Every month, I look forward to the EQ8 block spotlight. Jenny picks blocks I probably would not have thought to use within a quilt. So, it stretches my imagination and gets me out of my comfort zone. Many of these become quilts I want to make.
This month the block spotlight is on the Star Wheel block. When I saw, the block I was thrilled. I had already used it in a quilt!
The quilt was one of my first professional designs, specifically created for a Northcott Stonehenge Challenge – Celtic Medallion. I was pretty proficient with EQ8 for designing the quilts, or so I thought. I have learned so much since then! I had been quilting for 30 years, so I was pretty confident in my abilities. However, I was totally a newbie on my longarm. It was my third quilt on my HQ Amara and before I took any lessons. Celtic Medallion did not make the finals for the competition, but it has received much attention since then.
The design was inspired by a trip our family took to Ireland several years previously. The block reminded me of the Celtic Crosses we saw throughout the countryside. I paired it with Nine Patches, Priscilla blocks, and Maltese Cross blocks, all of which were found in floor tiles in various places. The quilt was set using the custom feature in quilt design, which was a unique challenge as it was my first attempt. The combination was fun and helped me to learn more about writing foundation patterns.
Celtic Medallion Quilt – copyright 2019 – Tourmaline & Thyme Quilts
Celtic Medallion is one of my favorite quilts. We hope you enjoy it too!
Happy Quilting!
Laureen