Oh, JoJo, love, love, love it! Definitely has the WOW factor too! Beautiful work!

Hugs,
Shirley

After looking at it again on your table, have you considered a custom square glass table top??????

And...yes, I agree with Terrie about liking the title. Can't wait to read your story!!

My top is finished and now I can start working on the back. I have an idea of using hsts on the back around the label.

It's a little unconventional looking because I wanted to be able to sit at the dining room table and admire all of the hsts from around the world. My husband and I can't help but smile when we sat down to look at it on the table. Don't worry -- we won't be eating with it on the table. It's much too precious for anything like that. Tomorrow, I will hang it on the wall and get a better picture and email it off to Carol. Sorry, for the light shining through on one block. I'll post a better pic tomorrow on here as well.

I tried using a flange (is that the right word) and I've never done that before. It is really pretty but I didn't like that it was loose. I know...I know... that's the way a flange is probably supposed to look. I used Masterpiece thread that matched the fabric and blanket stitched it down. I actually like it and it gave a little more weight and helped the final border to hang better. I extended the flange to the edges on two sides of the top and now I'm fighting to decide whether to applique matching flanges on the other. Hubby likes it the way it is but I'm anal (did I say that- :shock: ) and have a hard time not being matchy, matchy.

My story is written and the name of my top is "UFO," but not that kind of UFO. It stands for "Unexpected Friendship Offering" and it's all about the story which will be in the book.



{!-- ia0 -->HST2.jpg{!-- ia0 -->

Thank you ladies for all your kind comments. I agree with Kathyst2, I want to make each one, they are all so pretty. Lotti, I have three of you HST's and so enjoy them. I also agree with Shirley G because I'm glad we were exposed to Edyta quilts and her Laundry Basket. Michell your Stars Around the World is beautiful. Sugar muggin57 I sure hope your power comes on soon.

I'm very eager to see everyone's finished product. Goodnight all, it's time for this old mid-westerner to go to bed. Shirley35

kathyst2 wrote: Same as what Kathy said - Great stuff everyone!

Shirley 35 and Michelle, your quilts are way cool! I love the medallion with the blue border from Shirley, the bright color looks so wonderful with all those loud triangles! And Michelle, that neutral background makes the stars sing! Every quilt picture makes me wish I could make that quilt, too. This book is going to be a knockout- I can't wait for its publication next year. Kathy

Thanks Shirley, prayers certainly help : )
Hugs back at ya !

Michelle, your post of your wonderful star quilt was just in time to help me with the design of my Batik HST's and Strips. I've been looking at Anita Grossman Solomon's Self-Mitered Log Cabin for the strips (I already had her book Rotary Cutting Revolution) but also wanted to include the HST's, so I will be combining the pattern with some stars. Of course it won't look anything like yours and I don't plan to follow her instructions as I don't want to use paper, so I may end up with a surprise in the end.

I also like all of the other quilts - the trees, the medallions, the baskets, the pinwheels, etc. and wish I had time to make them all. Thanks to Carol, we will get pictures of them to treasure instead.

For what it's worth...I used 770 HSTs in my SoTTT quilt. I paid no attention at all to which HSTs went where in the center of the quilt, but I did pay attention to which direction that the lighter value was facing. With that many HST, there are approximately 1540 different fabrics to deal with!! :shock:
Just dealing with VALUE worked for me! I did carefully select the colors for the pinwheel blocks in the border.

If I were to do it over (NOT!) I might pay more attention to the colors around the accent squares, but probably not!

[url]forum/friendship-triangle-exchange/4671-its-a-small-world[/url]

Barbara, trust me, do not try to plan which hst goes where except for maybe the flying geese that make the x in the pattern and picking one color for the outer row. Just pick them up and use them. This was hard for me to try as well, but you can do it. It works, is much easier and you will feel good about stepping out and trying something new. You can do this. Go for it!!! I made The Madallion quilt as well. This was the first time I was able to do this as well.

Barbara, I'm an animal lover and just want to say I'm saying some prayers for your longhair chihuahua. Our animal buddies give us so much unconditional love and it sounds like you are doing the same for him. Take care and God bless all of you.

Hugs,
Shirley

heartnsoulquilts wrote:
Michelle--I love your layout! It's fantastic to see how many different layouts can be done with HST's. WOW!!!

Thanks Lotti. I have a HST from you. Glad to know I have a grace period.

karen - if you don't make the september 1st deadline for the prototype - you can still make the january 1st 2012 deadline for the definite book...
don't fret - have fun
ps. glad you made it well through irene - hope all others did likewise
we're thinking of you all and crossing fingers / holding thumbs and whatever else is there to wish you luck through this storm and its aftermath

Shirley, Michelle, and Annis,
Awesome! I love them all. I need to put borders on mine to beat the deadline. I am off to the fabric store today. Now I only need to get power back so I can sew them on. I am in Massachusetts and had hurricane Irene yesterday.
Barbara in Bluffton, I just picked up my HSTs randomly and sewed away. I did the Medallion with out a pattern and it is wrong but it still looks great. I just got the layout wrong.
Well wish me power so I can beat the deadline. Ohhhh! maybe a LQS will take pity on me and let me sew. I will have to look pitiful.