Yes, I can...Yes, I can…

That was my mantra for this Twinkling Stars Quilt.

I'm sure you've never looked at a gorgeous quilt pattern and thought “There's no way I'm going to get through this without problems?” And here I'm shaking my head with that WHAT! look on my face.....

"Who, me?" NEVER! Is exactly how I felt when I picked up this quilt kit designed by Monique Jacobs at Open Gate Quilts for Bluprint (used to be Craftsy).

Triangles fill me with fear and despair! Which is weird because I have made many quilts with triangles, and they usually come out just fine. So why the fear? Heaven knows. A personal quirk? Maybe? This quilt pattern seems to have belayed my fears for the time being. I can't begin to describe just how wonderful it has been to build this quilt. I've been showing on social media, photos and small video clips of this gorgeous Twinkling Stars quilt journey. Now, let's line it up!

This quilt started via a dear couple at church who have family in Alaska. I'm sure that isn't terribly important except that I'm from Alaska, and we all live in Hawaii now. Besides, our friend's mother is 94, so when they returned from their latest visit, they asked me to make a quilt for her and one for her daughter who cares for her. And who can really resist building a quilt for dear friends?

For me, making something for friends also comes with its own share of trepidation and worry. Is it going to be good enough? How can I take this to the next level to make this more than just a quilt?

Think about it, this mother is 94? How many gorgeous quilts has she seen in her lifetime?

Do you have those thoughts?

I shoved my fear to the back of my brain and asked some questions. What color does she like? What size will work best? I didn't have to go far with the questions before I was told to make the backing Minky.

And these were the answers: Purple, twin, and Minky.

I have dancing feet by this time. And the search was on! I was all over the internet. Hitting up all my favorite spots such as: Missouri Star Quilt Co, Fabric.com, Connecting Threads, and Bluprint. I did a quick search on Bluprint for the color purple and Twinkling Stars was the result! I promptly showed the quilt kit to my friend and she loved it! (She's so adorable and probably would have said yes to anything I showed her!)

What was I afraid of before? I still have dancing feet...! So I bought the kit and waited. I'm so thankful Bluprint knows how to get the shipping done. I dug into that box like there was no tomorrow! As if my very life depended on it. Aren't those colors just scrumptious? And the fabric at the very top right is Minky from Shannon Fabrics.

Recently, I have learned that the best way to refer to their brand of this type of fabric is Cuddle. Shannon Fabrics Cuddle. It's commonly known as Minky...But, HEY...let's get it right!

Moving on...I have been working away on this quilt. It's even on my longarm getting quilted right now. But, I’m going to give you my experiences in small doses.

Besides, why? ...why would I tell you the end before telling you the middle? We'll get to the middle part later...

Hey Friends,

Nearly all my quilts have a story in them. I plan to share as many as I remember with you. The ups the downs the..."whoops! What was I thinking"...moments.

As I move along I hope to inspire and encourage your journey in quilts.

Most of all, let's have fun!

Thank you so much for reading! Please feel free to leave your comments below!

Much love, Carolyn