Magnitudes' debut!

Drum roll please!!!!  Finally, here is my newest pattern!

I think we all know by now that I am not a speedy pattern writer. I announced I was working on this back in October 2017, and here it is finally in August 2018!  I really think the result is worth it though.

Like Jelly Bean Stars before it, Magnitudes is constructed in such a way that you don't need to fuss with cutting triangles, and so that you cannot unintentionally cut off any points.  Unlike Jelly Bean Stars, it includes multiple sizes:  baby, throw, twin and queen.  It also gives you alternate fabric amounts for the multicolour version above, or for similar backgrounds for all the stars as in the EQ drawing below.

I strive to be accurate, to anticipate questions as I explain and illustrate every step of the block and quilt assembly so the instructions are as complete as possible, and to organize the pattern in a way that makes it easy for quilters to keep track of what step they are working on.

Once my fabulous proofreader has gone over the pattern (my husband is a man of many talents!) I send it out to generous volunteer pattern testers who let me know if I got it right.  They give me feedback about clarity and accuracy, and sometimes suggest various improvements.  I think Magnitudes was a good pattern, but I know it is better after I added in a few details and tweaked a few others following my testers' suggestions.

I extend a huge thank you to Elaine Williamson, Joanne Harris, Kathi Kivi, Sue Howe and Julie Sheehy for testing this pattern and giving me valuable feedback.  I'll share photos of their quilts later this week.

The pattern is now available as a download on both Payhip and on Craftsy.  For special savings through Labour Day (Sept.3) shop on Payhip and use the coupon code ASTRO2018 for 25% off this brand new star quilt pattern!

UPDATE JUNE 23, 2019:  All my patterns have moved to my Etsy shop.

NASA Selfies and star forming regions

Tonight I am going to brag about my husband.  You may or may not know that he is an astronomer.  His particular research interest is star forming regions, and an image of such a region that was taken for his research has been selected as one of the top 30 images taken in the first 15 years of the Spitzer Space Telescope.

To mark 15 years since Spitzer's launch, NASA has loaded the top 30 images taken by the telescope into the NASA Selfies app.  You can download the app on your phone to take an astronaut selfie like Rosie's:

You can choose from 30 images for the background.  Rosie, being a loyal pooch, of course chose my husband's image!

I took a selfie as well, though I think Rosie's is more fun.

I'd also like to note that as knowledgeable as the hubby is about this region, I'm an expert on a much closer star forming region: my sewing room. Look at some what formed in that region:

Star Quilts by Joanne Kerton/Canuck Quilter Designs

Top row: Jelly Bean Stars, Sparkling Strings, Star Steps, Starlight Wishes, Sparkling Trail

Middle row: Forty-Eight, Lucky Bugger, Fundy Skies, Eclipse Sky, Sparkling Trail

Bottom row: Sparkling Thirties, Starfall (batiks), Starfall (Tula Pink), Vintage Sparkle, Fundy Skies.

I hope you'll come back tomorrow for the latest star pattern release! Magnitudes is ready to makes its debut!

Hand Quilting Supervisor

Here's what a hand quilting session looks like at my house.

Sometimes Rosie takes a closer look.

Spreading out the quilt to assess progress also involves paws-on and full-body testing.

Despite all that assistance, I still have not finished quilting Laura's Chic Country. I had resolved in January to sit and quilt every night and planned to have this finished by summer. Chuckle.  I know better than to make that sort of prediction! The best-laid plans were interrupted, but I have continued to make slow progress, even if not every night.

Quilting progress January 2018

Quilting progress August 2018

I recently passed the halfway mark.  I am tempted to name a new target date, but that might be tempting fate.  I'll just keep plugging away when the mood is right and it will be done when it is done.