July Queen for Hive 2

Hi, I'm Julie.  I live outside Chicago in the suburbs and have been quilting a few years now.  This is my first time in this bee and I've had a lot of fun.  I have a husband of almost 15 years and a 2 year old little girl.

I've spent a lot of time deliberating over my choices and thought I could get away without making up my mind a bit longer, but the universe apparently had other ideas!  There are so many great options, but I was really hoping to find something that would look great with a variety of fabrics.   My local guild collects lap quilts for the local breast cancer treatment center and I'm asking for your help making blocks for a quilt to be donated.

I would like one of two different blocks.  The choice of which to make is yours.  One will be a simple 16 patch.  The other will be a 12" finished star.  While I am providing a tutorial, please feel free to choose any star of your choosing, as long as it uses the right colors and finishes at 12" finished.  I actually think the quilt will look better with a variety!  If you're feeling ambitious and want to do something paper pieced great!  Wonky is welcome.  If you have a personal favorite, this will work too.  My plan is to alternate these blocks in a final quilt layout so I'll need some of both, but I'm guessing this will mostly work out with what people choose and I'll fill in as needed if there ends up being more of one than the other.

My intent is to make the quilt mostly pink hopefully in a variety of shades, with pale yellow, pale orange and red town in as accents.  The star background should be white or white on white.

So, on to the tutorial.  First up is the 16 patch!

Cut 16 - 3.5" squares.  If you have a variety, that will make it more interesting.

Layout in 4 rows of 4 and sew each row together.

Then sew the 4 rows together.  Voila!  A 12" finished 16 patch.

In order to make the star I made, cut the following

4 - 3.5" squares for the pinwheel (I used two colors, white and pink for 2 squares of each)
2 - 1.5" x 4.5" strips for the pinwheel border  (different fabric shown than in final star)
2 - 1.5" x 6.5" strips for the pinwheel border (different fabric shown than in final star)

8 - 3.5" squares for the star points
4 - 3.5" squares of the white background
4 - 3.5 x 6.5" rectangles of the white background

To make the pinwheels choose two and draw a line point to point.  Sew 1/4" away on both sides, then cut on the line.

Trim each of these to 2.5" squares.

Press to one side, and layout in a pinwheel shape.  Sew two rows, then the rows together.

Layout the borders like so and attach.

Next, you'll make flying geese with the background rectangles and the 8 star point blocks.

Draw a diagonal on the start point blocks.  Lay out the block on the background and sew ON the line this time.

Trim 1/4" away from the line, flip the fabric open and press.

 Repeat on the other side of the block.

You'll need to repeat this 4 times.

Once you've completed these, lay out your star as shown below.  Sew blocks into rows, then sew the rows together.

And you're done!  Or feel free to use any other star block of your choice!

I will use these two blocks checkerboard fashion to complete the quilt.

I can't wait to see what everyone choses!

Julie