~ Autumn Star ~ TUTORIAL ~

So how many of you are like me and have piles of Half Square Triangles piling up from using the flippy corners method.  (What's a flippy corner!?  A tutorial can be found here. )  I've saved hundreds possibly thousands of these over the years.  The plan was to someday make a quilt from all of them.  Great plan...had I squared them up as they were made.   To square up all them now would just be a pain in the neck...LITERALLY.   It's still fun from time to time to pull out a few or use the ones from a current project in a small quick project.  These (76) orange Hst's were laying on my cutting table waiting be stored away with the others when the quilty wheels started turning.   A block was born!  Autumn Star is what I named my version simply because I could not find another like it in my 30 minute skip through Google.  If you know the real name please let me know.  This block could be simplified by using flying geese and square in a square blocks instead of Hst's. 

For this block you will need (24) 2.5"  Hst's.  If you don't have an abundance of Hst's laying around like me you can always make your own.  The easiest way to make 24 of these would be the MAGIC 8 method.  Karen Walker of Laugh Yourself into Stitches has great little tutorial with a chart for many different sized Hst's.

Here's the complete list of what is needed to make ONE  16" Autumn Star Block.

*(24) 2.5" Hst's

*(4) 2.5" background

*(4) 4.5" x 2.5" background

*(4) 6.5" x 2.5" background

*(4) 4.5" 4.5" Aqua

****The arrows show pressing directions in the images below****

Stitch together (2) Hst's to make Unit 1

Assemble (2) 6.5" x 2.5" with (1) Unit 1.

 Assemble (1) 2.5" background with (3) Hst's to make Unit 2

 Assemble (2) 4.5" x 2.5" background and (1) 4.5" x 4.5" Aqua with (2) Unit 2

Assemble (4) Hst's to make Unit 3

Assemble (2) Unit 1 with (2) 4.5" x 4.5" Aqua and (1) Unit 3.

Assemble as shown below.

 Press and you have your first block!  Yay!  How many are you planning to make?

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  If you make one please let me know by email, podunkpretties@gmail.com. Or by tagging your blocks on Instagram with #autumnstarquiltblock or just tag me @podunkpretties  

I've also changed my Facebook account for my quilty friends.   You can follow me on Facebook by clicking here. or clicking Facebook in the sidebar of this blog. I post to Facebook and Instagram more often than I do here on the blog because it's easier to post sneak peeks at what I'm working on at the moment.

Linking up with these awesome blogs.  Hop over and be inspired by quilters around the world!

https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/lets-bee-social-247.html

and

https://conniekresin.com/2018/10/linky-tuesday-october-23rd.html

~ Podunk Plaid ~ Friday Finish ~

Hey Happy Quilters!  It's so nice to have a Friday Finish.  This will be my last fall/autumn quilt for the year.  Say Hello to Podunk Plaid.  

photo taken at Wallace Farms, Martinsville IN

Finishing at 63" x 72", she is the sweetest little thing.  The idea for this quilt came from a scrap pile of Autumn Love Fabrics  used in two recent quilts.  While doing the quilt math I realized the scraps were not going to be enough even though the pattern uses mostly Fat 8's.  So what the heck...order some more!  Once the fabric arrived this little gal came together in a flash.  Strip piecing is one of the best quilting tricks ever, don't you think?

A quick dig through the stash produced the perfect Riley Blake Yellow dot fabric for the backing.  Not sure when or where it was purchased but I'm sure glad it was in there.

Another quilt that is out of my color comfort zone.  ORANGE!  Who would have thought I could love orange so much.  It could be that Aqua border causing the swoon feeling. 

After completing the quilt, I started wondering how it would look in my favorite RED.  Oh.... now isn't this just darling?  My little grand daughter would look so cute curled up in this on Christmas Eve.

And since Halloween is just around the corner.  It really does look great in so many different colors. 

The pattern can be found in both of my online shops.  Craftsy for PDF only patterns.  And Etsy for PDF and Mailed patterns.

~ Lea Anne ~

Other patterns available in Etsy and Craftsy shops.

~ One more for fall ~

Howdy Happy Quilters!  A couple of weeks ago while looking at my cutting table full of scraps from several different fall quilts I came up with a quilt plan to use those scraps.  After doing the quilt math it became clear more fabric was needed.  With a few clicks of the mouse the fabric was on it's way.  When it arrived there was a sweet little surprise attached.  How cute are these little buttons!?   I've ordered from Simply Love fabrics several times over the last couple of years.  It's one of my favorite Etsy shops because they put together adorable fat quarter bundles and have sales often.  Browsing the sale bin for end of bolt fabrics is one of my favorite things to do while taking a break.   

The original quilt plan was to use plain ole creamy white for the background fabric.  Until this darling calico peeked out of the stash cabinet.  The selvage is lacking the normal information, all it has is the color dots.  But I do remember where it was purchased, Coffee Cup Quilting in Trafalgar, Indiana.  So if you live close by and want a sweet little calico pop into Coffee Cup Quilting and tell them "Podunk sent me!". 

Another quick quilt, out of my color comfort zone, and I love it!   When I say quick I mean quick.  The cutting began 6 days ago,I took one day off for shopping and chores.  It will come off the frame today, the binding is cut, sewn together and ready to be added.  It doesn't get much quicker than that!  See you when it's done!

~  Lea Anne ~

~ Farmhouse Pumpkins ~

Happy Friday!  Happy Quilters!  The Black Gingham has taken over my entire studio.  Here's my latest black gingham creation, Farmhouse Pumpkins.  A big ole thank you to Judy and Denis Stanton for allowing me use their old farmhouse for taking pictures.  Judy jumped right in and started bringing in extra props for the photos.

Not only am I working out of my normal color pallet, this quilt was sent to a professional longarm quilter.  Paula Spalding of Old Farmhouse Quilts did an amazing job, and quickly.  Paula does beautiful custom quilting but I wanted this one done as quick as possible so I chose the adorable little pumpkin vine quilting.  I could get used to sending out quilts for quilting(feeling spoiled).  If your interested in finding a new longarm quilter you can find Paula on her Facebook page by CLICKING HERE.

With fall in full swing there was tons of photo taking opportunities.  The leaves are starting to change colors and scatter about.  I'm looking forward to raking up a big ole pile for the garden.  Of course I'll play in them first!  Who doesn't love a big ole pile of leaves!

The Farmhouse Pumpkins pattern can be found in both my Etsy and Craftsy shops.  

Black gingham can be a little hard to find.  So I did a little research for you.  I found some on Etsy here.  And some at the Fat Quarter Shop.

~  Lea Anne ~

~ Bumpkin Pumpkins ~

It's here! It's here! It's here!  Fall is here!  The cooler temps are SOOOO wonderful!  This change has sparked something inside me to work out of my color comfort zone.  My latest quilt Bumpkin Pumpkins is not my normal happy bright quilt.  

Grays and blacks have long been off my list of workable colors.  And to be honest orange rarely sees a rotary cutter in my studio.  This might be my favorite quilt this year....how odd is that!?

Change is a good thing, it keeps things interesting.  Maybe that's just what was needed to start off the holiday season.

If not for the gingham I don't think I would love this quilt as much as I do.  Most of the fabrics in this quilt are Lori Holt fabrics from her Autumn Love and Bee Basics lines.  The Black Gingham was hard to find.  I couldn't find any online so I went to Joann's and purchased an entire bolt.   One week later I stumbled upon a quilt shop on Etsy with a nice black gingham.  If your interested you can find it here.  And one at Fat Quarter Shop, click here.

One of the original ideas for this quilt is this striking black and white version.  Isn't just elegant?!

Then I thought about purple.  Well my friends.....I still can't bring myself to work with purple.  But it does take on kinda spooky feel with purple.

Bumpkin Pumpkins pattern can be found in my Etsy and Craftsy shops.  

~  Lea Anne ~

~ Save The Bee's ~ Block 3 ~ GIVEAWAY! ~

Hi Happy Quilters! Today I'll be sharing my block 3 for the Save the Bee's FREE Block of the Month.  There's still time to join in the fun if you haven't already.  Each month we also have a giveaway on each featured blog.  Details at the end of this post.

I'm having so much fun making each block into a small wall hanging for my mini's wall in the studio.   You can see my block 1 here and block 2 here.   My plan was to use only scraps from my Lakehouse Drygoods scrap bins.  The hexies were cut and ready. 

Then while online shopping for another project I stumbled upon the the cutest prints at
Janum Fabrics.  
In my defense, Janum has great sales often, and these were all at sweet prices.  The black stripe was the only one needed the rest was impulse buys.  Lecien fabrics play so well with Lakehouse Drygoods so I had to have it!

A little large scale fussy cutting to make the roses fit perfectly.  

There is so much going on in the fabric that very little quilting was needed.  The largest stitch on my sewing machine outlining a few of the hexie's added just the right amount of interest and enough to hold it all together.

Normally on small quilts like this a smaller binding looks great, but I felt the standard size quilt binding would give the wall hanging a nice frame.  The cute little gingham is a Lakehouse Drygoods print from the scrap bin.  The same large stitch on the binding to keep a uniform look.   As many of you know I'm no fabric snob.  If I can put a stitch in it, it can be in my quilts.   From designer fabrics, sheets and clothes to Walmart and Joann fabrics, I'll use them all!  The aqua dots used in the border and backing is from Walmart.  It's a great basic print by Waverly fabrics.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This months giveaway is a box of Aurifil 50 wt. thread, retail value $46.
Hop over to Aurifil. blog for loads of inspiration.

The rules for the giveaway are simple.

1. One prize per person per month ( in other words, the same person cannot win 2 prizes with in one month.)
2. You must enter by the end of the day October 7.
3. Winner is randomly chosen.
4. To enter the giveaway on this blog.  All you need to do is click on the blue button at the end of this post  that says "Add Your Link".  It will look like this but smaller.

 Just add your name and email address.  Leaving all other fields blank.   Your email will not be visible to anyone but me.  Leaving a comment in the comments section of this post will not enter you in the giveaway but you can still comment!  
~ ~ ~ ~

Make sure you visit all the featured talented bloggers.  Each blog is hosting a giveaway with different ways to enter on each blog.  Here's the list of the bloggers participating.

• The Crafty Quilter
• Podunk Pretties (you are here!)
• The Quilting Nook
• The Sewing Loft
• Flamingo Toes
• Kathy's Quilts
• Freemotion by the River
• A Quilting Life

Don't forget to share you blocks once they are finished.  You can do that in the SewQuilty Facebook Group.  

If your posting on your own Facebook feed or other social media sites, Make sure to use #SaveTheBeesQuilt and #SaveTheBeesBOM.

Thanks for stopping by my little spot in Podunk!

~ Lea Anne ~

Patterns available in my Craftsy and Etsy shops.