Quilty Box Project: Olivia's Star! Let's talk Strip Sets!

Grab your March Quilty Box and let's get piecing the Olivia's Star! If you haven't ordered one yet, you still have a chance to grab one before they're sold out. Click the button below and it will take you to the Quilty Box website.

March Quilty Box

There are 8 strip sets to assemble for this project

* I prefer to lay out my strip sets next to my sewing machine, starting on the bottom with Strip Set 1 (it will be the last one I sew together), next Strip Set 2, in a basketweave to Strip Set 1. (think strip set 1 strips go vertical, strip set 2, strips go horizontal) This keeps them nice and organized and I don't arbitrarily pick up extra strips from another set. Also, if they're next to my sewing machine, I can't mess them up in transport!

*Background strips are part of the strip sets. They are put in there so that we don't have to do any tubin, looping or seam ripping that is normally associated with bargello! Faster! Love that!

*Note that after I had you cut all those little strips, I have you sewing the same color back together again...YES!!! This is important!! This is the only seam in the whole diamond you have to line up, so bear with me on this!

Set your machine to a smaller stitch length!!!
 1.8-2.0 works best!!
​Scant 1/4" seams are important!

Press seams open! Makes it easier to quilt this, makes the peice lay flat too!

Use non-aerosol spray starch. It keeps the starch directed on the piece and not decorating your wall!!

Let's stay organized!

This project is designed to be easy enough for you to pick up where you left off if you get called away. Just stay organized!

Sewing Strip Sets
I have a couple tips that make sewing these strip sets easier. Try these methods and give me some feedback about what you think!

​*Strip sets are labelled 1-8. Actually label them! It can get confusing very quickly if you don't.


*You'll note in the pattern, I have you start cutting with Strip Set 8 as well as start sewing with Strip Set 8. There's a reason for that. It has the most bargello buddy strips in it. You have the most focus when you start a project, so I'm capitalizing on that!

The background is on either side of the bargello buddies, the same bargello buddy is sewn to itself for a mirro image!

*I like to string piece my strips together for each strip set. It keeps them in order and I don't cuut the thread inbetween them until AFTER I have pressed the seams and am sitting back down in front of my machine to sew more seams. 

*Assembling your strip set:
If you sew two by two's, press your seams, then sew sets of two together going the opposite way, you'll keep your strip sets from bowing.

*Pressing:
I have definite opinions about pressing and so will you when you go to quilt it! Press those seams open by doing the following:
   Set the seam with your iron, not scrubbing it, but think big elephant footprints stepping on the seam. 
   Open the seam with the nose of the iron, and press. Try to pull the strips from the end--once the seam is set this method should help pop them open.
   THEN spray starch and press the seam again. This will "glue" the seam open. (if you spray starch before you open it, it will glue it shut)

Get those strip sets done! Feel free to comment or reach out on the contact page if you get stuck!!

Next up! Cutting those strip sets into bargello segments