I had been thinking about updating one of the bedrooms in our home where the grandkids usually stay when they come to visit. It was still decorated in high-school-girl turquoise and lavender from several years ago when I still had a high school girl living here. I had seen a set of sheets at Target that I liked and had considered buying them but just was not ready to commit to a color scheme.  Then one day I walked by and saw this…..

A 40% clearance sticker! Decision made.  I picked out a soft grey paint  ( Essential Grey by Sherwin Williams) and had the Mr. start painting the room.  I also  knew I wanted to make a quilt for the room and since I had never made a star quilt before thought this might be something to try.  As usual, I started with my graph paper and dimensions and came up with a design.  Someday I will wise up and just use a pattern but I actually like doing it myself.

Then, just to be sure my design and dimensions would transfer appropriately to fabric, I made one of the quilt squares.

Satisfied that the design would work, I determined the size of all the pieces I would need and started cutting out the fabric. Cutting fabric is my least favorite part of making a quilt, but I love having it all done at one time.

Dave was getting ready to go out of town for a few days so I set up my sewing machine in front of the tv and each night after work I sat down to sew and literally watched 14 back episodes of Fixer Upper. My kind of fun!  In this picture I had sewn all the squares and attached the inner borders to make rows.

I then sewed the rows together and attached the outer borders. I knew when I started this quilt that I was going to have it machine-quilted but at the time I was not sure where I would take it.  The last time I asked the person who had machine-quilted three other quilts for me,  she had a six month long waiting list.  Then I remembered that the Missouri Star Quilting Company, a place I visited last year (see that post here), will do machine quilting for a very reasonable price.  On their website all you do is enter the dimensions of the quilt, pick out a quilting pattern, batting and a backing fabric if needed.  You can also have them bind the quilt although in this case I want to bind the quilt myself.  Then you just pack the quilt up and send it to them.

I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive about sending the quilt top through the mail, however within just a couple of days I received the nicest email from Sarah at the Missouri Star Quilting Company;

Dear Theresa,

Your quilt top arrived safe and sound. We have delicately hung it up and it will soon be mingling with the other wonderful quilts. The final step in the journey to becoming a masterpiece is getting closer every day! Your quilt displays wonderful craftsmanship and precision. You should be proud! Thank you for letting us be a part of this beautiful quilt! We will handle it with great care and treasure it as if it were our own!

I am sure this is probably a canned response they send to all their customers but just knowing they had received it and would be handling it with care set my mind at ease. Now I cannot wait to get it back…..they say it will take 4-6 weeks but I am sure hoping it will be sooner. In the meantime I need to make about 24 feet of binding so I will be ready when it is returned!  Pictures coming soon of both the room and the finished quilt.