Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Week 7 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Mar 31, 2021 - 2:03pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 7, otherwise known as the bonus week!This week I will share my tips on straight line quilting and also announce the big winner.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE As this is the last newsletter, I thought I might talk a little about quilting. I love to use straight lines in all my quilts and I have discovered a few things that might help you too!Firstly, what you'll need:Walking Foot for your machine – you may have to purchase this separately as most machines don't come with one, unless you’re a lucky duck and have bought a quilting edition - sometimes they include these as part of the package. A walking food basically does the same thing as the feed dogs on your machine, except from above. It helps to feed the three layers of your quilt through evenly so that the fabric doesn’t bunch up.40wt Thread - now this is just what I like to quilt with, so if you prefer something else, go for it! I like it because it's a little stronger and it also makes the quilting a bit more of a feature. I like to use Aurifil Thread, 100% cotton.Basting Spray and/or Safety Pins for basting - I like to use both. I don't have a large sewing table to work on so all the help I can get, I take! The safety pins are stainless steel, size 2. There are some fancy curved pins on the market which are great too. The basting spray is called 505 Temporary Adhesive. I like this brand as it has hardly any smell and stays stuck!Hera Marker – A Hera marker is an awesome piece of plastic that allows you to mark your quilt without using a pencil/washout marker. The Hera marker places a fold in the fabric when your quilt top is basted that stays for a good amount of time. I love it because there is no need to wash out line markings afterwards. Just use your quilting ruler to get lovely straight lines.
BASTING The first thing you’ll need to do is baste your quilt. Once you have pieced your backing, lay it down with the right side to the floor. Some people baste on their kitchen table, some on the wall and others on their dining room or lounge room floor. It’s totally up to you! I lay my quilt backing on my lounge room floor and tape down the edges to keep the backing taut. Then I layer the batting on top and baste it to the backing using the basting spray. Next, I layer the quilt top, right side up and baste it to the batting and backing. Finally, I plonk myself down in the middle of the quilt and start pinning from the centre out, every 3 inches of so!
QUILTINGAfter you’ve basted your quilt, you need to do is increase the stitch length on your machine. I usually sew using a 2.5” length and then up it to 2.8” when quilting.
The Bronte's Stars quilt above has been quilted with diagonal cross hatching and I'll talk about that later on.Another style that I love is straight lines all in one direction, so I thought that I would show that technique first.Please excuse the Whirligig quilt in the diagram below, I am re-using some of my work from my previous sew along which gives me more time to design and sew! The best way to explain how I do this is with a diagram.My approach for this quilt was to begin in the middle of the quilt. I quilted the first red line (marked with 1 on the diagram) and then continued sewing the rest of the red lines to the right hand side of the quilt. Then I went back and quilted all of the blue lines in between the red lines. Once all the blue lines were done I went back and did the yellow lines. The idea is that the red lines anchor the quilt. Then you go back and fill in the gaps. If you tried to do the heavy quarter inch quilting from the first row, your quilt would end up distorted and no-one wants that!Just remember, after you’ve completed all the red lines, you need to flip the quilt around, so you’re quilting from the other side and working from the middle to the right, before you go back and do the blue and yellow lines.
To get the quilt into position to feed through the sewing machine you need to roll it up. It makes it must easier to handle and to fit through the throat of your sewing machine. See the pictures below.Please note the space at the end of the table, this allows the quilt to hang off the end as it passes through rather than getting bunched up.
The other style of straight line quilting I like to do is cross hatching. This is done in the same way as the previous quilt except the lines are done on the diagonal. Start with your anchor lines of quilting and then go back and slowly fill in the gaps.Please note that my lines are not perfect, they never are. I wobble and move around with the best of them, but the wonderful thing about this style of quilting is it doesn't matter. Once it’s all done you notice the effect - not how straight the lines are.
If you’re not comfortable quilting using just the force, that's where the fabulous Hera Marker comes in handy. This white piece of plastic creates a fold or indentation on the fabric that lasts for ages. Using your quilting ruler to keep the lines straight, run the Hera Marker along the fabric pushing down firmly. You’ll see that it leaves an indentation on your quilt which you can use as your guide for when you’re quilting. I used it in the quilt below. Just note, I did all the anchor lines first so I could then remove the pins. It makes it much easier to place a ruler on the quilt once the pins are gone. I also mark up with the Hera Marker on the floor. It's a bit hard on the back but unless you have a large table (I don't) the floor is the best option.
GRAND PRIZE WINNERDrum roll please............ and the winner is @msbookleafCongratulations, your quilt is absolutely stunning!
So that's it, well done if you got your Bronte's Stars quilt top finished!If not, I hope you still enjoyed the ride and of course you can still access all the weekly newsletters on my blog.I’ve had an wonderful time sharing my quilt with you all and a few tips and tricks along the way. I hope they have helped with this quilt and maybe you have learnt a thing or two for your next quilt. I really enjoy being a sew along host and I definitely see more of them in my future. Also, how good is the little community we have created! I hope you keep sharing your EJJ creations on Instagram and in the Facebook group.I would like to say a big thank you to you all. Obviously this would not have been possible without you purchasing the pattern and sharing your photos on Instagram. I am so grateful for all the support, without you I would have to go and get a real job and not have my boy home with me full time. I'm a very lucky lady!Until next Sew Along,Happy Patching,Emma x
Week 6 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Mar 24, 2021 - 2:04pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 6 of the Bronte's Stars Sew Along.Are you ready to sew this quilt together? This week we’ll be piecing your quilt top using all your fabulous blocks and matching all those tricky points.
BLOCK LAYOUTThis is the really fun part, well I think it is!I like to lay my blocks out on the floor to find the best layout. One day I would like to have a design wall big enough but for now the floor will do. I will also take photos after I've finished to see that the balance of the blocks works.Check out me laying out my blocks HERE!I then stack my blocks together in their rows and label them. Always label. There is nothing worse then mixing up your carefully planned blocks.
PIECING THE QUILT TOPNow it's finally time to make all your fabulous blocks into a quilt top! Sew the blocks together in rows, and then the rows together. Just remember to press each alternative row of blocks in different directions so the seams nest nicely together.
TIPS FOR MATCHING POINTSThe Bronte's Stars blocks have lots of points and we don't want to loose them, or not have them match do we?My method is not overly technical but it works for me.The first step is to lay the blocks together. I use my ironing board which is next to my sewing machine. As I'm sitting, I find it the perfect height to see what I am doing.
The next step is to line them up visually.I fold the top block back so I can match the sides of the star point and then move it so the top of the point lines up too.
I then send a pin right through the seam lines.This stops any movement and keeps the points matching.I use Clover Patchwork Pins (Fine) and I leave them in.My sewing machine drives right over the top. I might occasionally hit one with my needle but all that happens is you bend a pin!
Here's another look at me lining up the points.
I then pin the corner blocks too but they are just squares so I'm sure you have that covered.
Ta Da, perfectly matching points!
UPDATED PRESSING GUIDEAfter much indecision I have finally decided on the best way to press the Bronte's Stars Quilt Block.If you have an older pattern, the instructions will still work, however I think this way makes the block sit better.
You can also download a copy Updated Pressing guide for the Bronte's Stars Block here to keep on your computer!
WEEKLY WINNER:This week's winner is @matusronlineCongratulations and I hope you enjoy your patterns. Looking forward to seeing your delicious batik blocks come together as a quilt top!
And that's it!We have one more week to go and I'll be sharing my tips on straight line quilting and announcing the Grand Prize winner.To make sure you are in the running to win, post a photo of your finished quilt top by Wednesday March 31st on Instagram using the hashtag #brontesstarsSALThank you so much for joining me on this sew along, it's been so much fun. I will be stalking my instagram feed looking for all your quilt tops, I can't wait to see them!Emma
Updated Pressing Guide for Bronte's Stars
Mar 23, 2021 - 8:29pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Please note:
After much indecision I have finally decided on the best way to press the Bronte's Stars Quilt Block.If you have an older pattern, the instructions will still work, however I think this way makes the block sit better.
You can also download a copy Updated Pressing guide for the Bronte's Stars Block here to keep on your computer!
Week 5 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Mar 16, 2021 - 1:31pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 5 of the Bronte's Stars Sew Along.
This week we’ll be piecing the rest of our blocks. Hopefully you have been able to keep up!
SHARE ON INSTAGRAMDon’t forget to post a pic of your second lot of finished blocks on IG and be sure to the use the #brontesstarsSAL and #brontesstarsquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.
WEEKLY WINNER:This week's winner is @we10momCongratulations and I hope you enjoy your patterns. I love the how the colours pop against the black background.
GRAND PRIZEI have finally organised a prize for the final week of the Sew Along.To be in the running to win this bundle of goodies you need to post a photo of your finished quilt top by April 1st on Instagram. Make sure you also use the hashtag #brontesstarssal so I can find it!We have another week of block piecing coming up so there is still plenty of time to get your top completed.I am so looking forward to seeing your quilt tops come together!
NEXT WEEKNext week we will be sewing all the blocks together and complete our quilt tops. This is where I think it gets exciting, I love seeing my quilts come togteher ans I can'r wait to see yours too!Happy Patching,Emma x
Week 4 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Mar 9, 2021 - 8:22pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 4 of the Bronte's Stars Sew Along.
This week it's time to sew the rest of your blocks but from what I’ve seen in the Facebook Group and on Instagram, some of you have zoomed ahead and have finished all your blocks and even your tops. How did you go? Whatever stage you’re up to, don't worry, I want everyone to enjoy this process and if you want to finish the blocks, go for it! For those that still have blocks to sew, don't stress we still have lots of time to finish,
SHARE ON INSTAGRAMDon’t forget to post a pic of your second lot of finished blocks on IG and be sure to the use the #brontesstarsSAL and #brontesstarsquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos. You will also be in the running to win 3 PDF patterns designed by me!
PIECING THE BLOCKS:Guess what? This week we are going to be making some more blocks!
YOUR BLOCKS: I can't help myself, I just wanted to share some more of the gorgeous blocks that have been popping up on instagram. How amazing do they look and how different does the quilt look with a dark or light background? Maybe they might inspire you to make another one!
Chain Piecing:I thought this week I would share I how do chain piecing. It's not everyone's thing but it does speed up the piecing process if you are willing to give it a try.Basically instead of piecing 1 block at a time you piece multiple blocks together. With Bronte's Stars, I like to piece four blocks at a time.The first step is to sew all the squares to the background fabric for the corner blocks. The trick to chain piecing is to not cut the thread between the blocks, you just keep sewing.
If you look closely you will see the thread still joining them. When you don't cut the thread it saves you so much time. At the end of the sewing you will have a string of blocks! Or even a chain ;)Next up you just need to keep piecing the blocks following all the steps I did last week, except repeating them all 4 times!Follow the photos below.
Next up you just need to keep piecing the blocks following all the steps I did last week, except repeating them all 4 times!Follow the photos below.
Now piece the centre blocks and the rest of the steps!
Ta Da.... and just like that you have 4 blocks!I hope this explains how I do chain piecing. I love the technique, especially now that I have a toddler who is very demanding of my time, so every second I get to sew has to count!
WEEKLY WINNER:This week's winner is @terisquiltlifeCongratulations and I hope you enjoy your patterns. I'm loving the woven fabrics paired with the low volume background, it's going to look so good!
NEXT WEEKNext week we will be sewing the last of the blocks, how exciting we are nearly finished! Happy Patching,Emma x
Week 3 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Mar 3, 2021 - 1:11pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 3 of the Bronte's Stars Sew Along. I hope you guys are cut out and ready to start sewing.
SHARE ON INSTAGRAMDon’t forget to post a pic of your cut fabrics on IG and be sure to the use the #brontesstarssal and #brontesstarsquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.Check out these fabulous quilts that are coming together. Aren't the colours inspiring!
PIECING THE BLOCKSThis week we are going to be making blocks. There are 3 weeks of piecing blocks to allow people who are making the larger sized quilts time to finish their blocks. To work out how many you need to piece each week just divide your total number of blocks by 3. Simple.A quick note on pressing your blocks!Some of you will decide to press your seams open, others will press to the side. Obviously, you should find what works best for you!If you press to the side though, like me, you can follow the steps on pages 4, 5 and 6 of the pattern. The arrows indicate which way to press which allows all the seams to nest nicely together. To be honest though, it’s not the end of the world if you have to flip the seam as you’re sewing the blocks together to get them to nest!Please note if you are using woven fabrics or fabrics that a slightly more open weave you might like to starch your fabric pieces before you piece. I also like to spray the block once completed to help it sit flat. I use Best Press or Flatter.Follow the steps below to piece one block.I like to piece the corner blocks first and then the centre block.I also like to trim the little triangles off as I go, I think it makes it easier to piece and helps the seam press flatter.
I like to leave my pins in when I piece and my preferred pin is a Clover Patchwork Pins - Fine with glass heads. If you sew over them they just bend which is great for your machine.
As you can see, I like to make each element of the block first and then piece it together.
Now all the elements are complete it's time to do the final two seams. Be careful with the edges as many are on the bias and they can stretch easily.I like to use a number of pins where the seams match to keep the seams aligned.
WEEKLY WINNER:This week's winner is @craftfidgetCongratulations and I hope you enjoy your patterns. I'm looking foward to seeing your gorgeous fabric selection made up into a quilt!
Next week we will be making more blocks and I'll share my tips on chain piecing.How good are sew alongs, and what did we do before them? It's such a fun way to sew and share because if your family is anything like mine, you don't get the excited feedback from them like you do from this group! Yay for our own personal cheers squads. I also love scrolling through the hashtags, #brontesstarssal & #brontesstarsquilt and looking at all the wonderful quilts that are getting made. It brings a little sunshine into my day. In the meantime, I do hope you’re enjoying the sew along and the community of fellow quilters that you see on IG and over on Facebook. I really do love seeing all of your quilts come to life!See you next week. Emma x
Week 2 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Feb 24, 2021 - 1:33pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 2 of the Bronte's Stars Sew Along. How much fun has it been meeting all the other sewers and seeing all the awesome fabric choices!
SHARE ON INSTAGRAM:Don’t forget to post a pic of your cut fabrics to IG and be sure to the use the #brontesstarssal and #brontesstarsquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos. Another reason to post your photo each week are the prizes! Each week I will pick a photo from IG and give the winner a bundle of 3 of my PDF patterns. Just remember to post before the next week newsletter goes out.Don't worry if you’re ahead, this is supposed to be fun. If you feel like sewing, go for it. This sew along is all about enjoyment so there are no rules, stick to the schedule or move ahead, do what's right for you.There have been some fabulous fabric combos popping up on Instagram and in the Facebook group. Some of my favourites are shown below. I can't wait to see these made up into Bronte's Stars quilts.
CUTTING TIPS:First up I wanted to share the cutting diagrams to all the different fabric cuts that I mentioned last week. This should make it easier to work how many squares you need to cut if you don't want to use fat quarters.
Just to avoid any confusion:1 Block = 1 Full Block if made from all of the same fabric.
To speed up cutting I like to cut 4 layers at a time. I know this can be a bit daunting but I promise if you have a nice sharp blade it's easy. Just remember to concentrate because if you make a mistake, you will make it 4 times!!When cutting the squares for Bronte's Stars I like to cut the larger squares first, the the next smaller ones and then the smallest last.Now I have my fancy cutting table it makes it much easier to make the diagonal cuts without moving the squares. I just walk around the table. This can also be achieved by using the end of your kitchen bench or by spinning the cutting mat. I find the less that the squares are handled, the less they move, which makes your cutting much more accurate. And we all want accurate cutting!
TIPS FOR CUTTING THE BACKGROUND FABRIC:I don't like to spend much time on cutting so if I can make it quicker I'm all for it and one place you can definitely save time on is on the background fabric.First thing you need ia a cutting mat that's wide or long enough to accommodate a piece of fabric folded, minimum 22 inches.I'm going to give an example of how I would cut the rectangle pieces (E) from the background fabric.Iron the fabric in half really well and make sure the selvages are lined up perfectly.Make a first cut to trim the edges to make them perfectly straight.Then cut as many strips the width you need, being careful not to disturb any of the previous cuts.Then spin the board, or walk around the corner of your table and make the other cuts creating your rectangles. The trick is to carefully lay your ruler down each time without disturbing the fabric. To make triangles, I keep the fabric on the board and then make diagonal cuts.This is the quickest way I have found to cut fabrics for backgrounds.I hope it helps you go a little faster too!You can check me out doing some of this cutting in a little time lapse video I have on instagram here.
RAINBOW BRONTE'S STARS QUILT:Next up is the cutting requirements for the rainbow version I shared last week.
PAIRING THE BLOCKS:As you know just from looking at the quilt, each star is made up of two fabrics. It is best to take the time to sort through your cut fabrics pair them up before you start sewing. This way you won't end up with lots of the same fabrics.
TIPS FOR DIRECTIONAL PRINTS:When cutting out the triangles for the blocks with directional prints, you will get the prints going different ways. However if you cut with your fabric doubled and right sides together you will get the pieces to have all the prints going the same way. See the first image below. I actually prefer to turn the pieces as in the second image, I think it makes for more movement!Lay the pieces out before sewing to make sure you have the layout you like best!
MAKE A TEST BLOCK:Now it's time to make a test block. If you feel confident to sew it up, go for it, but if you would prefer to wait there will be lots of tips in next weeks newsletter.
WEEKLY WINNER:This week's winner is @sharonrodrigowilsonCongratulations and I hope you enjoy your patterns. I'm looking foward to seeing your quilt made up so much!
That's it for Week 1. Next week we will be making blocks. I hope you guys are having fun! How much fun is it checking out all the photos and fabric inspo on the #brontesstarssal hashtag! And remember, this sew along is not fast paced, however please zoom ahead if you want to! This sew along is all about you, so please sew at your own pace.I am enjoying watching all your fabulous quilts come together and can't wait to see some photos of finished blocks popping up in my IG feed.Emma x
Week 1 - Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Feb 17, 2021 - 1:19pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome to Week 1 of the Bronte's Stars Sew Along.This week is all about choosing your fabrics.
I'll be making an original size version using fabric from my stash and a little top up courtesy of some late night shopping fueled by wine. I have paired my lovely brights with a cream and black spot. GETTING STARTED:
Make sure you’ve purchased your Bronte's Stars Pattern
The Bronte's Stars SAL will be taking place on Instagram, so be sure your account is set to public so we can all see your posts using the #brontesstarssal and #brontesstarsquilt hashtags.
There are lots of people participating in this sew along, so let’s start off with introductions! We’d love to see a picture of you in your sewing room or space and hear a bit about you. If you are still working from home, I know many of you are, I hope this sew along will help you feel a little less isolated and a little more connected.
Post a photo of your fabric pull (if you have one yet!) – in this newsletter we’ll talk a bit about fabric choices. If you’ve already decided on your fabric, posting a picture may help to inspire others.
Now’s the time to buy up on fabric if it’s not in your stash – support for small businesses has never been more important and most fabric shops are selling online!
PLANNING YOUR QUILT: Your first step is to decide what size quilt you are making. The Bronte's Stars Quilt comes in 6 sizes, Baby, Small Throw, Large Throw, Original, Twin and Queen. Hopefully there's a size to suit everyone! The next step is to decide on colours! CHOOSING YOUR COLOURS: This week we are concentrating on choosing fabrics. The original quilt was made up using a mix of Alison Glass fabrics and paired with a Andover Chambrey in black. I have heard this fabric is hard to find so if you are looking for something similar your could try one of the Robert Kaufman essex yarn dyes. I think the quilt works really well with fabrics that have a good contrast. This helps each star shine and gives the finished quilt top movement. The contrast can be done with colour or tone.
I love the selection of Alison Glass fabric that I choose. These fabrics have such high saturation and the colours just glow against the chambray background.
This fresh bright version was made using Rock Pool by Jodie Carleton. Most of these are cute novelty prints which really pop against the white background.
Another great way to work out if the colours you’re thinking of using will work well in this quilt, is to use the colouring page from the pattern and have a play around with the colour placement. I love getting out my old derwents from high school, some of them are getting really small!
If you still can't decide, here are a few Australian shops that have put together kits for you!The Next Stitch, QueenslandFabric Sauce, New South WalesGJ's Discount Fabrics
MY BRONTE'S STARS QUILT: I really wanted to share with you my process for choosing fabrics.It always starts with a fabric or a couple of fabrics that I love and in this case it was 5 prints from the Smol collection by Kim Kight for Ruby Star Society.My plan is to make the original size quilt with 36 blocks and I will be using 36 different fabrics so I have lots more to add to the first 5!
Next up I added some nice bright raspberry fabrics and a number of warm caramel prints. I have always been a bif fan of lime greens and hot pinks so this was an easy choice.
Then I needed to add some more greens and medium pinks to fill out the colours.
The colours above look really great but I felt it needed a little more punch so I added some turquoise fabrics. This would be pretty much be my favourite colour so I had plenty to source from my stash including some prints from my range Eureka. I always love using some of my own designs, it always makes the finished quilt that much more special.
So you can check out my full selection below which includes a mix of large prints, small prints and blenders. There is a good balance of warm and cool colours which will give the finished quilt top lots of contrast.This selction did not happen quickly. I always take a good week or so to put colours together. I leave them on a table and as I walk past I might some more or take some away. At one stage I was looking at adding navy to this group among other colours but I decided it wasn't the look I was going for. It's a process that takes time but I also find really enjoyable.
INSPIRATION: I love putting together different looks to inspire you all. Below are some simple colour combinations that I think will look great. All of these looks can be achieved with different scale of prints, pattens and colour.
It's so interesting to see how different the quilt can look just by swapping the background colour. The star becomes more of a feature when the background is dark, the star shape seems to pop!
How good would this look if the fabrics were all florals!! I am imagining big Kaffe Fasset blooms teamed with spots and stripes.
I really enjoy making these mock ups, however it just makes me want to sew more quilts and I hope it helps you decide on your fabric selecion too.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to talk about fabric requirements. I only stated fat quarters on the pattern because of lack of space. With 6 different finished sizes it was a bit tight.I have made a little table below which breaks it down into different fabric sizes from Fat 16ths to Half Yards. I thought this might be easier for you to get your head around different fabric options if you are using your stash or would like to purchase some new fabric.The quilt I am making is the original size and I am using my stash. I wanted a really scrappy look so I am using the cutting requirements for Fat 1/8ths and I'm making the original size quilt which is 36 blocks. This should give me the scrappy look I'm after.
Now it's time to share one last mock up with you. In this stunning rainbow version the two star fabrics are just black and white while changing up the background. I also worked out the requirements for you if you would like to make it!
I'll share the cutting requirements for this beauty next week. I'm crossing all my fingers that someone will attempt it otherwise I'm going to make another quilt!
Each week I will pick a winner from the posts using the hashtag #brontesstarsSAL to win a bundle of my patterns.That's three PDF's patterns, your choice!I'm am still finalising some prizes for the last week, so stay tuned.
If you have any questions, you can always email me! Thanks so much for joining me on this fun ride, whether it's your first time or you're a sew along veteran, I really hope you have fun. My family is going through some pretty heavy stuff at the moment and I am looking forward to the distraction that sewing and connecting with like minds brings.Emma x
Welcome to the Bronte's Stars Sew Along
Feb 11, 2021 - 1:36pm
Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along
Welcome
Welcome to the Bronte's Stars Quilt Sew Along! I am so excited that you have decided to join me for another Sew Along. This time I have chosen Bronte's Stars after many many requests. I also did a little pol in the Sew Along Facebook group and Bronte's Stars was a popular choice. My little family and I have recently moved from Melbourne back to our home town of Ballarat to be closer to our parents. Being in lockdown so much of last year makes you realise that time passes so quickly and not being able to see family was so hard. We are already enjoying seeing more of our families, especially Henry. His grandparents are his favourite.The quilt is actually name after my gorgeous golden retriever Bronte who passed away while I was pregnant with Henry. Funnily enough I had just moved down to Melbourne to live with my partner and was unable to bring my dog as the flat had a shared backyard and no fences. I was missing her terribly and thinking about her constantly while making the quilt that it just seemed right to name it after her.Bronte's Stars was made to help promote my good friend and fellow designer's fabric range, Rock Pool. Check out the first photo below. The fabric range is no longer available but you might be able to to find something similar. I then made another version using Alison Glass's range Chroma and paired it with an Andover Chambray in black for the background.
The Bronte's Stars Quilt pattern comes in six sizes, Baby, Small Throw, Large Throw, Original, Twin and Queen size. This quilt is great for showcasing a range of fabrics or mixing it up and creating your own style. Swapping out the light background for a dark fabric can also change the whole look of the quilt and just between you and me, I love a darker background. It can hide pet hair and toddler spills!
If you haven't decided yet what fabrics you’re going to use, wait for the Week 1 Newsletter which will be out soon. I’ll show you some mock ups I’ve created to give you some ideas.If you haven't purchased the pattern – grab it here now.
HOW TO JOIN IN THE FUN:Follow along on Instagram using the hashtags #brontesstarsSAL and #brontesstarsquilt to post your progress photos. You can start today by sharing the button above and introducing yourself! You’ll receive a weekly newsletter sharing what’s in store for the week and all my tips and tricks.If Instagram isn't your thing, I have also created a facebook page for my sew alongs. You can join here. SUPPLIES:
There are some fabulous shops in Australia who have been making kits. The Next Stitch, QueenslandFabric Sauce, New South WalesGJ's Discount Fabrics, Victoria Please click on the shop name to take you directly to their website. If no kits show up please contact them directly via phone or email.I am looking forward to meeting you all and I can't wait to get started!Emma x