Join me on a Hawaiian Cruise! I posted all the information on my website – please click this link to go directly to the newsletter.
Registrations for this wonderful event are available through Cruise Holidays: Click this link
I’ll add more details in the future. I hope YOU can join me!
While in Houston for quilt Market & Festival recently, Anita Grossman Solomon (of Make it Simpler) and I met with Jackie Kunkel for a podcast interview. Please join us!
Visit Jackie’s Quilting Chronicles for more great interviews!
http://cvquiltworks.podbean.com/2012/01/31/jackies-quilting-chronicles-episode-33/
Location: International Quilt Festival, Houston
Topics:
Jan with Anita Solomon, Schoolhouse - Starburst quilt
What a great sewing time at home in my studio! During the Quick Star workshops, students request additional designs.
  
Pushing the envelope by adding more layers, I am developing expanded designs that will become workshops in the near future. I would love to know your thoughts about this design − please comment below, or send an e-mail to me at [remove spaces] jan @ jankrentz.com.
This design was created using left-over 3″ diamonds cut from undersea fish and ocean fabrics (from a Mexican Riviera cruise workshop). I arranged the loose diamonds in a fairly symmetric setting, and drafted the smaller diamonds to create a more complex outside row. There is currently no published pattern for this variation, and it will be offered in the near future as a workshop.
 
Here is a great small quilt, the pattern is available in my book Quick Star Quilts & Beyond, featured in different fabrics in the book.
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To create this quilt, I first lay out the fabric, and place a diamond ruler over the printed motifs. Position a hinged pair of Quilter’s Design Mirrors at one pointed tip to preview how 8 repeats would look. Remember, you are seeing a mirror image, so the finished design would not look exactly the same unless the fabric itself had mirror-image motifs.
Once you decide which area you’ll cut from, trace the larger shapes (from the fabric) onto the surface of the Fussy Cutter 45-degree diamond ruler. You do NOT want to outline on the surface with the printed ink (the bottom). Draw on the smooth, unprinted surface (the top) using a permanent marker such as a Sharpie or Ident-i-pen. Rotary-cut 8 identical diamonds—repositioning the ruler each time, locating the next printed shape.
Create a template using the pattern in the back of the Quick Star Quilts & Beyond book. Layer the fabric wrong sides together, and cut 8 pairs of background wedges through both layers. Note, when the pieces are separated, right side up, you should have 8 pieces angled one direction, and 8 identical mirror-image pieces angled the opposite direction.
Assemble the star with the background wedges, as described in the book. Applique the large star with circular background wedges over a simple square with mitered borders from the companion fabrics of choice.
I’m having so much fun sewing quilts and small items for the home with these fabrics!! For you lucky quilters who visit Houston this year, please watch for the Timeless Treasures booth, and see the quilts in person!
The first quilt, Glowing Jewels, features the three gradient fabrics: pink, blue and green. I LOVE working with gradients – because each ordinary piece is shaded, and no two pieces are shaded the same way. This is a free pattern I have designed for Timeless Treasures. I’ll upload the link once it is available.
Glowing Jewels – 2011 by Jan Krentz
The next quilt is a great Starburst variation – similar to the great big Starburst I made from the Michael James collection of fabric, called Colorstripes. (see the quilt and pattern in my book, Quick Star Quilts). I designed this pattern so you can strip-piece the 3″ strips of fabric, rather than cut individual diamonds. Once the pattern is available, I’ll be sure to let you know that link, too!
Hollyhock Garden Starburst quilt – 2011 by Jan Krentz
Please let me know what you think of the quilts and projects! Thanks!
