BLOCK OF THE MONTH: K IS FOR KANSAS STAR

This month's block is very appropriate for me.  I just arrived home from driving to Denver.  I traversed the center of Kansas twice.  I am one of those people who like fruit cake and am not bored with the terrain of Kansas.  The following is a blog I wrote upon my return:

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/2013/10/kansas.html
I am thankful to say I wasn't driving through there in the dark.  This time of year wildlife is on the move, especially the deer.  There was plenty of evidence of that on the side of the road.

 THE KANSAS STAR

With the Kansas Star block we will begin another leg of our two year trip,

 "THROUGH THE ALPHABET"     A twenty-six month Journey.

Dorothy Young, owner, of the yahoo group "A Pocketful of Mysteries" is presenting her Block of the Month quilt series. It began in January 2013, and will continue for the next two years.

 The yahoo site for this trip is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/apocketfullofmysteries/

It is not too late to join in. This block and the other ten are at the beginners level. 

So far I have found the construction of the blocks very simple.  I do recommend you start with the first block if you are a beginner.  There are simple techniques you will pick up on the journey.

This block will definitely teach you new abilities if you are new to quilting.  It is paper pieced.  If you have never paper pieced before, google "How to paper piece a quilt block".  I am sure you will find lots of excellent tutorials.

This month's block is way out of my box.  I only do paper piecing when I absolutely have to.  I use it to execute a design I can't get any other way.  I found I do not enjoy the paper piecing process.  I do have lots of friends who delight in paper piecing. 

If you are new to quilting please try paper piecing.  These little blocks are the perfect beginning to a paper piecing career.  You may find this method is just your cup o' tea.
(BTW there are the cutest paper pieced tea cups available free on the internet.)
Here's just an example of what is out there for you:
http://piecebynumber.com/tea-n-coffee-cups.htm

 I hope Dorothy will excuse my excursion away from this month's direction.

I will be piecing my blocks using a square in a square method which I have a tutorial on here:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/03/square-in-square-tutorial.html

 

To make the KANSAS STAR

not using paper piecing you will need:

 

FABRIC "A":  One strip 2" X WOF, cut into (16) 2 inch squares (My Blue Fabric)

 

FABRIC "B":  One strip 2" X WOF, cut into (20) 2 inch squares. (My White paisley)

                        One strip 3 1/2" X  15", cut into (4)  3 1/2 inch squares

FABRIC "C":  One Strip 3 1/2" X 18", cut into (5) 3 1/2 inch squares.  (My Dark paisley)

STEP ONE:  Take one 3 1/2 inch Fabric "C" squares and four 2 inch Fabric "B" squares.  Follow the directions in the tutorial for "Square in a Square" (link above high-lighted in blue).  Repeat this on the other four squares.  You now have five "Square in a Square" "BC" units.

STEP TWO:  Take four, 3 1/2 inch "B" Squares and sixteen "A" 2 inch squares.  Repeat the procedure used in Step one. You now have four "AB" units.

STEP THREE:  Join your units in two rows of  AB-BC-AB; one row  of  BC-AB-BC; Press toward the AB unit. (I am using fabrics from the 50's /60's and they are heavier, thicker, coarser than current fabrics.  I open my seams out on these.  When the tips of the "geese" lay on top of each other they are real thick. The block doesn't lie flat when I press them to the side.)

STEP FOUR:  Join your rows together BC-AB-BC  TO  AB-BC-AB  TO  BC-AB-BC.  You now have a 9 patch with the name of KANSAS STAR. (When you join rows that you have pressed the seams open, you can not nest them.  For me it is necessary to pin the seams to keep them lined up.)

 THE KANSAS STAR, I made for my friend,
I'm getting envious of the blocks I am making for my friend.  I love the fall look of the fabrics.
These fabrics were so much easier to work with than the older fabrics.   I was able to nest the seams when I joined the units and rows.

KANSAS STAR in my BLUE/GREEN/LAVENDER PAISLEYS

 

 

See you next month, already I am anticipating it!  The minute I finish the current BOM I can't wait till the following month for our surprise..... LOL 

 

My quilting fix now, will be getting the second Clue for my Guild's mystery quilt  ready to be presented, November 20, 2013.  This is the first time I have been down the road planning a Mystery quilt.  It is very different than making a quilt.  This is the introduction to the guild's Mystery Quilt. 

 

 Introduction    http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"

 A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind

 First Clue   http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-mystery-in-making-clue-1.html

Second Clue November 20.

  





This journey with the alphabet blocks is taking me on journeys through the corridors of my mind.

 While you're on a quilting journey of any kind, please think about reducing your stash and making a quilt top to send to the "Quilt of Valor" group in your area .

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/05/quilt-of-valor.html

 

  Join us in this 2 year journey. There are several hundred friends taking the trip. 

The following, are blogs written each month on my journey through the alphabet.

 http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2014/04/block-of-month-p-is-for-pennsylvania.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2014/02/block-of-month-n-is-for-new-york-star.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2014/01/block-of-month-m-is-for-monkey-wrench.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2014/01/block-of-month-l-is-for-lady-of-lake.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/11/block-of-month-k-is-for-kansas-star.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/10/block-of-month-j-is-for-jacobs-ladder.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/09/block-of-month-i-is-for-independence.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/08/block-of-month-h-is-for-hayes-corner.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/block-of-month-g-is-for-glory-boxes.html
  http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/06/block-of-month-f-is-for-friday.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/05/block-of-month-e-is-for-easy-partial.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/04/block-of-month-d-is-for-double_7.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/03/block-of-month-c-is-for-contrary-wife.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/02/block-of-month-b-is-for-basketweave.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/01/block-of-month-is-for-antique-tile.html

Other blog sites by me:

 

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

 

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,

blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

New Blog:

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/2013/08/blackberries-kitchen-aid.html

 

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission