1718 Update

Last night I pieced the center star block for the 1718 quilt. It went together surprisingly well and there was no ripping needed. I had planned on it being much more fiddly, but it truly went better than anticipated. I made freezer paper templates by tracing the small star pieces. I then used those templates and cut out what I needed by adding a 1/4'' around them. I sewed a star point to a background blue, stopping 1/4'' away from the end. I just eyeballed it. I repeated the other star point the same way. I then sewed the point pieces together starting from the ends and sewing toward the intersection. Again, I stopped 1/4'' away from the end. I finger pressed these units. I then sewed the corner squares onto each of the point units. Always sewing from the outside of the block toward the intersections, stopping 1/4'' before the end of the fabric. After joining these units together, the only thing left was to sew a seam across the center joining the star points. That was easy enough, starting and stopping 1/4'' away from the ends. I backstitched at every stop. I then took it all to the ironing board, gave it a good squirt of water from the back and pressed from the back to make sure all my seam allowances did what they were supposed to do. Then I flipped it over and gave it a good press from the front as well. Shockingly, no trimming was needed and they were then added to the large star in the same way they had been pieced.

Then I put the other blocks up on the design wall that I have made. Trying to arrange them proved a challenge. I know I have many of the  missing blocks prepped for applique. I just have 5 or 6 blocks left that I can't figure out where they belong. Hmm.

An I am NOT letting Boomer help. He's done enough to this quilt already thank you. He is watching the progress very closely. Too closely. LOL

Enjoy every stitch!

Diane