Friendship Star Wreath Mini Quilt and WIN!

When you mention CHALLENGE I get distracted from my current project, much like a dog chasing a squirrel. Just like Izzy at Dizzy Quilts and Cindy at Hyacinth Quilt Designs have mentioned before.

Earlier this month, I shared with you my Five Times Five mini quilt made in celebration of the Electric Quilt Company turning 25 in 2016.  All year long there will be challenges and giveaways, so be sure to follow along on their anniversary page here.

The Fat Quarter Shop helped them celebrate this month by issuing a challenge to make a big block mini quilt and sharing it on Instagram using the hashtags FQSbigblockchallenge and EQ25.  Here is my friendship star wreath mini quilt made using this tutorial. I was fond of Camille Roskelley's pattern Round and Round when it was published a couple of years ago.

Wreath of True Colors by Paige Alexander

I had a charm pack of True Colors by Tula Pink and wanted to use the beautiful colors in my big block.

True Colors by Tula Pink charm pack

I used the Alternative Method for making half square triangles by Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts.  I was nervous with all the edges finishing on the bias so I gave them a good spray of Magic Sizing before sewing and cutting.  I decided to press the seams open.  With this method it almost eliminates fraying and the risk of the colored threads shadowing behind the lighter fabric.

My only dilemma was which way to press the seams when sewing it all together.  I decided to press the seams of the blocks in the same direction alternating from row to row and then pressed all the seams down when sewing the rows together.  It is bulky in some places and will consider pressing all of the seams open next time.  For those of you who have made this block, which way did you press the seams of the half square triangles and rows?

For quilting, I decided to crosshatch going through the centers of each friendship star marking the lines with a hera marker.  The lines ended up being 7/8" apart and I extended the lines across the quilt.

Crosshatch quilting detail of Wreath of True Colors by Paige Alexander

Here it is the before blocking and applying the binding.  I dunked it in the washer (top loader) with warm water, ran the spin cycle and put in the dryer for about 5 minutes before blocking.

Wreath of True Colors just out of the washer and the dryer a few minutes

Good eye if you noticed the slight difference in the background fabric of the half square triangles and the solid squares.  When starting out, I planed to use Cotton Couture in Bright White for the background, but accidentally grabbed Soft White instead.  All of the background fabric is Soft White, but there must be from a difference in the dye lots.  I will be sure to use from a continuous cut of fabric from here out.  It is not noticeable when hanging up.

Slight variation in background fabrics noticeable in the HSTs

One more picture of the quilting detail.

Wreath of True Colors stars and quilting

I made the double fold bias binding from 2" strips of Wisteria Daisy Buds and used Aurifil 2479 Medium Orchid to hand sew it down on the back.  I just love the way a bias binding feels when you sew it down by hand.

Bias binding and Aurifil thread

One more picture of the bias binding with a mitered corner.

And, I was very excited to find out my big block mini was chosen and I won a copy of EQ7 software! Thank you Fat Quarter Shop and Electric Quilt! 

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size:  24 1/2" x 24 1/2" (Finished block size 22 1/2" with 1" borders)
• HSTs:  unfinished 3" square, made from charm squares
• Binding: 1/4" bias binding from 2" strips sewn down by hand    
• Fabrics: True Colors by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics and Michael Miller Cotton Couture in Soft White
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Thread: Aurifil 2024 White for piecing and quilting, 2479 Medium Orchid for sewing down binding

Instagram - If you woulld like to follow along on Instagram, you can find me at @QuiltedBlooms.


I am happy to link up to Finish Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Lisa in Port Hope hosting Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday this week, Fabric Frenzy Friday, Whoop, There It Is! and Show Off Saturday.

And I am linking for the first time to Afton @ Quilting Mod for Lessons Learned!  I've learned my lesson about using fabric from the same dye lot!