I wrote about this top several years ago . . .
This top was made with a box full of quilt scraps from the 1940s and 50s. All of the pieces were 1 1/2″ wide in varying lengths, but none longer than about 15″. I thought perhaps the quilter had planned to make a log cabin quilt, but most of the color values were the same. My other thought was a string quilt of some kind, which seemed to work better with the fabrics.
I didn’t use a foundation, but just eyeballed the strips and cut them to fit my big diamond template. They don’t match up perfectly (and I don’t think they need to), but they are fairly close since all the strips were the same width. I used all of her scraps and had to add a few of my own, some of which were newer fabrics. For the border, I used the little leftover ends of the strips.
I made this top a long time ago, and I’m not sure why it ended up at the bottom of the pile. I think it will be fun to quilt a nice wreath or something fairly elaborate in those white spaces.
My string star quilt blocks are large at 18 1/2″, which makes my diamond template approximately 10″ x 4″. You can easily make a Lemoyne Star block in any size using a simple drafting technique (Laura at See How We Sew has created a wonderful tutorial here). I had to paste a few sheets of grid paper together to get a big enough piece of paper, and then I traced (adding the seam allowance) and cut the 3 pattern pieces out of template plastic.
Now, many years later, I am finally getting around to the quilting, and I am excited to be partnering with The Stencil Company to offer an assortment of 4 feather stencils — both of the stencils I am using for this quilt (10″ feather square and 5″ feather wreath), plus the 8″ triangular feather for corners, and the 5″ large curved feather for borders. I especially love the 10″ feather square, which would also work well in an alternate plain block.
If you are an experienced hand quilter, you are probably familiar with The Stencil Company products. If you are a beginning hand quilter, I think you’ll be surprised how easy it is to transfer a quilting pattern to your top using one of their stencils, especially for complicated designs like feathers. I want to also mention that I am not being paid to advertise these products — I just really like their stencils, and I’m always happy to do anything to encourage quilters to try quilting by hand.
In the photo below, you may notice that I don’t use many safety pins to baste my quilt. Until recently I thread basted all my quilts, but I took Tim Latimer’s advice (who also uses a hoop), and now I just use safety pins (and not very many, either). It’s worked out great — I haven’t had any problems with puckering, and thread basting was such a drag.
A little masking tape holds the stencil in place, while I use a mechanical pencil to transfer the quilting design to my pin basted quilt top. Next I fill in the tiny missing lines where the stencil was connected, and use a fabric eraser on any lines that I feel are a little dark. It’s pretty great to be able to draw just one area at a time. Tracing the entire quilting pattern on the top is a problem for me, because I prefer using a pencil instead of a marking pen, and the pencil lines sometimes disappear before I get to them. I have cut some of my own stencils, and I have some great vintage examples made from cardboard (Thank you, Gina!), but it’s tricky and time-consuming. If you can find a pattern that works, I recommend pre-cut stencils.
For the stars, I repeated the diamond shape three times in each diamond, with quilting lines 1/2″ apart.
Stay tuned for two more updates on this project, because for each post there will be two more winners of the feather assortment stencils. Just leave a comment below if you would like to enter, and I will use a Random Number Generator to select two winners on Monday, February 9.
Martha, I was so excited when I saw this giveaway. I have been making my quilting patterns by drawing them on paper. Then I punch holes in the paper to outline the pattern. Then using a pencil, I mark the holes with a dot and connect the dots. It works for me, but these stencils would be so awesome to use. Thank you so very much.
Ooops! I forgot to tell you how beautiful the quilt is. I love those little strings.
Wow, it is looking amazing Martha!! So beautiful! xo Heather
Thank you for showing your hand quilting process. Not too many examples out there to learn from. Love “the Stencil Company!”
Your quilting is so beautiful, Martha. I’m a beginning hand-quilter with perhaps 6 or 8 quilts finished. I’ve never used a real stencil. On one quilt I used a bowl to make shapes; on another I cut a shape out of cardboard and traced it. On the rest I’ve either followed seam lines or quilted free-hand Baptist fans.
Thanks for telling us about the stencils and the company that makes them. I’ll have to look into their products.
Yes Martha I hAve lots of the Stencil Company stencils but I’d like some of these!
Your string quilt is beautiful. I’ve made one large wall hanging from blue and white strings. Love it.
I love to hand quilt so am always looking for special stencils. I really like these that you are featuring! The 10″ square one looks fabulous with your quilt!
Your quilt is so beautiful. The feathers will really set it off. I love string quilting, and hand-quilting, but haven’t tried the feathers yet. I usually let the quilt tell me what it wants. 🙂
Lovely quilt. I love feathers on quilts. I have not tried them I usually go for the meandering look. Thanks for the giveaway.
Your quilt is looking great! Thanks for the chance to win stencils, you can never have too many.
Would absolutely love the stencil and I love the quilt thank you for the chance to win them!!!!!!! sonjasmith76@yahoo.com
Martha,
Beautiful, your quilting is amazing. If I win the stencils then I vow to hand quilt one of my antique tops I have.
Nice blog, great advice.
Laurie
I love the quilt top and the feathering stencils. You made using stencils a lot more understandable
The quilt is incredible and I love the hand quilting that you are doing. You don’t need to enter me for the drawing, as I don’t do a lot of hand quilting with stencils. I can’t wait to see your completed masterpiece!
Love your quilt and quilting! I don’t need anymore stencils but I enjoy watching your work! Thanks again for the inspiration!
Hugs, Mickie
Love your string quilt – wonderful use of those strips!!!
Your string pieced stars are gorgeous, and the feather quilting is so perfect for the alternate spaces.
I have some stencils from The Stencil Company and they are such great quality and so many beautiful designs. I don’t have any feather patterned ones so I would love to win these, thanks for the great giveaway and good luck on your quilting progress!
How nice you are doing this! I have a quilt all basted up ready to mark and would like to branch out to doing feathers. Thanks for the inspiration.
Feathers are my favorite quilting pattern! These stencils look fantastic, and so does your quilt. 🙂
I have never used a stencil to quilt with, but would like to try.
Love your string stars. I will be looking forward to your progress.
I have hand quilted a couple of quilts but nothing very fancy. I’ve used stencils but very easy-to-stitch ones I’ve picked up locally at chain stores. I’m glad to know where to go for a larger variety of stencils now as I plan to hand quilt many more of my UFOs.
I’ve tried marking with soap, chalk and pencil. I think pencil worked best and was easiest. I also pin baste whether I’m hand or machine quilting. And I use a square PVC hoop for hand quilting.
I like to note what my favorite hand quilters that are my inspiration do so thanks for sharing.
Oh yes, I would love to win these. Feathers are my favorite quilting motif. Thanks! Your quilt and the quilting are lovely. Thanks for sharing that too!
Your quilting is wonderful and yes I would like to win the stencils.
You make quilting sound so adventurous and easy. 🙂 I am a beginner in this field and I find many things confusing or just an irritant in finishing the piece fast.
I love every quilt of yours. All the best with all the new projects you are to begin with this year.
I have just found this website, thanks to the guidance of an online friend. I must say I am already in love with it!
I have some stencils from The Stencil Company, and they are wonderful. I can always use more.
Again, thank you for a wonderful site. I have bookmarked your site for “one click” retrieval!
I started making some string pieced star blocks a few years ago and got sidetracked. Looking at your finished top makes me want to finish mine. They’re so easy to do. I cut my diamonds from newspaper and machine stitch my strings together on that.
I also hand quilt almost all my tops and hand piece the old fashioned patterns that require templates. I already have quite a few stencils so I hope someone wins them who hasn’t used them before.
You do beautiful work! Thank you for the chance to win, and have a wonderful evening!
Beautiful, beautiful stencils!! I took a class a few years ago to learn how to hand quilt and I need to shake off the dust on my notes and get going again. Thank you for the generous giveaway!
I retired from hand quilting, but I sure enjoy looking at yours!
I mostly pay the long arm quilters to finish my projects, but have hesitated with some smaller projects. You have inspired me to check The Stencil Company for designs that I may actually finish by hand quilting. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beautiful Quilt. Love your quilting designs. Hand quilting is such a joy and tension reliever. I love The Stencil Company’s many designs and have several of them. These would be a real joy to try. Thank you for the giveaway.
Beautiful quilt and quilting looks so much better than mine! I also love all the vintage things you post. These stencils look amazing. How do you get rid of the pencil lines once you’re done? I am just hand quilting my first sashiko piece and I loved doing the sashiko because it was marked for me. My hand quilting beside it is not nearly as even. Thanks again for your interesting blog. K-
I use stencils like these too, they’re just great aren’t they. Well done on getting back to work on an old WIP Martha 😉
I like the stencil patterns you shared. And thanks for the link to The Stencil Company! Nice work!
This would be fabulous, thank you!
Love the templates. I use templates all the time to help with custom machine quilting.
I would love to have these stencils.
Ooooh, these look wonderful! Thank you for the chance 🙂
Wow! So pretty! My eye is definitely drawn to the feather designs you displayed. Congrats on getting back to this lovely quilt!
Hi, great top and thank you for sharing it with us. What is the size of the block or your quilt. I would like to get rid of my scraps but hate big blocks in quilts.
I love, love this quilt — it gave me an idea . . . I’d love to make it except swap the white for black — and use a bright, variegated quilting thread to make the quilting designs!! 🙂
Hi Martha
Landed on your site again and found the string stars quilt so pritty. I have so many scrabs by now I might as well give it a try with my perrywinkle template.
Kind regards from your Swiss follower
Ursula