Project Quilt 4 - #4 Lucky Star

Well here it is Project Quilt 4 - Challenge 4 Wish upon a star
Hosted by Persimon Dreams the Challenge was to include a star in your quilt whether it be patchwork, applique or thread. My first inclination with the other challenges so far has been to think outside the box. With the star challenge I knew I wanted to make a more traditional quilt like the Lone Star quilt. 

 

"Lucky Star"

Armed with a 45 degree angle ruler and an idea in my head I just started cutting some and piecing some and so on. I knew I wanted it fractured or pieced maybe half on one side and half on the other with smaller stars to put between and lots of quilting. Well???....That didn't really happen. I couldn't come up with a layout I liked. I made a couple smaller stars pieced with different fabric that coordinated but I just didn't like it. Plus I was running out of time. I was planning to go out of town for part of the weekend but then we had a small snow storm instead so I ended up staying home. That did not help my quilt. ha

One of the  smaller stars on the back. Lots of quilting was done but that really didn't help my quilt and actually made a different problem. 

Okay so if you wonder why I called this "Lucky Star"? I will try to sum it up. I probably should not have just started cutting though my math and angle were correct. The design in my head just could not be pieced out. I had to go really traditional and then just did a slight fracture. I liked the fabric colors so that was a plus. Once I committed to the design I had to keep going because of time. There are tons of bias seams in this and I think that is where some of the problems occurred...later when I tried to quilt it. 

But wait....the next problem came when the little thingy type tab that holds your throat plate on your machine, broke. I was cleaning my machine so I could quilt. It is late in the day and we are getting a snow storm that has closed all the schools the day before it even hit. There was a small window of time where the storm stopped a bit when we had only about 3 inches of snow. I took a chance and drove across town to get the piece replaced. (the last one he had in stock)  I came home and got to quilting. 

This measures 39" x 39"  after I shrank it trying to save the center of the quilt  which is a slight volcano. I don't know why but I am guessing it is the way I quilted it. I am really sad as the quilting looks very cool. So I call this "Lucky Star" because it is Lucky that I finished it.  I will have to chalk this up to a learning experience. :/

Any suggestions as to how I could avoid the center pooching up would be welcome??? I think the skinny fracture made most of the problem because it doesn't pooch so much when I lay it out backside up. 

I told my husband this quilt looks good in the chair and maybe it will have to stay there since you can't see the pooch!! :)

Live and Learn!