Some Spinning Stars

I received some new storage shelving for Christmas ( I'm a lucky girl), but I have to remove the old wardrobe to fit the new cabinets in.  To reach the old wardrobe I have to tidy up - which is fine- but it's a bit of a process.  I've found all sorts of UFOs and I'm sorting and throwing out.

I found a bag with some half finished I Spy blocks.  I think I started this top when I was looking for a pattern to use some strips leftover from cutting squares.  The inspiration was from Bonnie Hunter's "Star Gazing" in her book Scraps & Shirttails.  Spinning Stars is an easy peasy block and only needs 2.5 inch strips.

Using 2.5 inch strips at least 19 inches long, join an I Spy strip lengthwise with a complimentary print.  Crosscut into four 4.5 inch blocks.

Add a light 2.5 inch square to the I Spy print and add a dark square to the opposite corner.  Stitch and flip - sew along the diagonal of the square, trim the excess fabric, and press into the corner. 

Join the four blocks into a star shape. 

Here's a finished Spinning Star with 2.5 inch sashing.  Doesn't it look great?  And it's such an easy block.

I Spy Evening Stars

Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville site is one of my favourite places to browse.  I like Bonnie's chatty style and her great patchwork ideas - she never seems to stop!

Recently in her blog Bonnie shares the progress of a new quilt for a baby boy.

The quilt starts with some novelty print 4.5 inch squares which become the centre of Evening Star blocks.

The blocks increase in number using 2.5 inch strips to make the flying geese and corner squares.

Now, if I was working with these nice bright blocks I would probably sash them with some nice neutral fabric to draw them altogether - but Bonnie is never neutral.

How's that!  I certainly wouldn't have thought of black and white checkerboard strips, but doesn't it look great!  I like the way the black and white extends into the multicolored border.

You can read all the details of this starry I Spy here, and here, and here.  Well done Bonnie - you've inspired us once again!

I Spy a 4 patch at Quiltville

www.quiltville.com is probably my favourite quilting site.  I have two of Bonnie Hunter's books.  I love her Scrap User's System and her Leaders and Enders Method.  This I Spy uses 4.5 inch novelty print squares and lengths of blue, orange and white fabric.  Bonnie's instructions are very clear and detailed; you can find them here.
This 4 patch is a great design.  I like the way you notice the white squares in lines, and then you focus on the orange squares... wait, blue squares too!  There is always motion as you keep looking - I've just discovered that the big squares seem to float above the rest...