May 18, 2018

Startup Project: Starry Path Quilt by Christa Watson ~ Craftsy Class

Today I am sharing a review of a new Craftsy class by Christa Watson, Startup Project: Starry Path Quilt.  Christa was kind enough to offer a link for me to watch the class and one to share with one lucky reader.  

The opinions shared here are completely my own. This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase through the links, I will receive a small commission without affecting the price you pay.  




Startup Project: Starry Path Quilt is geared toward the beginning quilter and goes step-by-step through quilt making process.  You will receive almost 3 full hours of detailed instruction from Christa.  And, you will be able to post questions and comments right to the platform and get real help from fellow classmates and even Christa herself.  This is one of the benefits of Craftsy class format thas I like.

The class is broken down into 5 lessons:

Lesson 1 - Getting Started 

Christa covers fabric selection and prep; helpful tools and supplies; and accurate cutting and piecing.  I learned a new way of pressing I had not tried before.

Lesson 2 - Sawtooth Star Block and Lesson 3 - Garden Path Block

Separate lessons are dedicated to making each block of the quilt including helpful tips and things to watch our for when piecing.  Christa covers components of each block including flying geese, strip-pieced 4-patch units and triangle-in-a-square units.

Lesson 4 - Pieced Borders

This lesson includes more building blocks for quilt making, half-square triangles and quarter-square triangle units, and sewing them all together.

Lesson 5 - Quilt Top Assembly

When sewing the quilt blocks into rows and then sewing the rows into a quilt top, Christa shares the technique of webbing where as you sew everything together, the blocks stay in order.  I get it now...I have read about this piecing technique and have seen pictures, but hearing Christa explain it and walk me through this was so helpful.

Also included in Lesson 5 is how top properly attach the borders to quilt the quilt top.

Lesson 6 - Machine Quilting Swirls 

Christa covers the elongated swirl design and talks about a quilting path to travel around the quilt as you are quilting.

The class does not include detailed instructions for layering the quilt or binding, but you can find these tutorials under Christa's tutorial tab on her website.


My Garden Path Block

Although the Sawtooth Star quilt block is my favorite, I decided to make the Garden Path quilt block.
In all my years of quilting, I had never used the Tri-Recs rulers (I already had) so this was the prefect time to give them a try.  In the class materials are the templates for printing, but using the tri-recs ruler combo makes piecing the triangle-in-a-square unit a breeze.



This class, although designed for a beginner, proves you CAN teach an old dog new tricks.  I assembled the block using the webbing technique.  You can barely make out the connecting threads holding the block rows together.



Although the fabrics were impossible to photograph, I rather like the combination used in the block. The solid is Cotton Couture in Luna and the light background is from the Highlands by Violet Craft, both by Michael Miller.  The darker print is an Elizabeth Hartman print from Rhoda Ruth by Robert Kaufman.



I even tried swirl quilting and definitely need to practice more.  I started having tension issues and stopped midway through the practice sandwich.  Aurifil 1148 Light Jade was the perfect match for the Cotton Couture Luna.  (The colors are closer in these two photos.)





And the full block...



You can find Christa's class, Startup Project: Starry Path Quilt here 

You can find the complete quilt kit, Starry Path Sea Spray here (it's on  sale for 35% off). 

GIVEAWAY

Now, how about a giveaway?  Christa has generously provided a link to her Craftsy class for one of you.

To enter, simply use the rafflecopter and leave a blog post comment to following question... What's your go-to free motion quilting motif?

Giveaway runs from May 18th through May 22nd at Noon EST and is open to all.  Good Luck!

Congratulations to Kathy E.!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Linking to:
Finish or Not Friday hosted by Myra at Busy Hands Quilts
Show Off Saturday hosted by Caroline at Sew Can She
Main Crush Monday hosted by Beth at Cooking Up Quilts



35 comments :

  1. I love the colors of your Garden Path block! My go-to FMQ design would be the trusty old meander. It's quick, easy and classic.

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  2. I am just learning to quilt and haven't figured out free motion quilting yet. So, I don't have a go to motif.
    Sandy

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  3. My first go to motif is spirals! Sometimes I'll opt for flowers too!
    Thanks and have a great weekend!

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  4. I love the colors in this quilt! My go-to free motion quilting motif is a simple meander.

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  5. I do mainly stippling and meandering. I really want to learn some other quilting motifs but that might have to wait until retirement comes.

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  6. Wood grain & meandering are my go-to quilting patterns. Thanks for the great giveaway.

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  7. I am pretty good a meandering, but other than that, I'm not where I want to be. I would love to be able to have a multitude of designs I could switch to.

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  8. Meander, loops or mc tavishing for me .

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  9. I am not good at free motion quilting at all. I feel most comfortable doing a meandering loop pattern.

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  10. My go to is a combo of meander/large stipple/looping.

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  11. I have one of those Trirecs rulers too and never used it, now I can learn how!! Love the project

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  12. Your quilting looks pretty darned good to me! Such lovely colors too. Everything you make is beautiful, Paige. Hope you are enjoying some good sewing times now that the work rush has passed.

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  13. Please omit my other comment. I was trying only to chat with you. This one is for the giveaway.... :-) My go-to FMQ design is a snail trail. That's the one where you quilt a large circle from the outside in, and then make a hook (or curve) on the inside and circle back out. It's covers a charity quilt especially well. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  14. I keep practicing FMQ, but I'm not smooth or symmetrical. If it is for a gift I usually try loops or stipple in an even pattern. Thank you and Christa for the chance to win.

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  15. Love the block colors! I haven't tried free motion quilting on my machine yet but hope to in the near future!

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  16. i really love the quilting, my go to is paisley, but i'm slowly adding more designs like swirls and feathers as i practice more and more.

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  17. The colors in your block are just gorgeous and I love how you are quilting it! I am so intrigued about the conniecting threads...very interesting! My go to FMQ...pebbles! I know they will look fantastic after washing !

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  18. Christa is always such a great teacher and fills me with inspiration! My go-to FMQ is simple loop-de-loops!

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  19. My free motion skills are very limited, so I guess my "favorite" is meandering. I know, practice, makes progress! Love the blues in the quilt and you've reminded me to try my tri recs rulers as well.

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  20. Love your block! My go-to free motion quilting motif right now is straight lines. I love stars and think straight line quilting always looks great on them.

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  21. Gorgeous Quilt!! Ive only tried meandering & loops..so far! lol Thak you for chance to win your give-a-way :)

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  22. Such a pretty little block! It's a good thing I really like turquoise :) And even though I also own a TriRecs ruler, I've never used it for a triangle-in-a-square block. Need to remedy that!

    My go-to FMQ motif is either stipple or floppy feathers for over all fills. For narrow areas, I like wishbones and serpentines.

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  23. Hi, Paige, I feel so much better having read your post. I, too, have rulers, lots of them, that I haven't used yet. All the time, I thought there isn't a ruler or quilting technique that you haven't used, yet. Ahh, I guess, you are a quilting human, after all. Great looking block!! I am not familiar with the webbing technique.

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  24. Swirls although I try anything I see and like but they don't always look stunning. Swirls I can make good all the time. Thanks for a great giveawaly.

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  25. I'm not proficient at any but try squiggles.

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  26. I am very new to free motion quilting so easy meander is what i do! Thank you for the review and giveaway!

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  27. Christa is awesome...I love to do what i call water swirls or puddles; also do a paisley swirl often. thanks! pjrquilter at msn dot com

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  28. I can fill in spaces easiest and fastest with a meander. But my favorite FMQ is wishbones/figure 8s.

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  29. I've been practicing pebbles and squiggly lines lately. It takes a lot of time and I need to limit myself otherwise shoulders and neck get tight.

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  30. This sounds like a great class. Loops are my go-to, followed by stipple and organic wavy lines. I need to learn a new motif.

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  31. Great free motion quilting, you did really well!

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  32. Thanks for the nice review and what a gorgeous block you made!

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  33. Thanks for the review of Christa's class. Your quilt block turned out perfect and your quilting is looking great!

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