I get to share TWO new things with you today - a new pattern and some fun, new fabrics!
Meet my newest pattern: Star Trails. This one is fun because you have a lot of options!
For fabrics you can use:
- fat quarters
- pre-cut 2-1/2" strips (Rolie Polie / Jelly Roll)
- yardage (1/4 yard cuts)
- or even scraps...yes it makes a great scrap buster quilt!
The pattern includes two sizes, and you have TWO options for constructing the pieced rows - quick strip piecing or foundation piecing. But more on that in a minute....
For this version of the Star Trails quilt I got to use a new fabric line called Red White and Bang.
It's designed by Sandy Gervais for Riley Blake Designs and it gives off ALL the summertime vibes...watermelon, croquet, swimsuits, flags, plaids, sailboats...
The Star Trails quilt uses 5 fat quarters for the stars and 10 fat quarters for the pieced rows. I chose to use the red prints for the stars and a mix of the blue prints for the pieced rows.
BUT.... I had a really hard time narrowing this big bundle down to just 10 of the blue prints! Here's a look at the final stack that I used for this version of Star Trails:
The Red White and Bang prints were a great fit for this pattern because most of the blue prints are all smaller in scale - that means you can cut them up into smaller pieces and you won't lose the print.
Notice that I didn't use the medium-scale swimsuit prints or the light blue paisley print in the pieced rows. The scale on those two prints were just a little too large for the squares - so they'll be used a different project.
Now if you're looking at all those pieced rows and thinking that this quilt would be very time consuming and not worth the effort then let me share a little secret with you...
The Star Trails pattern includes instructions for quick strip piecing the rows! So if sewing all those little squares looks tedious and slow, I assure you they're very much NOT!
And if you've never tried strip piecing before, no worries...I step you through it with plenty of diagrams and instructions in the pattern.
And if you'd prefer a scrappy version I added in instructions for a scrappy Star Trails. In fact, the scrappy version was the first one I designed.
I'll share more about the scrappy version in a few days - I have a fun (and very pink) scrappy Star Trails to share with you soon. (If you subscribe to my newsletter you've already gotten a peek at it)
Red White and Bang fabrics can be found in shops now - like here on Etsy from The Quilter's Crossing and here from ThimbleDots2
Right from the start I knew I wanted to make a red, white, and blue version of Star Trails - in fact my very first (and very rough) sketch of the quilt was with red stars and blue stripes! So I was delighted to find that Sandy Gervais' new line was perfect for my new pattern.
And the Fat Quarter shop has it here.
**This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) when purchases are made through links found in this post.
If you'd like to make your own Star Trails using Red White and Bang fabrics you have some options. You can use fat quarters (like I did here), or yardage. Or you also have the option to use a roll of pre-cut 2-1/2" strips (Rolie Polie) for the rows. You can see the options and the full fabric requirements below:
Find PDF (instant download) and paper copies of Star Trails patterns in my shop here.
And a few last details about this quilt....
The quilt backing fabric is Confetti Cottons Sky (Riley Blake solids) and I had a few extra print squares leftover so I added a strip of them on the backing.
The binding fabric is Texture Neptune (a basics line designed by Sandy Gervais for Riley Blake Designs)
The quilting is a computerized longarm design called Wasabi.
If you make a Star Trails quilt I'd love to see it! Tag me on Instagram (@abrightcorner) and use the hashtags #StarTrailsQuilt and #abrightcorner so we can all see what you create!
Quilt Details:
60"x 75"
Pattern: Star Trails (find it here in my shop)
Fabric: Red White and Bang (find it here on Etsy)
Pieced on a Juki TL-2010Q using Aurifil Thread (50 wt color 2021)
Wow! I just love the impact of this fresh looking and easy piecing new quilt! It would make a great quilt to piece as a sewalong with a few friends on a weekend retreat 😀 I can't wait to see it in the pinks you mentioned❤
ReplyDeleteThis quilt is stunning 🤩
ReplyDeletelove it
ReplyDeleteI'm going to pick up the pattern soon. What a scrap buster!
ReplyDeleteLove it! I see using it as another great QOV design. Look forward to seeing the scrappy version too.
ReplyDeleteLove this. I am preparing to make a picnic quilt for a basket of supplies to be donated at our 4th of July festival in town. This is perfect
ReplyDeleteI just purchased your pattern and can't wait to get started. I have a question, though. Since there are only 4 red fat quarters in the collection, you must have added a fat quarter from another collection. Correct or did I miss something?
ReplyDeleteLove your patterns. Thanks. Bonnie
For the 5th red fat quarter I used a red texture print which was also designed by Sandy Gervais and was listed on the Riley Blake site as a coordinating basic for the Red White and Bang fabric line. It matches perfectly and looks like it was a part of the original fabric line!
DeleteI like anything in red, white and blue so its prefect!! Thank You
ReplyDeleteDid you prewash the red? Love this scrap buster!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't - but I usually toss in 2-3 Shout Color Catcher sheets when I wash my quilts so that will help!
DeleteShould I have made the half-square triangles before sewing the blocks?
ReplyDeleteWas I supposed to make the end half square triangles before sewing the last square on?
ReplyDeleteHow could this quilt be made into a queen size quilt? I love it.
ReplyDeleteI have the pattern and am eager to get started. How could I make this into a queen size quilt?
ReplyDeleteThe largest size available on the pattern is the throw size (60" x 75"). It's not an easy one to size up, but I suppose you could either add a set of borders until it gets to be the size you need, or you could extend the pieced rows out farther on each side , and add more rows to make it a queen size.
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