Once again this year, I am coordinating a Quilt of Valor ceremony for six veterans in our car club. It is only fair that I help make the quilts so I have offered to longarm two or three. I thought it would be nice to make one myself, so pulled out my stash of patriotic fabrics to make some stars.
I used the Chain Piecing Half Square Triangles method shown on that post to make a bunch of HSTs.
I used a 6-1/2-inch square for the center of the star.
Later that day, I had 6 stars done. My plan at this point was to get a panel and put the stars around it, spaced with a patriotic print, and add borders.
A hot lunch is nice when sewing on a cold day. This tuna melt hit the spot!
I spent one whole snow day just clearing out fabrics from the basket tower. I should have taken a photo before I started, as it was a stuffed mess, with every bin overflowing with bits and pieces along with good yardage. Once I got started, I ended up doing the whole thing. I bagged up scraps less than 1/4-yard into 2-gallon plastic bags. Then, I looked at each and every fat quarter and piece of yardage and made a decision to keep or donate. I pulled two large paper grocery bags of things to take to the rehome table at guild. Now, what I have left is neatly folded and stacked. In the coming days, I’ll go through it again, sort by color, and see if there is anything else that can go. This will greatly help my Stashbusters totals!
Because of very low readership and participation on our Stashbusters posts, monthly reporting is moving to our Facebook Friends group. I hope this will allow those of you who wish to continue to have a place to keep track. I put a post up on Tuesday for you to report your progress, and I plan to have a check-in once a month around the first of the month.
Wednesday, I was finally able to get out of the house after four days of being housebound. I had lunch with a friend, did a bunch of errands, and stopped by my local quilt shop for a patriotic panel. Beginnings in Hendersonville has a impressive inventory of patriotic panels and prints. This is the one I bought.
Another round of snow and ice canceled our Area meeting yesterday. That was disappointing as I had to miss the big guild meeting in January due to snow. With more snow on the way this weekend, I may have more snowy sew days to sew. If you are in the path of the this next arctic blast, stay safe and warm! What are you working on this week?
From My Carolina Home 
That quilt is going to be gorgeous! I saved your tutorial page. Thanks for that!!
Dumb question here. Did you cut all your squares including the white ones at 6 1/2 as well ?
Thanks,
Brenda
Not dumb at all! The white corner squares are 3-1/2-inches square. The HSTs are cut 4-inches square before sewing, and trimmed to 3-1/2-inches.
Ah thanks so much Carole. I am going to try these stars !
Brenda
Your stars look great!
I’m binding the last of the charity quilts for Quilts 4 Kids and trying to finish up the paperdolls flimsys I decided to make and donate, I ran out of skin tones and picked some up yesterday while I was out and about.
I would love to keep up with stash busting but I just can’t ever remember to calculate and then I feel like I’ve let myself and everyone else down, so I’ve given myself permission to not worry about it and just finish quilts and get them out!
It’s wild how cold and snowy your winter has been and how warm ours is; I have an IRIS blooming in my front garden (and the crocus and daffodils are only just sprouting – it’s wild!!). The stars you pieced look fantastic and like they will pair well with the panel you selected. Stay warm this weekend!
That stamp fabric in the middle of your stars is one of my favorites! Our guild coordinates making many quilts for Honor Flight Syracuse.
Awesome clean out of your smaller pieces. I’m inspired!
Happy to see Stashbusters continuing on Facebook!
Good day to make soup! Going to be frigid here and I’ll be sewing away as it is just too cold to go out.
Thank you for sharing what you are up to!
Jo Anne
Your stars are beautiful in the patriotic fabrics, Carole! And the tuna melt looks yummy, too – you just gave me an idea for lunch. I’m so glad you were finally able to get out of the house. Four days is a long time to be housebound!
I like tuna fish sandwiches but I have never had a warm one as a melt – I assume you just put cheese on it and do it like toasted cheese?
You have been super productive with your sewing and sorting and organizing. Cooking too! We’re due for more snow and cold this weekend. I need to go out tonight and am hoping the road isn’t too bad. Meanwhile, Rick is north in the REAL frozen tundra skiing. To each their own!
That’s going to be a beautiful quilt of valor!
Thanks for moving Stashbusters to FB instead of discontinuing it altogether. I may never achieve the goal of more out than in, but keeping track does reduce the amount I take in. At least I’m more thoughtful about it.
That had to be 4 very long days for you. Even if you didn’t have any plans to get out, it’s hard to get past the fact that you CAN’T leave. Ugh! Glad you had some sewing to keep you company. Take care and we’ll see that top finished now in no time!