"Orbit"

Last fall I made a quilt for some American friends here in Poland--they are also trying to get a Baptist church started here in Poland. I named the quilt for them Stars A Lot since it is full of stars. It is bright and cheerful.

I began to really like those fabrics and decided that I wanted a quilt for ourselves from those gorgeous fabrics as well. I had bought some Russian stacking doll fabric on Ebay last year when in the states and it was just beautiful! I found a bunch of coordinating fabrics as well. Rachael gave me some Riley Blake that I requested with some foreign words on it - but it works as a blender.

I decided to take these same fabrics - at least the ones I didn't use up in my friend's quilt and make another one. I had recently finished "Periscope" from the upcycled blues series and so wanted to use a courthouse steps block again. It has so many uses!

I called this one "Orbit" because it seems like the stars have circles going around them. The effect is created with the courthouse steps blocks and cornerstones/sashing.

I named it Orbit because with the Courthouse steps block seeming to surround the stars, it feels like they are in orbit!

The fabric I had problems with bleeding on the first quilt (Stars A Lot) was the red with the green polka dots. I didn't know it though, until after I had already made this top.

One thing - when I washed my friend's quilt - some of the fabrics bled. Well, really, it was only one of them - a red with some green polka dots. I was pretty surprised, and disturbed. We have a typical European washing machine - a front loader. It doesn't use much water, so the quilt touches itself quite a bit as it washes.  I did get the color out by soaking that quilt and scrubbing with Dawn dish detergent. I felt pretty good about that.

But when I finished this second top from the same fabrics, I had this fear that I would have the same problem - as I used a lot of white or almost whites in the top. I decided to go ahead and soak the whole quilt for hours before I actually washed it in the machine. I used some dish detergent that I had - it was white - not blue - from Lidl.

This background fabric is the Russian stacking dolls that my sis has - only $4.99/yard!. The blue floral is a Polilsh fabric purchased locally and the center fabric - stacking dolls I bought on Ebay - it was pricey, but perfect for this quilt!

Sure enough, the water turned pink - right away. But I put a lot of warm water in the tub. Then I let it out and refilled it again. Naturally I ran out of warm water, so I continued to fill the tub with cool/cold water. The point is, I wanted a lot of water. The water had a pink tinge this time - but only a tinge.

I left in the tub for hours - then I finally washed it - and can you believe it, I forgot to put in any color catchers!  But it didn't matter - no bleeding! I was very relieved! Very happy! You have no idea!

The red and gold are both Riley Blake and my sis got them for me.  Let me assure that this Riley Blake that my sis carries has a wonderful 'hand" to it. At least all that I have used does.

I couldn't resist taking a distance shot of this one against the trees.

The pattern is on the free patterns page!

I trust you have a great day wherever you are reading this!

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Be sure to check out what my sis has for you over in the store!  She has some beautiful things! Make sure you check it out!

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