All Those Damn Stars

Detail of the print is thankfully not obliterated by my intense quilting

I purchased a Moda Debbie Maddy Shibori print “Shimo” layer cake in Hornsby when Hobbysew had a store there.  (Sadly, both the Hornsby and Erina stores have now closed.)  That Layer Cake sat waiting on my inspired thoughts for ages...

I had a specific friend in mind though(for her love of blue and whites of all persuasions), and as this fabric set reminded me of stars in a dark night sky, I recalled a challenge given to me many years ago.  My challenge was to make an artwork based on the Andre Breton’s 1939 poem, The House of Yves Tanguy.  Both Breton, a writer and artist, and Tanguy, an artist, belonged to the Surrealist movement at the time.  Inspired by lines such as “And the printed cloth of the sky” and “With the damned host of stars” I set about looking for a star pattern that would create a feeling of swirling night skies, just bursting with stars.   

Slowly Toward the North. Tanguy 1942.  Seen at MoMA
in 2011, although there were no stars to see in this painting!!

Eventually, I narrowed my pattern choice down to Misty Doan’s Woven Jacobs Ladder.  Yes, I know it’s not a star block but I could see endless stars in those amazing shibori prints!  The Jacobs Ladder design then became a supporting canopy of darkness for them.  This pattern is easy to cut and the blocks went together easily. Apart from a slight error in placing them on my part (nobody notices anyway), I quickly produced a top.

Outside photos using Miss WJ3 as a prop

I had fun putting the backing together, adding a strip of Jocelyn Proust’s Australian birds to the mix.  I finished off with a simple quilting design that I machined on my domestic Bernina.  I have to say that I just loved the modern vibe of the pattern and I’m sure it fits in with our sailing friends’ blue & white theme in their beautiful Urbanna, VA home, which sits in wooded grounds beside the picturesque Rappahannock River.

Under the machine in my Garden Shed

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 153 x 182cm
Block Sizes: 12 inch finished
Cut in: 27 November 2023 (Made a trial block for the first time ever!!)
Pieced Top: 18 December 2023
Basted: 29 December 2023
Quilted: Machine 16-21 Jan 2024 over 6 days; 2 reels Gutermann Sulky 30wt 4023 (Natural Taupe) using 18 bobbins (Gutermann 50wt 618).
Quilt Type: Modern
Quilt Finished: 31 January 2024
Exhibited: No
Collection: Gifted Heather & Bill on 5th March 2025
Pattern Name: Woven Jacobs Ladder
Pattern Source: Missouri Star Tutorial (Misty’s Version) 2023
Fabrics Purchased: Hobbysew, Hornsby NSW
Fabric Design: Moda, Debbie Maddy, Shimo Layer Cake 
Fabric Style: Shibori Prints
Materials Type: Printed Cottons
Wadding Type: Cotton (Warm & White, needled cotton)
Backing: Pieced; 5 fabrics, including Australian birds by Jocelyn Proust

Shibori is a Japanese technique of resist dyeing, traditionally using a bath of indigo.  By finding different ways to manipulate cloth, various patterns are revealed after dyeing.  Handled by master dyers, spectacular patterns can be produced.  It is also a fun way to occupy children in the holidays although probably best to set up outdoors.  Rit or Procion dyes make colourful t-shirts or bags.  Just make sure dyes are set before you wash them in your ordinary laundry!!

Our neighbour came by to offer his opinion of my handiwork too!
He'd found free accommodation on the yacht next door

2023 And Me

 

Graphic courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Yes. it's that time of the year again!  Amazing how quickly it sneaks up on you.  I've been hiding in my garden shed on temperate days and can boast a top just completed.  All easily put together thanks to a Jenny Doan Jacobs Ladder tutorial.  I did muff the pattern a bit!  But it's quite forgiving and I don't think anyone would know (she said hopefully).  If this weather holds, then I hope to have it basted and under the machine for a few quiet days of quilting.  Further activity in the shed has seen construction of heaps of HST's in prep for my hourglass variation inspired by My Sewing Room's Beth.  I plan to leave some time however, to clean up and dig out all my UFO's for the big annual guilt-fest review.  This always puts brakes on my ambitions to start yet another quilt before finishing at least one or two "sleeping beauties".

Sadly, I would like to bid my quilting buddy Margaret a fond farewell (20 Dec 2023).  It was always fun stitching with you on your balcony watching the world go by.  We will miss your kindness, good heart and amazing quilting talent.

This cute little kewpie reminds me of the play by Ray Lawler, Summer of the 17th Doll, written in 1955.  I trust this cutie brings joy to you all this festive season, where-ever you are.  Have a wonderful and peaceful Christmas and New Years, and allow at least some time to spend on your own stitching projects.  Better yet, relax in front of a few good, old fashioned movies while you stitch!  

Louisiana Charm

 LeMoyne Stars: 2020  (Started: 2020)

By April 2020, I’d realised that living with COVID was going to be challenging.  I belong to a (non-quilting) group with a small membership who had been unable to meet but we hoped to have a Christmas gathering in order to raise funds for those more deserving.  I thought a simple quilt would make a suitable auction item and help out a bit.

I settled on a Lemon Star pattern from Jenny Doan, Missouri Star Quilts (her fab tutorial 28 Feb 2020, is here) and a nice subtle colour palette of pinks, maroons, greens and creams.  It became my first introduction to making multiple HST’s (half square triangles) which worked out simply and easily, especially with being able to watch Jenny closely and learn from her tips & tricks. 

With little fuss, and seemingly in no time at all, I had a nice top ready to quilt, with time to spare (just) before the gathering.  I normally take at least 2 years to make a quilt, so I was actually rather worried about meeting my deadline.  It all worked out well in the end.  The quilt found a lovely home, a tidy sum was raised, and my stash is slimming off…albeit rather too slowly.

Scrappy stars, pretty in pink (hanging from the "sail loft")

To my mind, the finished quilt had a bit of a French air about it.  The traditional LeMoyne Star block is thought to have originated about 1834 and is named after the Le Moyne brothers who settled in the French Colony of Louisiana in 1699.  Later, in 1718, they founded New Orleans.  The State is home to the Mississippi River, wet-lands called bayous, shrimp boats and oil rigs.  Think vibrant jazz and foot-tappin’ zydeco.  And alligators.  Let’s not forget the ‘gators. 

Out in the garden with that cranky helper, again... 

Just for the Record:

Quilt Finished Size: 190 x 190cm 

Block Sizes: 10” 

Cut in: 17 Apr 2020 

Pieced & Basted: 22 Oct 2020

Quilted: Machine: 1 – 11 Dec 2020

Quilt Type: Traditional

Quilt Finished: 12 December 2020

Exhibited: 

Collection: Home #069

Pattern Name: Lemon Star

Pattern Source: Missouri Star Quilts Tutorial 28 Feb 2020

Fabrics Purchased: From the Stash…

Fabric Design: Traditional Prints & some Stripes

Fabric Style: Soft

Materials Type: Printed Cottons 

Wadding Type: Cotton

Backing: Pieced using left-over remnants & blocks

Underway & trying to find the right balance
of colour for the borders..as you do!