Yeah! Block 22 ~ St. Louis Star

Well, I think Block 22 will be worth the wait!  It is the St. Louis Star, published by Clara Stone in Practical Needlework, 1906.   This block is very eye-catching with its popped V Peaky and Spike (V Block) units, Corner Beams and Square-in-Square.  It has such movement.  

A similar block was published by Jinny Beyer, in 1980, in the Quilter’s Album.  Jinny called the block the California Sunset.  Which I think is a terrific name for this block.  The only difference is that Jinny used a 30° angle for the secondary star, instead of the 45°angle used in this St. Louis Star.  Additionally, I found several different blocks referred to as the St. Louis Star, many of them completely different.  This one was my favorite of them, by far!  Love it!

Those Popped Peaky and Spike units are made first with the V Block and then popped with the Corner Pop.  I  have a pictorial step-by-step guide, later in this post.  I highly recommend you read it.  

However, first I want to talk about using a photo to help you pick your fabrics for a block or a quilt.  For this week's first Fabric Selection, I used a photo from my garden.  

Inspiration for Fabric Selection 1

I loved how the Violet played off the Green. The Orange in the Snapdragons just glowed!  So, I pulled fabrics from my Art Gallery fabric scraps (which are starting to get really small).  This is what I ended up pulling.  Which is almost a Split Complementary color plan. 

Michelle's Fabric Selection 1

Last year, Shelley B, a student of mine from Connecticut, took my Amusement class at Vermont Quilt Festival.  While, my Amusement Quilt was multi-color way, 3 tones per block, quilt (seen below), Shelley went a different way, which I love, I would be that student!  

Amusement By Michelle Renee Hiatt

Shelley wanted to use a photo for inspiration.  Shelley's roots started in Nova Scotia and she loved this photo of a Lobster against that fabulous aqua green weathered wood. 

Shelley was inspired by that color combination, and elected to go with the same color plan, for each block, but to select different fabrics for each block.  She used a light gray as her background, which looks fabulous against her fabulous color plan. 

Shelley's Amusement

Here is Shelley's Amusement quilt quilted, she joined me on the stage last week at this year's Vermont Quilt Festival, for Show and Tell.

Vermont Quilt Festival ~ Show & Tell

So, this week, I challenged each of you to use a photo to inspire your fabric selection.  Please share your results on the Facebook Group Page (join here: Timeless with a Twist Facebook Group)

Okay, now onto this week's new Technique, Popped V Block!  You are going to love this, but is it very important to keep your orientation. 

1. You are going to want to make the V Block units the same as you usually do, trimmed them to the proper size (measurements in the download). Now we are ready to POP!  Gather the (8) Medium Half Square Triangles listed in the download. 
2. Position a V Block Unit right side up, with the point at the top on your cutting mat for right handed quilters, and with the point to the left for left handed quilters. Using your Corner Pop tool, and the proper Cut Away Corner line.
   
3. Position the ruler over the corner of your rectangle, aligning the corner with the proper cutaway lines on the tool as illustrated in the graphic below. Trim. Repeat for all V Blocks. 
   
4. Position and Stitch replacement triangle onto base. Center  half square replacement triangle with its long side on the just trimmed corner of each base V Block and stitch using an accurate ¼” seam. Press seams toward the replacement triangle. Repeat for all V Blocks.
   
5. Trim. Position the Corner Pop tool on the Popped V Block Unit to trim down the newly added corner using the proper Corner Trim Down line. Align the diagonal guideline with the newly sewn seam and the ruler edges with the raw edges of the unit and trim. Repeat for all (4) V Block Units.
   
   
   
   
6. Next, position a popped V Block Unit right side up, with the point at the right on your cutting mat for right handed quilters, and with the point at the top for left handed quilters. Using your Corner Pop tool, and the proper Cut Away Corner line.  Position the ruler over the corner of your popped V Block unit, aligning the corner with the proper cutaway lines on the tool as illustrated in the graphic below. Trim. Repeat for all V Blocks.
   
   
   
   
7. Position and Stitch replacement triangle onto base. Center the half square replacement triangle with its long side on the just trimmed corner of each base V Block and stitch using an accurate ¼” seam. Press seams toward the replacement triangle.
   
8. Trim. Position the Corner Pop tool on the double Popped V Block Unit to trim down the newly added corner using the proper Corner Trim Down line. Align the diagonal guideline with the newly sewn seam and the ruler edges with the raw edges of the unit and trim. Repeat for all (4) V Block Units.
   
   
   
   

Tada!  Wait to you see it in the Block.  Fabulous.

That is it for this week!   I'm heading over to the Huntington Quilt Guild in Long Island tomorrow to teach Jenn's Journey!  I can't wait, I think this is my 4th or 5th visit to this guild, they are a wonderful group of ladies and I always look forward to my visit with them.  

Have a great weekend!  Don't forget to download Block 22, by July 5th. 

Keep Stitching,

Michelle