This is a very tiny Lone Star, or Prairie Star, block. The finished block is only five inches square.
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| Little Lone Star - Please don't mind the dog fur. ;) |
"Little Lone Star Quilts": Sew Perfect Points Every Time, Exciting New Paper-Piecing Techniques by Lorraine Olsen She came up with a brilliant way to piece the smallest Lone Stars you've probably ever seen. The stars are really fun to do and they are like cookies: you can't make just one. I've made six so far! When I get time, I'd like to try one in feminine florals...and then one in 30's fabrics...and then one in... hee hee.
I made this star into a pillow for my son's best friend when he joined the Marine Corps. It was a very emotional time to see him go. He is doing great though!
My friend Dawn, sewnsewer2 on The Quilting Board, embroidered the words for me. To give you an idea of how small the star is: that is pea gravel that the pillow cover is resting on in the photo below.
I have to add this to my post: There is a common thread of "I couldn't do something like this." running through your wonderful comments. But here is the really exciting part about it... it is Lorraine Olsen's amazing paper piecing and folding technique technique that makes this possible. Anyone who can sew along a printed line and manage the inset corners and sides can do this! The inset part worried me the most, but the author's directions were wonderful. So can you do this? Yes, you can!
Also, some of you have said you would love to see the other Lone Stars. Four of them help make up a very special quilt that I am saving to post about when we get closer to Veterans' Day.
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| Patriotic Prairie Star Pillow |
Do you have a fascination for miniature quilting? I just love seeing what people can do in miniature!
Gina, The Occasional Quilter made her second mini lone star and it is a Beauty, so go take a peek!
Gina, The Occasional Quilter made her second mini lone star and it is a Beauty, so go take a peek!
What a lovely miniature, Lara. And how very thoughtful of you to make it for a new Marine.
ReplyDeleteI've made one or two miniature baskets from Sally Collins books and I've made a Lone Star baby quilt with two inch diamonds but never thought of trying such a tiny Lone Star. Good job. I look forward to seeing your next ones.
That is beautiful, and I love the red, white, and blue star fabric especially! I will have to look for that book for myself!
ReplyDeleteThis miniature star is absolutely perfect! And what a precious gift! Some time ago I was myself addicted to miniature quilts, but they were not as perfectly pieced as yours!
ReplyDeleteI am having a difficult time to imagine this as small as 5 inches...But this would make a great pincushion!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Thanks for sharing this. :-)
That's amazing, I haven't even attempted a full sized Lone Star yet, but I do drool over them.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I love lonestars at full size, this is amazing!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is really small and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh man Lara!!! You must have good eyes;-) What a lovely block.
ReplyDeleteWOW! I just love looking at miniatures but I just can't make myself do it. . . I have great respect for anyone with the patience! The pillow is awesome, what a wonderful gift :)
ReplyDeleteLara...didn't you just leave a comment on my blog that you don't have the patience for hand sewing your binding....THIS requires WAY MORE patience!! Serious....Look at your Awesome work! (No....I am not a fan of teeny tiny....now you know what I'm not very patient with! LOL!!) I started a Farmer's Wife class....and soon starting bringing cupcakes to the class and sewing on my hexi's as I couldn't stand all the little triangles!! I truly admire your skill.
ReplyDeleteThanks for rejuvinating this under our stars theme Lara.
DeleteOh my goodness that is TINY!!! And perfect. I couldn't do this if I spent a month of Sundays trying.Your piecing is so skillful, there's not a piece out of place. I can see it will be fun to try out fabrics that give the stars different characters (can't wait to see the next ones).
ReplyDeleteWOW!! That is incredible! I have to admit, you have more patience than I. I do enjoy PP but I'd have to be in the zone to attempt this one! Still, there are those long quiet days after the boys are back at school...hmmm.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what you're going to do with your minis!
Delightful! As I am doing Dear Jane blocks I understand tiny but this is great -p points meeting and everything. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my little blog.
ReplyDeleteOh my what a sweet star and and awesome pillow! Such a nice gift for a young man joining the Marines. I am sure he will treasure it forever! Love your Push My Buttons Icon!
ReplyDeleteThis is gorgeous, it looks like a lot of hard work, but you talk about it as though it was quite straight forward to construct. Love the fabric choices as well.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! That is beautiful. What a great pillow too ;-)
ReplyDeleteAmazing... I would never have the patience to work with such small piecing. It's stunning! Good job.
ReplyDeleteThat's an intricate star. I can't believe it's only 5" wide. So gorgeous! I hope you will show us the other ones you've made.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! My only attempt at a lone star block was a total fail. Amazing and sew tiny. I adore paper piecing and I'm getting into the mini quilt thing because they are so fast if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteGosh this is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIncredible mini greatness! I love this itty bitty lone star and the pillow is amazing. I have pinned this to my Itty, Bitty pinterest board. Beautiful job, Lara. Can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteVery impressive! There are a ton of seams in that little block!
ReplyDeleteI have always loved Lone Star; in fact I have all the fabric to make a giant one for our bed...this one is precious. And PERFECT! Unreal. Will have to check out that book. I love your colour choices and that blue fabric for the background is scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteHoly Smokes! That's a TINY lonestar! And you made a wonderful pillow with it. Can't wait to see what those other 4 are going into.
ReplyDeleteLara, that little lone star is amazing! Your points are perfect, and that is hard to do on a lone star that is the size of a full quilt. Your work is beautiful! I am making a Dear Jane quilt, so I know how little that is. Dear Jane did not even do a star or block that detailed.
ReplyDeleteOh my what an adorable little quilt! Thanks for the link, I have bookmarked it for future projects.
ReplyDeleteReally, really impressive! What a little marvel!
ReplyDeleteI made a Lone star quilt for my mum and it covers her Queen size bed so I can appreciate how little your star is! Wow!
ReplyDeleteThis is so pretty! Well done! I love it! The size makes it extra special.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I'll have to try that sometime!
ReplyDeleteWow a beautiful Lone Star! I love seeing your miniature work!
ReplyDeleteSusie
The star is wonderful. I've forgotten that I had this book until you mentioned it. I've done one star from it and found it fairly easy given the size. I may do another (few) for some swaps I'm in. THanks for the reminder xxx
ReplyDeleteI did it. Pulled the book out and yesterday and got a star done. I've blogged about it and there's also a pic of the first one I did a few years ago xx
ReplyDeleteWay to go Gina! Yours turned out so beautiful - I'm linking you up!
DeleteLove the tiny star! And I love miniatures, though I have completed only one--it was sort of paper piecing--done on a grid. https://knitnkwilt.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/miniature-is-finished/ I took a workshop with Sally Collins and have plans for more in my queue.
ReplyDeleteEven paper pieced that's a heck of a mini Lone Star! Really beautiful -- will be searching the blog for the project with the other stars.
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