Third Star Quilt: Mister Domestic’s Aura Blog Party

I’m so excited to join Mister Domestic and his Aura Fabrics Blog Party fun! I finally get to share my newest quilt design and pattern-in-the-works, the Third Star Quilt.

For this blog party, I knew I wanted to design a new quilt.  I usually try to design something that features most of the fabrics in the line, but this time I tried something a little different.  I chose five prints from Aura fabrics and combined them with some of my favorite Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids and Wicked Sky denim from Art Gallery Fabrics’ Denim Studio to make this stripy, sunburst-y pattern, Third Star Quilt.

Originally, I planned to achieve that striped star effect by making a large number of tiny HSTs – 384 to be exact. Yikes! I went back to the drawing board to figure out a different approach.  I thought about using traditional piecing to make the striped sections of the block, but that would require some serious precision.  Doable, but challenging. I finally settled on foundation paper piecing.

Foundation paper piecing (FPP) is one of my favorite techniques.  I love the sharp corners and straight seams that I get with FPP.  It was the perfect solution for the striped part of my Third Star blocks. Once I finished all the components, I pieced them together to make 12 finished blocks.  The Third Star quilt is made with an 18″ block, so it comes together pretty quickly.

The bright, bold patterns and soft, tropical florals in Mathew’s Aura fabrics make it such a versatile fabric line. Aura’s Kauai Sunrise color way is light and playful while the Maui Sunset color way is dark and romantic – but that can all change depending on what you pair it with. I cut the Tiki Way Papaya fabric on the bias to make that stripe appear to be radiating out from the center, and I’m so happy with the effect.

I finished it off with some straight line quilting using Aurifil 50wt thread – 1125 (teal) for the top and 1246 (dark gray) for the back – backed it with Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids in Tile Blue and used Wicked Sky denim for the binding.

I love working with Mathew’s fabrics, and Aura is no exception. Be sure to keep an eye out for more of my Aura fabrics projects in the next couple months.

In the mean time, the party rages on! Check out all the projects already made and keep an eye out for all the new ones coming your way – all made with Mister Domestic’s Aura fabrics!

• Monday February 11: Amanda Woodruff of A Crafty Fox
• Tuesday February 12: Kylie Gersekowski of Little Moo Designs 
• Wednesday February 13: Sharon Holland of Sharon Holland Designs 
• Thursday February 14: Kim Niedzwiecki of Go Go Kim
• Saturday February 16: Sarah Maxwell of Fearless with Fabric
• Sunday February 17: Natalie Santini of Hungry Hippie Sews
• Monday February 18: Carolina Moore of Always Expect Moore
• Tuesday February 19: Isabelle Selak of South Bay Bella Studio
• Wednesday February 20: Elizabeth Chappell of Quilters’ Candy
• February 21-24: Intermission
• Monday February 25: Tara Curtis of Wefty Needle 
• Tuesday February 26: Monica Tetteh of That’s Sew Monica
• Wednesday February 27: Nicholas Ball of Quilts from the Attic
• Thursday February 28: Lucy Brennan of Charm About You 
• Friday March 1: Robbin Flockhart of Sew Farm Quilter
• Saturday March 2: Evie Jespersen of EV Quilts
• Sunday March 3: Kelly Liddle of Jeliquilts
• Monday March 4: Maureen Cracknell of Maureen Cracknell Handmade
• Tuesday March 5: HollyAnne Knight of String and Story
• Wednesday March 6: Mimi Goodwin of Mimi G Style
• Thursday March 7: Angela Wolf of Fashion Sewing with Angela Wolf
• Friday March 8: Kitty Wilkin of Night Quilter
• Saturday March 9: Sharon Burgess of Lilabelle Lane Creations
• Sunday March 10: Emily Dennis of Quilty Love
• Monday March 11: Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill of Whole Circle Studio 
• Tuesday March 12: Elina Temmes of Elina Temmes
• Wednesday March 13: Jennifer Strauser of Dizzy Quilter 
• Thursday March 14: Saija Kiiskinen of Saija Kiiskinen
• Friday March 15: Brittany Jones of Brittany J Jones
• Saturday March 16: Jodi Godfrey of Tales of Cloth
• Sunday March 17: Kim Niedzwiecki of Go Go Kim
• Monday March 18: Sharon McConnell of Color Girl Quilts

Get Started with English Paper Piecing

Sew For Fifteen is all about finding those sewing techniques or patterns that are on our “Someday I’d like to try…” lists and diving in together.  English Paper Piecing (EPP) is next on our list of techniques to learn.

My basted (still yet unsewn) EPP Party Block #7

English Paper Piecing was on my list for a long time before a nudge from a friend finally inspired me to dive in.  I was intrigued by the fun new patterns being released – The Mischief Quilt and Brimfield blocks were high on my list – but I was intimidated by all the things I thought I needed.  New supplies, new skills – too much, right?!

Thankfully, I discovered a few really helpful resources that taught me how to EPP and even provided files for the templates I needed to dive right in. Having extra supplies is so helpful, but I’m a firm believer that with a little creativity, we can usually find what we need to start a new craft hidden among the things we already have at home.

I have a limited budget for crafting supplies, so I was very happy to find that I could purchase single block packs for some of my favorite blocks for less than $10. I have papers for a few of my favorite Brimfield blocks, and have since splurged on one complete Obsession Quilt Kit from Karen The DIY Addict. If treated gently during the basting and removal process, EPP block papers are reusable.

I’ve rounded up a few tutorials and supply lists to help get you started. If you can, I definitely encourage you to get started with the Brimfield blocks or a quilt kit by The DIY Addict.  There are also tutorials that walk you through a few hexagon projects and some other popular EPP shapes. I’ll let you know, soon, what my favorite EPP supplies are. In the meantime, jump on in and feel free to ask questions in the comments.

 

Karen The DIY Addict: Comprehensive Guide to EPP

Brimfield Awakening: Introducing the Avon Block (The template is free!)

The EPP Party hosted by Mister Domestic and Pat Bravo

Sometimes Crafter: Adventures in Hexagons

Emily Dennis at Quilty Love: English Paper Piecing

String & Story: EPP

Curved EPP Tutorial by Mister Domestic

 

 

 

*Linked products are not paid endorsements.  Rather, they are items and tutorials that I use and enjoy.