Patriotic Quilt Challenges

This quick and easy scrappy patriotic quilt is coming along nicely even though I've had a couple of challenges. 

The first challenge was finding enough scraps in the scrap bins to make (4) identical red star blocks and (5) identical blue star blocks.  Below shows what a normal variable star block looks like.  Sharp outer and inner points.

After cutting the large center square I knew I would be short enough of this fabric to make the star points.  I had a decision to make. 

1. Pull a new fabric from the larger fabric stash.  

2. Use a different fabric for all of the star points. 

3. Cut individual triangles for the points instead of doing flippy corners.  

4. Reduce the size of the star points for the flippy corner method and cut off the sharp inner point.

As you can see, I chose option four.

I took the chance, and I lost.  I needed two more squares and all I had was these small pieces.

 

Where there's a will, there's a way.  Quilting is all about patchwork.  So, I sewed the scraps together and cut them into squares.  It worked out perfectly.  Even I have a hard time finding the star points with the seams.  Winner!

Now to dig through the yardage stash for quilt borders, binding and backing.  I'm pretty sure the backing is going to be two or three different fabrics.  Well unless I find a good sale on 108 wide backing fabric.

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Quilt Therapy

Why did I need quilt therapy on the 4th of July?  Long story short...my neighbor asked me to feed her dogs while she was out of town this weekend.  While playing outside with them in the afternoon one of them took off on an adventure.  Two hours later and a lot of driving I found the dog.  I managed to keep my wits about me while looking for him, but horrible things ran through my head.  Upon returning home I broke down and let the bottled-up emotions out in tears.  After calming down I knew I needed some sewing therapy. Quilting on the frame won't cut it today.  I need to cut some fabric!   Something quick and easy to get a shot of dopamine (feel-good stuff) to my brain.  Since it's the 4th of July, might as well play with the red, white and blue scraps.

Rummaging through the scrap bins took the edge off of my stressed brain but the real hit of feel-good hormone didn't kick in until cutting the fabric.  Sigh...it was just what I needed.  I love red, white and blue.

I was as good as new by the time the fabrics were sorted into stacks for the blocks.  This was a good stopping point for the day.  Time to recharge my batteries with a good night's sleep. 

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