Double Star Creams

This is an ongoing project that I try to work on in between other projects.  I usually refer to it as the master bedroom quilt, but really, it is a variation of this Double Star quilt designed by Lila Scott from the October 2005 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting (sorry for the really bad picture).

 I started collecting fabrics then, thinking I would make an all-white/neutral quilt for my "trousseau", if you will.  (I read a lot of Little House on the Prairie and similar books growing up . . .).  I switched the original design from a throw quilt to a quilt big enough for our queen-sized pillowtop mattress, and I changed the borders.  This is my EQ6 drawing that I did this past winter when I decided I really needed to finish this project.

Double Star Creams copyright 2010 Rachel Ashby, Farm Gal Designs

There's still a little fudging to be worked out on the outer border to get the pinwheels completely square, and the inner border will be strip pieced (not blocks), but it's a good start.

Obviously, I got the idea for this project in Fall 2005 when I was engaged, and have been working on it (or not working on it) since then.  I finally decided I was tired of it sitting and made the decision to finish it.  My goal is to have it completed by the end of the year (12/31/2010).  Completed as in quilted and bound - completely and utterly finished.  That means I have a lot of work to do, especially considering the other projects I have going on or want to do this year as well.

I had done some of the basic piecing a while ago, and this weekend pulled the bag out and did some more.  I had several blocks with the quarter units done, so all I had to do was attach them to the center square.  I've finished 9 blocks of those and worked on more of the quarter units for additional blocks.

 A couple of individual blocks (some of the better planned ones).

 I decided I'm a masochist, because what person in their right mind picks a double star block with partial seams for one of their very first quilt projects???  I loved the idea of the all white/neutral quilt when I started; now, I kind of hate it.  But I'm determined to finish it so I don't feel guilty, and I'll probably like it when it's finished.  I figure it will make a nice spring/summer quilt for our bed.

I have 13 of 42 double star blocks complete.  And I haven't even counted how many pinwheel blocks I'll need yet.