Missouri Star :)

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For the longest time…. I have wanted to do a Missouri Star quilt. And finally, I have. I used the pattern from the Block of the Month, although I did figure out halfway through that I could have done it an easier way (less cuts), but it was fine. I wanted to do something bright and colorful to hang up in my bedroom.

Pressing my triangles and squares open
Squaring up my blocks – I like to trim my half-square triangles while they’re still a triangle, since it’s two cuts instead of the four I’d have to do if I ironed them open first. Squaring blocks is so tedious but it does make for an easier, flatter, and better finish. All the blocks are the same size, so they fit together the way they’re supposed to, no crookedness or extra fabric.

I did my normal stitch in the ditch for all of the vertical seams, and then did free motion quilting in each of the stars. In my layout, I put similarly-colored center squares across the quilt from each other, so I decided the do the same with my free motion designs. I did a radial pattern for the red center stars, an echo in the center for the dark center stars, an outside echo for the yellow center stars, my “abstract” design with straight lines bouncing around for the green center stars, and then a full echo swirl from the outside to the center for the center star.

I used the foot as an approximate guide to follow the outline of the star, and then follow that line, and then follow that one…. all the way to the middle. 🙂 As I got closer to the middle, I started making the space between the lines wider. You’ll see me fix a broken thread a few times in there. Anticipating those threads is why I sew with the end of my machine open now, since it’s easier to retrieve the broken thread.

As I expressed in my last post with the Plant Wall Hanging, I think I’m still moving too fast with my free motion quilting, which causes the thread to fray and then break. I had that happen less often with this quilt, since I was keeping it in mind, but it was still happening. I think it’s a combination of moving too fast and not moving at a consistent speed, which I want to work on with my next quilt.

I used hangers from The HangUps Company
View looking up at it from my pillow 🙂

Overall, I’m really happy with how it turned out. I love the Missouri Star block and I have wanted a quilt like this for a while. I made 10 stars and used one as the label for the back. As usual, I hand sewed my label on. I like having that time under the quilt as it’s in progress – a sneak peek of what it will turn into. The backing is a purple flannel which did not hold up that well in the wash, but I didn’t worry about it since it’s a wall hanging anyway. 🙂

Completed March 2021.

  • Print: Wilmington Essentials – Magic Colors by Wilmington Prints
  • Background: Kona Cotton – Medium Grey by Robert Kaufman Fabrics
  • Binding: Wilmington Essentials – Crackle Stone by Wilmington Prints
  • Backing: Comfy Flannel – Tossed Unicorns Purple by A E Nathan Co INC

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