Reach for the Stars: I’m There!

Yes, indeed! My Reach for the Stars quilt top is completely pieced, all 88″ x 108″ inches of it. I finished it at Quilt Camp last week. It’s a bit wrinkled from being all folded up during transport, but here it is:

RFTS PN 11-14
Dawn’s Version

I like the look of the black squares floating in the outer border, so rather than binding the quilt in solid black to frame it, as originally planned, I’m going to use more of the background fabric.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The quilt has to be quilted first! I am going to (gulp) invest in custom longarm quilting on this one. The quilter I have chosen is equally at home with free motion and digitized quilting, and I expect my quilt will have some of both. I’ll have a better idea after we meet next week.

While I was at Quilt Camp I also pieced the back. It measures about 96″ x 116″ and incorporates the two Jacobean floral focus fabrics I used for the fussy-cut images in the center medallion and individual blocks. This is a partial view of the back:

RFTS back, partial
Jacobean Florals on the Back

One of the prints was a border print, so I pieced it in both directions for a bit more visual interest.

I’m still grappling with the realization that this quilt may not fit my queen-size bed. The 88″ width is fine, even if the quilting draws it up a few inches. It’s the length that’s the problem. According to several websites I’ve looked at, the recommended length for a standard queen or king-size quilt is 94″. Even if the quilting shrinks 4″ from the length, it’s still going to be 10″ longer than the recommended length. If this had dawned on me sooner (like when I started making this quilt in January), I might well have resized the blocks. Too late now. But I’m not going to fret about it. Surely I’ll find a good spot to display this quilt.

On a brighter note, I’ve selected a name for my quilt:  Catch a Falling Star. If you were around in 1957 (as I was), you’ll recognize it as the name of a song by Italian-American crooner Perry Como.

 

 

 

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10 Responses to Reach for the Stars: I’m There!

  1. Linda Donohue says:

    You can always tuck it in under pillows if you really want it on your bed. Fantastic to see your finished quilt and I love the name. I can’t wait to start mine; I will send you photo when finished. As I have just hand surgery on my hand it will be a few months before I start.

  2. Mary Ann says:

    It’s beautiful, Dawn!

  3. Kristi says:

    Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

  4. AnnMarie says:

    You did a fabulous job as it’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to see it quilted.

  5. Jennifer B says:

    The quilt came out so beautiful! I hope mine will turn out half as nice (I really need to find time to work on it). Can’t wait to see what the longarmer does with the quilting.

  6. Leslie Goldsmith says:

    Dawn–

    Your talents are so awe inspiring and your willingness to offer much needed advice are equally appreciated. Being present for the finishing of this quilt top was a really fun part of quilt camp! And, for those who have not seen this piece in person, the colors are so much more alive when viewed up close than through the eye of a camera. And, actually stroking such a work of art–with pure jealousy, may I assure you–was incredible!

    Linda Donahue offers the perfect solution. If you handle it as a regular bedspread, the extra 10″ will easily be used. And, any marathon project of perfection should be retained and used by the creator!

    Thank you for sharing.

    Leslie Goldsmith

  7. Virginia Hammon says:

    Gorgeous!

  8. Jeanne says:

    Whoohoo! Beautiful!
    Congratulations!

  9. Gary says:

    Simply Stunning Aunt Dawn! I love the choice of additional background fabric for the border. Reminds me of an actual galaxy of stars!

  10. Peg says:

    Oh, Dawn, it is just spectacular! And the back is lovely, too. Wonderful!
    Peg

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