Barbara Brackman's "Stars in Her Crown"
 

Anyone planning on doing Barbara Brackman's "Stars in Her Crown" ? It's only 9 blocks and looks like fun. Posts are also a very interesting read - she gives lots of historical info about Queen Victoria. I may try doing it in batiks or a mix of traditional and contemporary instead of all traditional fabrics.

Summary is Dec 28 blog post and first block is given in the Jan 5 post
http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/

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Thank you for posting this link. She has a lot of interesting information.

Conchalea - I hope you join me in creating these blocks :) It will be fun!

I watched the TV series "Victoria" and really liked it although I know that the producers probably used "dramatic license" to enhance the story. Although it is fun to watch a TV series it is always interesting to learn more about historical figures like Queen Victoria and her Royal Family and read verified information about their lives.

Barbara Brackman is a terrific historian and I found the information and photos of Queen Victoria and her first daughter that she presented in her blog very fascinating.
http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/...ess-royal.html

Barbara has designed nine blocks named after each of Queen Victoria's children. She will be posting on her blog a new block each week on Saturday (started this week) through to March - Block 1 is already posted. The blocks can be paper pieced or completed using templates. Please visit her blog for further details. Her pattern is also available to purchase from her Etsy store.

Do join me for this project!! As I said above in my first post, I think it will be fun to sew these pretty blocks and possibly see what fabrics others may choose to use.

**Again, Please remember that this is for personal use only and do not re-post any copyright photos or information from Barbara's blog or any Facebook links here.

Ok I'm off to pull fabric from my stash!!

I too watched the TV show and enjoyed looking at the blog;. She had loads of information and great pictures. It was fun to see what Victoria really looked like. I won't be joining your quilt project as I am overloaded with making my own family a pile of quilts. What do you call many quilts? a tribe? a clutch? a herd? a flock?

I may make some of the blocks-I do like this first one. I have an art quilt I want to make, plus a winter-themed project. My fabric amounts will determine the final size of that one. I may play around with fabrics to
see if I can make a pleasing Vicky block.

I've read a lot of Barbara Brackman's posts. She has more than one blog that she writes. Her photos and 'history lesson' are always interesting to me. Her books are the same, very informative and historical. I especially like the research she does about patterns and techniques, showing photos of quilts housed in museums or collections that illustrate what she is talking about.

She just posted yesterday about an antique quilt where triangles were made with strings, which was interesting to me as it reminded me of the recent BHMQ Good Fortune, where the string technique was used for a rectangle. BB is always quick to point out the historical use of the block patterns she uses. Even if she tweaks a pattern, she doesn't seem to call it her own, but rather gives her unique spin of the pattern and how what she chose to use is rooted in history. BB is a wonderful asset to the world of quilting.

I plan to follow along for this series of posts. I'm not sure if I'll also start sewing the project. The sewers that work on BB's patterns often use the most lovely reproduction fabrics! They make me drool. Wish I had those in my stash!

I have been searching frantically through my stash looking for a particular fabric for this project and can't find it!! I think the "gremlins" that live in my sewing area have hidden it away :eek: - my sewing area is a disaster after the flurry of Christmas projects and it was the "dumping ground" for getting boxes and "stuff" out of the way for the holidays so I am slowly trying to get it back together and find that fabric! It would probably be easier to just go to a local quilt shop and buy something!! :p

Hope you are having better luck with your fabric choices - do share and post your progress :thumbup:

I saw on Pinterest a bargello quilt using some fabric called Efferevense....not spelled right. I had bought two yards at great expense at a quilt show in Chicago..//now here was a place to use this. But I could not locate it. Finally, my eye caught a little green carrying case that Missouri Star Quilt Co. had sent me with fat quarters in it. Sure enough, I had thought to highly of that fabric that I had hidden it in that case.

I love the effervescence fabric - they came up with even more of it the last few years.

I really enjoyed reading the blog for this - not sure if I'll make the blocks or not.

Do you mean this Kauffman fabric?
https://www.fabric.com/buy/0302696/e...iABEgJCOvD_BwE
I think it would look nice with Kaffee Fassette fabrics.

Block 2 is up this morning on BBs website!! Very pretty!

Givio - I do agree that bright colors or jewel tones would look nice.

I do like the triangles in these blocks to give the illusion of gems. There are so many fabrics that will look good with this design! This could be done in traditional reproduction fabrics or more contemporary or even solids. I'm thinking of using a few fabrics that have metallic gold or silver highlights to increase the sparkle of the block. I will have to experiment this weekend and catch up before the next block.

Wow, #2 already! I really liked the fabric colors Mark Lauer used on the first block. His second is just as nice.

Mark Lauer blocks are different from the other examples used on BBs blog - two different fabrics are used for the B template in each of the blocks and it gives a more dimensional feel around the the center triangle design. I really like the effect ..... hmmm - Thanks for referring to it Givio :) ...... I just might change up my fabrics and make a new block... will let you know

I do like this very much and would sure like to get totally into it. Problem is I'm so busy right now.

costumegirl, Did you make the first block yet? Got a picture of it to share?

It has been a busy weekend - our niece and her husband are here from the west coast for a visit so no sewing but lots of good family time :) We haven't seen them since their wedding in August 2017.

I ordered a few fabrics for this project to try to find "the perfect color" for the outside template and it should arrive in a few days. This template makes up the secondary block that makes a star when the blocks are put together. My beginning blocks are partially done minus the outside template. I am struggling with fabric choices/color but I guess the best way to figure it out is to just try the options. I am not using reproduction fabrics right now but may make another set with the red repro fabrics that I have to do more traditional - will see if I have time but I'm finding with the first blocks that have been posted that it doesn't take long to make - LOL the longest process for me so far has been coordinating my color choices. I will post pics in a few days.

If anyone has thought of fabric choices or started the beginning blocks please share so that we can all be motivated to get our creativity going :)

BattleAxe - I have not seen effervescence fabric - what is it like?

check my link I posted in our conversation?

oops missed that - pretty fabric! Woohoo the fabric I ordered may be here tomorrow. - hoping it plays nice with the others!

#3 block is available!

I've been saving the blocks - hope to get to them at some point.

Ok all of our family left yesterday just ahead of the ice storm that hit us last night so today is laundry and more laundry - we had a terrific time - there were 17 of us last Saturday for dinner at my BIL's - lots of fun to be with all especially to see the 20-30 yr olds interact with each other.
So now I can concentrate of Victoria's crown! Yeah!

I have to catch up and finish 1 & 2 - Has anyone started the #3 block? I will have to go through my scraps to see if I can find some accent fabrics for the center.

Anyone else creatively chugging along with this project?

Block 4 is on BB's blog :) - It is a very interesting block dedicated to Alfred ("Affie"). There are 3 lovely samples that are shown on her blog. Each show how this block can have different 'dimensional' effects depending on the fabric used behind the center 4 pointed star. The fabric used in the last example by Becky Brown has lots of depth and is quite striking.

I hope to post a few pics of my efforts for the beginning blocks possibly tomorrow. I wasn't totally happy with the fabric that I chose for the secondary background star that makes up the edges of the blocks so I did a little tweaking and drafting of those section pieces. I will try it out today and possibly the result will be more to what I imagined in my mind's eye for that fabric. LOL hopefully it works out.

Hello. I just recently found this Mystery and decided to join in. I am even more excited to learn there is a quiltingborad with like minded folks! I am a little behind, I am still choosing fabrics, or I just might go with a scrapy sorta look with maybe a fat quarter for each block. :) Hope you all are having Wonderful Quilty Days!

Welcome Chevyfreese!! So glad to have you join us!! This is a pretty design by Barbara Brackman and can be done in two sizes of block 8" and 12". She presents a new block each Saturday on her blog Material Culture. Be careful when printing each block out - you have to make sure that the size prints out correctly and it may need tweaking to get it correct. She gives info on her blog in the right hand margin on how to do that.

I think that the pattern will only be available for the time that it is being presented on BBs blog so I suggest that you print out each week's block. She also has links on her blog where the designs for all 9 blocks can be purchased from her directly.

Here are the links for the blocks that are out so far:
Block 1 https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com...ess-royal.html

Block 2 https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com...-of-wales.html

Block 3 https://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2019/01/stars-in-her-crown-3-princess-alice-of.html

Block 4 http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/...d-duke-of.html

This past week has been a little chaotic here with the terribly cold temps during this polar vortex. We have had to go out and check on our four senior relatives who range in age from 88 - 98 everyday and deal with their issues that have come up. They all had issues that really needed our attention so that they would not go into panic mode...sometimes it was twice a day ... Ok DH and I dealt with it and they are slowly getting back to normal today.

I was planning on doing double the number of blocks so that the result would be a larger top. In between these senior visits I would quickly cut and sew together some of the sections of the first few blocks so that I could catchup for tomorrow's Block #5. I'm using paper piecing to make the blocks.

Today I started to try to put each of the blocks together and .... Agh!!!! :shock:realized I had sewed one piece backwards for all the sections!! ..... So upset with myself!!:mad: :(....... That's what I get when I rush - Now I'm playing the rip it game. Hopefully I won't have to cut out too much more of my fabric to fit those pieces.... oh dear ...... rip it.. rip it

I like doing pp but not trying to rip out - oh well could have been worse I guess = could have 2 pieces sewn wrong :p

Block 5 for Helena is posted today on the blog :)
http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/...-princess.html

I know I have promised pics of my blocks and they are coming soon. Thanks for being patient with me - life is giving us a few bumps in the road right now.

Finally getting to post my blocks - anyone else have any to show?

Block 1 - Victoria (Vicky)
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Block 2 - Bertie
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Block 3 - Alice
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Sorry I'm not very computer savvy and for some reason my monitor is showing 2 of the pics under thepost in "attached images" - don't know why that happened - tried editing it out but couldn't get it. If anyone has advice or recommendations on what I should do so that it doesn't happen again please let me know :)

FYI - I noticed that that there will be a documentary series called "Queen Victoria and her Nine Children" on TV next week. It will be broadcast here on public television on Monday Feb 11 but I did find it online - here's the link (hope it's ok to give it but if the link gets deleted just look online if interested.
https://www.tvo.org/video/documentar...-nine-children

Block #6 - Louise is on BB's Blog!
http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/...rquise-of.html

This has been a fun project and depending on color values each block can give a different effect even though the design is based on similar triangles. I'm trying hard to play with the color values for my blocks. LOL not sure if it is working but they are coming together. Will try to post more pics tomorrow.

**Anyone else have blocks to share? Would love to see them or the fabrics that you are using or thinking of using!!

Please join in or post your ideas!! Even if you are not making blocks all your comments are welcome :)

As you can see I'm not using the traditional Victorian floral fabrics though I think many are very pretty. I'm using quite a few of the Northcott Artisan Spirit Shimmers and some of the Artisan Spirit "Flights of Fancy". Many in this line has gold highlighting. I thought the gold highlights would add some sparkle to the blocks and help to make it appropriate for celebrating Queen Victoria's 200th anniversary of her birth.

Here is my Block 4 Affie - sorry taken at an angle

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Gee I was wondering if I had a wool pressing mat if it would to help flatten/ dry press the bulky seams when paper piecing? Anyone use it for this purpose and have good results?

Great pictures, costumegirl! It looks like you will have a soft, feminine colored quilt. Pretty!

Can you explain the steps you are taking to create the file that you use for printing your pattern to use for paper piecing? I've read BB's instructions, and gone to the other page she suggested, but it's not working for me.

Givio - I totally relate! I had a very difficultt time following the instructions given on the blog and was stressing out over it - LOL I am not as mathamatically oriented as I used to be and though I dabble I'm not computer savvy. It takes me a long time to redraft any changes that I want or envision.

I had spent many hours trying to change the size to the 8" and 12" block - that was my first dilema! Second dilema was because I wasn't too fond of my fabric that made up the secondary block star so I wanted to slightly change the pattern by adding a diamond shape in the centre of this star that would form when all the blocks are put together - that will be done just before I join the blocks.

The pattern was resized in Microsoft Word - LOL I struggled!! then I broke down and asked my computer savvy friend (known her for a very long time and consider her my "bonus daughter"). She did it in Microsoft W in less than 5 minutes!! What an angel!!

If you can wait till tomorrow I will ask her to give me the step by steps & post instructions for getting the block the right size - she showed me how but I know she will make the explanation easier than I. If you don't have MW she might also have other options that can be used.

Givio - sent you a pm - let me know how you do :)

Are you getting the ice storm? We live across the river from Detroit MI close to Lake St Clair and got whacked this morning hard! All of our windows facing east are covered in a layer of ice. If you got this nasty stuff do stay safe!

Thanks for the help. I'll probably try again on the weekend, when I have more time to fiddle around with it. I have a limited version of MW that came free on my lap top that I might be able to use as you suggest.

Yes, for sure! Plenty of snow and ice here on the other side of the river. My employer tends to give us a free lunch as a reward for braving cold and bad driving weather. We've had free pizza or tacos a few times lately! The eastern coast seems to be getting hit hard as well these last days.

Got Block 5 Helena done!! It looks crooked in the pic but it measures ok - must be the angle I took the photo - guess I have to work on that and try to get the next one taken straight and more in line ;)

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Block 7 is on BB's Blog this morning!! Reminds me of Block 5 except the center is on point.

http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/...r-duke-of.html


Is anyone else working on these? Please post your blocks or your fabrics :)

If you have lots of projects on the go and are planning to possibly do them later be sure to save the patterns for yourself. I think they will be taken off the blog once the sew along is finished in 3 weeks. You can also purchase BB's pattern from her Etsy shop. There are links in the right hand margin of her blog.

Do check out the many pics of blocks done by others on Facebook and Instagram - so many lovely fabric combinations!!