Fat Quarter Stars Block One

Let the games begin!  The day has finally arrived to start our next quilt along.  A friend of mine called last weekend and we were talking about the quilt along.  I realized that it started on Tuesday (today).  For some reason I was thinking it started on Friday!  Good thing I got that figured out before today!

I have designed the first block.  Usually here we have an introduction to the block designer.  Since if you are here, you probably know a little about me, I will just write a few random facts about me that may or may not be interesting, but either way, you probably didn't know them before.

A favorite experience as a teenager was watching the Fourth of July fireworks from the mall in Washington D.C.  (Just in case you didn't know, the mall is the large area by the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Memorial.  It isn't a shopping mall.)

Two jobs I had growing up that I didn't enjoy, but I knew they would be short lived were making sure there was the correct amount of beans in canned green beans at a factory and cleaning toilets in the dorms at college.

I was a cuckoo bird in a school program.  I think I was in kindergarten.  The only thing I remember about that program was singing this song, "Red and yellow and pink and green.  Purple and orange and blue.  I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too."  Which now I think is a funny song because those aren't the colors of the rainbow.  My grandpa taught me that the colors of the rainbow are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red.  He could also say the alphabet backwards -- quickly.

One thing on my bucket list is to visit every state in the United States.  The ones I still have left are Washington, Oregon, North and South Dakota, Minnesota (unless I count a 20 minute layover), Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  Looks like I can't die yet.  There's more left than I thought.

Okay, enough of that, on with our block.  I really went back and forth on this block.  I came up with many designs, but three that I liked and debated between.  One was too easy, one was too hard, and I think this one is just right!  There is one thing that might make a beginner nervous -- cutting a 1 5/8" strip.  It really does have to be that size because I turned the inside star to make it on point.  Be brave.  1 5/8" is in between 1 1/2" and 1 3/4."  You can do it!  And if you mess up, it is a small square and you have enough fabric to cut another one!

Here's my block.  I hope you like it.  The fat quarters I am using are really out of my comfort zone.  I know I'm going to like it, but it's a challenge for me.

Click HERE for the link to the instructions.

What happens next?

Because this is the first block there will be two different drawings tonight.  One drawing will be from anyone who comments on the original quilt along announcement post.  A second drawing will be from the flickr group.  Right now you can post 1 picture of the fabric you will using.  There will be some of you who are quick and will get your blocks posted.  Any blocks posted before I post my block tonight, usually around 10 ish (Mountain Time) or first thing in the morning, will be entered into the drawing.  

This block is "due" in two weeks.  I say due, but it really doesn't matter.  Post your block when you get it done, and it will be entered into the next drawing.  If you make one block, post one picture.  If you make two blocks, post two pictures.

What's up for grabs this time?

1)  For the drawing for those who signed up for the quilt along in the comments of the original post, I have a fat quarter bundle.  It is the same bundle that I am using which is Folklorique wovens by Fig Tree for Moda.

2)  For the flickr pool, I will pick three winners!  These winners will each get my new book, Simply Charming Modern!


Before you head off, let me answer a couple questions that come up.

Sometimes the pdf doesn't download for some reason or another.  I don't know why.  I like to think it's because so many people are downloading it!  If it doesn't work after you have tried a few times, email me kluckau@moosequilts.com, and I will send it to you.  One other thing you can try is to right-click on the link and click on "Save target as," save it to your computer, and then open it.

If you have questions on the block, ask here or on flickr.  Ask a question in the comments of your block or start a new discussion in the flickr group.  In the past quilt alongs, those who post on flickr become a community.  I am sure this one will be no different.  Often others in the group will answer each others questions before I even see the question.  I love being part of the community of quilters!

I will post winners tomorrow.

Happy Quilting!