Luminous Layers QAL Fabric Requirements

It's time to talk fabric, our favourite subject, right? This week I'll be going over the fabric requirements for making either the small or large throw quilt and giving you some ideas as to how to go about choosing your fabrics, hopefully from within your own stash. Then it's like you've got a totally free quilt at the end: free pattern and 'free' fabric!

If you're 'in' with us, grab that icon and post it to your blog or Instagram or FaceBook (I don't do FB, but it's totally fine if you want to post your progress there). Do you have to have a social media account though to participate? Nope! Email me any photos when it's time for a prize draw and I will enter your name. All are welcome here.

First of all, thank you to those of you who went ahead and bought the pattern; I really appreciate the support.

Thank you to those who have posted about the Quilt Along too. This helps spread the word, and increases the fun and meeting of new like-minded peeps! Because I was so bowled over this past week by a few of my friends, longtime participants, who are quilting along once again, that I decided to give a surprise prize to whoever drew my attention the most through social media. And... drum roll....

Tracie @joyfullytracie also of Joyfully Tracie has been sent a $10 gift certificate to The Fat Quarter Shop! She's already pulled her fabric, and even started cutting😄 and she's posted to her stories on Instagram twice already. Thank you Tracie!

There are two hashtags to use on Instagram: #luminouslayers and #luminouslayersquilt Would you believe that there is already #luminouslayers with makeup and hair stuff and some art, so be sure to use the one with quilt one as well. I'm following both, but tag me as Tracie did too so I'll be sure to see your posts.

Speaking of fabric stores, I heard back from Mad About Patchwork and they are in! They are offering a $50 gift card to their store which is located just outside of Ottawa, Ontario. Sweet!

One more note about sponsors. If you were, like me, in the path to totality of the solar eclipse yesterday (just wow, just wow) then you may want to commemorate the event with a quilt. Maybe you have a budding astronomer in your family. This is a design by sponsor Joanne of Canuck Quilt Designs, who designed the quilt when she was in the path of totality in Iowa in 2017.

A gorgeous quilt!

Okay, let's talk fabric.

Okay bye see ya next week.

Kidding.

Here is the cover quilt for reference once more. You have the choice of two sizes: the small throw which finishes 48.5" square or the large throw which finishes 72.5" square.

Background Fabric

From now on, I'll give the small throw measurements first followed by the large throw in parentheses. So, you need 1 yard (2 yards) of background (black) fabric.

If you look closely at this quilt, you will see that there are actually two background fabrics, black and rich green. You can make the quilt just like that, or you can choose to do all one background fabric. Just add the yardage for the green to the yardage for the black. Having two background fabrics to my mind gives the illusion of a quilt in a quilt in a quilt, get it?

One thing to note is that the blocks in the small throw are 8" with 4" small light yellow stars. The large throw uses 12" blocks with 6" small light yellow stars. Thus the grid upon which the quilt is based is 8" (12") blocks.

Fabric A Giant gold star points and small centre star

You will need 5/8 (1 1/4) yard(s). 

I wanted a dramatic frame for my complete star quilt, one that evoked the night sky, so I chose the gold upon the black. Fun feature: I put two more star points on the back of the quilt! I've always loved, and have often made, interesting quilt backs. I even made an extra tiny star as the quilt label, and sewed it into the backing pieces. More on that another time.

Where to start when choosing fabrics? You could use these giant star points as a jumping-off place to choose colours for the rest of your stars. Choose a print you love, which could be a large print since these pieces are made from 9" or 13" squares. Tip: be sure that there is good contrast between your giant star points and the background (black in the cover quilt) fabric as well as Fabric B.

The other option is to pick six colours that look good together. Maybe a light and a dark of two favourite colours, with two more that work with the two lights and two darks so that you have six fabrics. This is sort of what I did for the quilt I'm making with Stonehenge Gradations. I chose two colours that I like (not my favourites, but I'm all about spring right now): green and pink. I went with a rich forest green and a light green, a magnolia or cherry blossom pink with a rich pinky-burgundy, and then filled in with two more fabrics.

Fabric B Second background green fabric

You require 5/8 (1 1/4) yard(s). A couple of tips here. First, be sure that it goes with the giant star points as it will touch all of them. Second, be sure that the large star points (shades of violet in the cover quilt) contrast nicely with this fabric. And finally, take a look at the tiny centre star that is a bright gold in my quilt: make sure that this Fabric B contrasts with those five joined medium stars.

Fabric C Large violet star points

These are the star points in shades of violet that float on the green background. The pattern gives yardage for all eight star points made with one fabric: 1/3 (7/8) yard. However, you can choose to get scrappy if you like, as I did. If so, the points are made from 9" (13") squares using the two-at-a-time HST method. You could do a square (which would make two star points) of four different violets, for example, which would yield your eight star points. I used two squares of a berry violet, for four star points, and then a square each of two other violets. Michelle made her large star points all in one green.

Fabric D Medium navy/purple/gold prints star points

You will need 1/4 yard OR a fat quarter (1/3 yard) for these medium stars. These four stars are 8" (12") finished. I used navy and purple chops (that is what a batik print is called). Michelle used pink. These four stars will float on the same backgournd as your giant (gold) star, so keep that in mind.

Fabric E Small light yellow star points

Note that two star points of each of the medium stars are this same fabric. This creates a shared star, yet another layer of the medium stars, which draws your eye in to the quilt centre. You need 1/4 yard OR a fat quarter no matter which size quilt you make. So this fabric should contrast nicely, or maybe you want more of a blended look as I did, with your background (black) fabric. Michelle chose sunny yellow for her small stars and the shared medium star.

Here once again are the beautiful Stonehenge Gradations fabrics I'm using for the large throw. To give you an idea of where I'm going, I'm using the forest green for my giant star points which will float on the light green background. Burgundy will be the large stars that will float on the lightest pink background.

So, which size will you make? The small or the large throw? I have yet another idea for you! If you like the full star part of the quilt and are not so sure of the giant partial star, then you could choose to make the full star section of the small or large throw. That part finishes 32" (48"). At first I thought that just the 48" size would qualify for prizes, but then I realized that the 32" full star has just as much work, just as many seams, so why not? Maybe you want it for a wallhanging!

I'll be back next week with the cutting directions. If you have any questions, either ask them in the comments below or shoot me an email. 

Now I'm off for some final preparation and organization for another 'Quilt Tales For the Heart and Mind' presentation in London, Ontario on Thursday.