A finish: Sea Star Quilt

A few weeks ago I volunteered to make a test version of a new pattern from Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs - the Sea Star quilt.

Cheryl's original version done up in solids in oceany shades of blue and green really resonated with me and I was keen to try something I hadn't done before (i.e., pattern testing). I have to say, it was a bit of a weight actually testing a pattern for someone else. I am a kind of get the gist and wing it kind of girl and I felt that it wouldn't do justice to the pattern to do that. And what if I stuffed it up? 

I decided to make a baby sized version for a friend of mine who was having a baby. I didn't know what she was having so had to go for something gender neutral. She and her family live near (and love) the beach and so I wanted a colour palette that gave a beachy kind of feel. The yellows represent the sun and sand and then the aquas and blues of the ocean on a sunny day. 

The finished quilt - I felt a bit odd photographing it in the park, but no one really paid any attention to me!

The pattern itself was really easy to follow. It does have a few HSTs - when I volunteered I thought that the quilt was made up of flying geese and rectangles with triangles seen on the corners, so that HSTs did induce a "what have I signed up for?" moment. 

 

HSTs not withstanding, the top came together quickly (I sewed it up in one day). Then how to quilt it? I originally decided to do concentric circles with origins in three separate spots so that they would overlap like ripples in water. I'll just mention now that I have never quilted circles before and once I'd started it seemed a tad ambitious. Some reverse sewing quickly followed and back to the drawing board it was. I eventually decided to go with organic ripples - I think it still very much gives the impression of water, just moving instead of still. It was very refreshing to let the quilting just go where it would (and fast and forgiving!). I think this style of quilting will be a permanent part of my repertoire. 

Close up of the quilting

I quilted it using Aurifil 50wt in four different colours: white, yellow, light aqua and a darker aqua.

I bound it in this neat Anna Maria Horner Loominous fabric (we won't talk about the yardage en route destined to be a dress for me - I have been crushing on this line so hard). 

Binding in Illumination Graph in Glow - check that metallic glint

I also discovered that I had a different sole for my walking foot that allowed for near perfect binding attachment! How have I not noticed you before little sole? You are my new bestie!

Hello in the ditch walking foot sole! 

I chose some Alison Glass for the backing (oh there's enough left over for a top - what a surprise??!). 

Alison Glass Sunprint in Grove and Ink for the backing

Quilt Stats 

Pattern: Sea Star by Meadow Mist Designs

Size: 45" x 45"

Fabric Top: Kona white and a variety of blue, aqua and yellow fabric from my stash

Binding: Anna Maria Loominous in Illuminated Graph in Glow

Backing: Alison Glass Sunprint Ink in Teal and Sunprint Grove in Yellow
Quilting: Organic wavy lines in Aurifil 50 wt (2024, 5006, 1135, 2835)

And this is a finish for my June ALYoF goal.