My Ohio Star Challenge Quilt

This challenge was issued by one of my longarm groups in May, due Saturday 11/15.  I realized in September that I had something planned every weekend and I wasn't going to be able to get anything done.  Then the last weekend of Quilt Festival I realized if I skipped 2 days there I could make the top and then make allow myself one day to quilt it!  Simply,  but I would have an entry.

These are big borders,  cut 8.5" and 3.5"!  I wasn't going to have time to do anything fancy.  I thought, why don't I do a busy fabric for the borders.   Piano key the borders, quilt feather wreaths in the blocks and be done.  I pulled this awesome floral that I had yardage in and realized I had perfect solids to go with it left over from my other challenge!   But as I got into it, I decided to take the challenge further.  I would use the solids and quilt 2 of my weak points.  Variegated thread and standard longarm feathers.  Where you just keep going,  no matter where you are.  I prefer fine, blending thread that only shows dimension and backtracking feathers over the top.  You can't do backtracking feathers with variegated.   

So, this is my speed demon version.  Not my best work but it does inspire me to load some fabric and actually develop some better techniques for this style.  By the last border I realized that I might learn to like the style if I could get a little prettier feather going.   And guess what?  After I made this. .. we got my son's wrestling tournament schedule.   He had a 6 school dual meet on the same day.  So....that's where I was Saturday.   I'm glad I had chosen to make this a personal challenge so my efforts were not wasted!