Fearlessly Starting

I had two starts this week.

 

For those of you who may not understand the quilting terminology “start,” let me explain.  A quilter purchases fabric for a quilt and/or pulls material for a quilt from her stash to begin a new quilt top.  A “start” in quilting-land is when you take said-referenced fabric and actually construct the first block – hence a “start.”

 

The first start was this:

For those of you who are members of thequiltshow.com or have followed the life and blogs of Sue Garman, you will immediately recognize this as the center medallion of the last  — or at least one of the last – quilts she designed called Halo Medallion.  Sue lost her battle to lung cancer a couple of weeks ago.  She was a non-smoker who managed to succumb to this horrible disease that has taken far too many wonderful people from us.  She was an incredibly talented quilter and quilt designer and so very gracious.  When my guild wanted to make her pattern, Ruffled Roses, for a raffle quilt, she generously gave her permission and encouraged us to send pictures after it was complete.  Her loss will be profoundly felt in the quilting world.

The second start was this:

This is the first block of the mystery quilt my guild’s quilt club is making.  I am not crazy about the quality of the picture – it makes the star point’s fabric look orange, when in fact it’s coral.  This Martha Washington’s Star is constructed from the fabric I featured in last week’s blog.  I swear it’s a love/hate relationship with my new camera.

 

I’ve really have a third start – a quilt I’m entering in a show this August, but again, I can’t put it on social media, as it’s against the rules.  In due time I will show this, but it won’t be until next fall.  But to give you an idea, it has a dozen Ohio Star blocks in it that are 1-inch, finished.

 

These small pieces are another component in my “Year of Quilting Fearlessly.”  The smallest blocks I have ever made at this point are 4-inches, finished.  I’ve loved miniature quilts for a long time but have never thought I had the skill level to complete them, or at least complete them well.  In fact, I’ve always been a little daunted at the thought of anything smaller than the blocks I did for Dear Jane.

So again, I would like to challenge you…in 2017, quilt fearlessly.  Don’t be intimidated by a pattern, a designer, or a color.  Let each of these challenge you, but not intimidate or overwhelm you.  Let them teach you a different skill set or improve a skill set you have.  You can do this!  It will stretch you as a quilter and improve your work.

 

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Sam