Maybe the 16 inch includes that first narrow border.

Thanks for the nice comments Wendy... Yeah I agree the tips do just sorta look like one fabric but I am okay with that. One other consideration I was trying to decide on is the center snowball block with the focus fabric. I am planning to use this fabric for putting the block on point but I have a companion fabric from the same line I plan on using on the delectable mountains ...long story I did not have enough of either. The other fabric is more of an allover print in same colors . I like the look of the flowers in the center but from a distance the yellow flower kinda disappears and makes the pink flower look off center. Wheew... It wouldn't be too hard to just replace that center square. Just thinking... Kim

Highdesert -

Thank you. I had to go way back to see your star again - you finished fast and your points are about as perfect as they come!
The halo does looks a little soft but I like the fabric choice so I wouldn't recommend a change. Feathered star patterns without a "halo" look beautiful so a soft halo is still lovely.
The two greens in the tip do blend together but because of your accurate piecing it just looks like a larger tip!

Bottom line - your center is lovely. If you want a different center - you could try something different. My center is actually version two. My first was neither accurate nor an effective use of fabric. It was easy to decide to start over when your piecing needs work. But I might have loved my first center just as well if I hadn't needed to correct the piecing.

Very Pretty Wendy... I love the contrast in yours.... I am not sure of the light yellow I used in my outer halo and in the star points one of the fabrics kinda gets lost....

WOW - neat tip. Thank you. Judy

What helped me decide about the center of the star was to lay it out on a big piece of the focus fabric, because next month we will be surrounding the halo star with focus fabric. When I did that, I realized that my focus fabric was overwhelming and so I changed to a fabric that didn't call attention to itself, thereby letting the star shine more.

I struggled with the centre block also. I had to take it part because I put the wrong sections together, but I did get it to turn out in the end and it did measure 16.5 inches

Thanks girls for the lovely comments.

Renata, that is great advice. The problem is this fabric was made about 3 years ago and I have about 1/2 yard so thankfully there is time to decide if I can use it elsewhere. I will possibly try to see if anyone in our guild has some I can purchase.

Also, I forgot to mention, I did scale the pieces and it came out 16 3/8", I will make the floater bigger. Sue knows us quilters well and those floaters help tremendously.

Sharon

Sharon, I really like the center fabric because it draws you in with its translucent colors that complement the rest of the colors of the star, draws the eye out to the purples and back to the center. The yellows and pale greens as well as what appears to be a purplish color in the center "belong" with all the other colors you have there. I also like how you chose the greens for the tips of the star because of the gradations in color from dark to light going inward. The only question you might ask is, if you use the focus fabric again, as Sue Garman does, in the border of delectable mountain blocks, would that be to your liking? If the answer is "yes," then it will work. If you plan to put another fabric in the delectable mountain border, then you'd have to figure out where else would you put the focus fabric.

Sharon - I love the yellow halo! The colors are fabulous. The center is nice - it has special meaning for you. Interestingly, it gives depth to the medallion because of the "fuzzy" batik. Love it.

Wendy

I like the center and I think the purple is great in the block.

This is beautiful.

Well, here is my first block. I am happy how it turned out, but the jury is still out for the center. Its some fabric that is Colorado designs, i.e. hummingbirds, Columbines (state flower), etc. I am wondering if it should be more striking. Tell me what you think and BE HONEST, which we can always count on with TQS.


Wendy, your block is absolutely beautiful!!!

Sharon in getting warmer, Colorado

Wow, Wendy! The fussy cutting of the leaves really extends the so naturally from the flower as do the triangles surrounding your flower--well done! Thanks for the tip on how to do the fussy cutting so that things line up where you want them to.