Josh's Dad is a VietNam Veteran.

Because Josh flew in a Helicopter – I thought the stars would be what he saw from the air – and the 9 patches sort of look like lights in houses. And of course the blue would be the skies and the night colors.

I hope you enjoyed stitching this quilt!

The full pattern will be available in my Craftsy Pattern Store HERE AlyciaQuilts Pattern Store

Linked to:
Freemotion by the river
Show ad Tell Tuesday
Fabric Tuesday
Sew Fresh Quilts

Starry Night for Josh Step 4

Hopefully your blocks are all going well?

This is the last step for the blocks - after this one you will have all of them prepared. On Monday ( because I have NO patience) I will show you the layouts . YES Layouts.... there are actually two different ways to lay this quilt out..... so Bonus!!!

Ready?

Block 4

This next block is a simple Half Square – it will measure 9 ½ by 9 ½ inches. You need 12 blocks total.

Cutting Instructions:

Blue: Cut 2 rows ( wof) 10 inches wide. Sub Cut into 6 – 10 in squares
Red: Cut 2 rows ( wof) 10 inches wide. Sub-cut into 6 10 in squares

You will take the Blue and draw a diagonal line down the center of it ( just like you did in the stars)






Stitch ¼ inch away from the line on BOTH sides.  Then Slice down the line, and press open.  You will then have 12 blocks. I pinned mine since they are such big squares:

Block 5

You will need 24 of these.
Cutting Instructions:
Blue: Cut 6 9 ½ inch strips. Sub cut each strip into 4 - 9 ½ inch blocks

There you go!!! See you Monday Morning for the reveal!!!

So far so good right?????

Rainbow Scrappy Challenge 2014

Is now a finish!!! Whoot Whoot!!!

It is quilted.... bound... and even labeled!!

I used the Double Hearts and Loops Panto from Deb Giessler

Finally - another finish - ANDit is one of my 2nd Quarter Finish A long list!!

PS - the tutorial to making this block is here:
http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2014/03/scrappy-saturday-teal-edition.html


Linking to:

RSC So Scrappy
Pink Doxies
Crazy Mom Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIFFriday

QOV 2015 - and Starry Night for Josh step 3

Step 3

This is a quick step – and! You will refer to Block 1 for instructions…. But use these colors!
You will make 2 of the Blue Stars and 3 Red Stars.

Cutting Instructions:

Blue: Cut 1 – 4 inch wof strip .   Sub-cut into 4 – 4 inch squares
         : Cut 1 – 3 ½ inch wof strip.   Sub-cut into 8 3 ½ inch squares
White: Cut 1 – 4inch wof strip.   Sub-cut into 10 – 4 inch squares
       : Cut 1 – 3 ½ inch wof strip.. Sub cut into 5  - 3 ½ inch squares
Red:  Cut 1 – 4 inch wof strip.  Sub-cut into 6 – 4 inch squares
      : Cut 1 3 ½ inch wof strip.  Sub cut into 12   3 1/2inch squares
(so my fabric was actually 44 inch wof – so one strip was perfect. If you fabric is not as wide – you can use scraps from the other steps to cut the twelfth square, or you will need to cut another strip)

Take all of your 4 inch white squares, and draw a diagonal on the back side.

Pair a 4 inch white square with a blue and  red 4 inch squares. Stitch ¼ inch away from the diagonal line on both sides.

Cut along the diagonal line and press open.


You will then lay these pieces out in a stack to create the Stars – as in the first step. You will end up with 3 Red/White stars and 2 Blue/White stars.  Make sure the stars are spinning the same way as the photo ( also the same as step 1)

They will measure 9 ½ inches

And now.... Onto the QOV inspirations for this week..... can you handle at least one or two??

Are you all keeping up? If you want to share a blog post or a photo - feel free to email me them, I would link them on a blog post.  - I just don't know how to do the linky thing....

See you Saturday for the next step!!!

From the Window

I saw these:

Pretty cool huh?   They were just a hanging out  - posing for us tourists!!

Design Wall Monday

You have to know what I have on my Design wall right?  I mean Step 2 has been posted.... can you take a guess??

Oh - and before I Show you the photo - many of you ask when I sleep.... well.... this photo is taken late at night - so its not so good in its coloring ;-) But you know how it is - the kids FINALLY all go to sleep and your going to quilt for just 15 minutes... and the next thing you know- it's midnight....

The colors look better - sort of..... but the light attracted miller moths...

Hope you all had a great weekend. It was Fathers Day - and I didn't get to spend it with my Dad . I was with my Dad in Law. On our way we stopped for a snack and we all laughed . I had to have this coke.... it's what my Dad calls me .....

Linking to:
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug a Bit Quilts
PatchWork Times
Freemotion by the river

I have to say

Starry Night for Josh Step 2

Hopefully you had enough time to get all of Step One Blocks Done???

Ready for Step 2?

Here goes:

BLOCK 2

Block 2 is another fun, simple block – but will be so effective in the overall design.

We need to make 10 of these blocks:

Cutting Instructions:

Blue:  Cut 4 – 3 ½ inch strips WOF

Cheddar: Cut 5 – 3 ½ inch Strips WOF

You are going to stitch these in sets – ready?

Set 1 – you will sew 1 strip set with a Blue, Yellow, Blue pattern:
     Press to the blue ( or outside)

• Sub-cut this set into 10 * 3 ½ inch strips

Set 2 – you will sew 2 strip sets with a Yellow, Blue, Yellow pattern
    Press to the blue ( or Inside)

• Sub-cut these sets into 10- * 3 ½ inch strips

And now we will assemble the sets:

I always lay them out, how I want them assembled

And then Stitch the sets together into a 9 Patch block

These 10 blocks will measure 9 ½ by 9 ½ inches

Ha Ha!! Look at me - my seams match!!!!! 

Sucess!!

The original Sticks

Is a complete Finish now....

I thought it might be appropriate to finish the Original Sticks

Especially since Sticks 1 is in use ( on my couch)

and Sticks 2 is in my Etsy Store

This is my new label - except I didn't practice and stitched some of it in the binding...

A few Close ups - 

Pattern Source: Quilting is more fun than housework  Scrapapalooza Alongs

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Link up to:
TGI Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Creative Goodness

Life on the farm is ....

kinda laid back ....

Until a Pig wants to take a bath....

And he has no patience

and no regard for his "brother"

Can we say "attitude"??

QOV 2015 - is it summer yet?

it may not be truly calendarly (new word - just made it up) Summer yet - but in our minds - it is SUMMER!!! The sun comes up way early in the morning, and we find ourselves eating dinner at 9:30pm...  I LOVE these days!!!

Sometimes though - I forget what day it is - so I might need help.... it is wednesday today - I promise.

We started the next QOV Quilt a long - it is a mystery - but it's really good - I promise.

Fabric Req's
Step 1

next step - June 20th..... join in - I promise that it won't be hard, you will finish it - and it won't be a UFO ( and if it is!! I owe you some chocolate)

Now on to this weeks Inspiration:

Sue and Kathy are some VERY amazing ladies  - and they have stepped up like crazy for quilting our Quilts of Valor - the next 10  ( that is TEN people) quilts were quilted by them.  WARNING - they are all very feminine quilts... Mostly we don't need tons of Feminine Quilts- but we were asked to be a part of a Women' Warriors retreat - and there were 60 Veterans there... so we had a blast making girly quilts!!

Pieced by Candi E

Pieced by Margaret

Pieced by Margaret

Pieced by Candi E

Pieced by Candi

Blocks made by Betty
Pieced by Kathy and Sue

Pieced by Margaret

Pieced by Margaret

Pieced by Margaret

Blocks by Betty
Pieced by Kathy and Sue

Ready for a few smiles?   Here you go ;-)

Don't you just love knowing that the quilts are wrapped around them and treasured??? Sure makes my heart happy!

Have a great one!
Go forth and Quilt!!