SueNami | If These Threads Could Talk

The Island Batik Ambassador’s challenge for September is “Starstruck”. We must incorporate “stars” into our project. I chose the Hunter Star block and Sue Tuckers award winning quilt pattern “SueNami“. This really fun quilt was made with 5” blocks using Deb Tucker’s Rapid Fire Hunter Star Petite tool and measures 68″ x 68″.

This fat quarter friendly quilt requires 8 dark & 8 light fat quarters. I used yardage for light background instead of fat quarters. Of course, all my fabrics are from Island Batik.

Every hunter star block consists of 2 trapezoids, 2 triangles, 4 star points. I made 64 blocks – 32 blocks with dark trapezoids and triangles & 32 blocks with light trapezoids and triangles.

The first layout is with un-trimmed triangles. Take care when laying out the triangles that when ever dark star points come together that none are the same so when the stars are formed, every star point is a different color.

Having a design wall is very helpful.

Once you are satisfied with the balance of color, stitch blocks together, press seam open and trim using your Hunter Star tool. Full instructions are included with the pattern & hunter star tool.

Once your blocks are trimmed, stitch them together into rows.

Join the rows together to complete the quilt center.

The inner border was made with flying geese using Deb Tucker’s Wing Clipper I tool. A flying goose with a large light triangle always follows a flying goose with a large dark triangle. This fools the eye into seeing chevrons.

Stitch the geese into pairs, you will then have 8 chevrons from each color fabric. Divide the chevrons into four piles containing 2 chevrons from each color. Decide how you want the colors of your geese to flow, and organize each pile of 16 chevrons, we will use 15 per side. Each strip of stitched chevrons will end up in the same order, with 4 chevrons left over.

The pattern calls for quarter Square triangles as the cornerstones. I decided to use four patches, (there’s a story there). Using Deb Tucker’s Four Patch Square Up tool for the four patches is so quick and easy.

This quilt comes alive with color because of the Island Batik fabrics I used.

#islandbatikambassador #islandbatik #iheartislandbatik

I just finished my class sample for the Hunter Star class I’m teaching in January. The pattern is called “SueNami” created by Sue Tucker. Her SueNami won the Blue Ribbon, Viewer’s Choice, and Best Adult Beginner at the 2009 Vermont Quilt Festival.

This is a companion pattern for the Studio 180 Design’s Rapid Fire Hunter Star Petite, Wing Clipper I, and Tucker Trimmer I tools. This quilt measure 68″ by 68″. SueNami is an unusual Hunter Star medallion style layout. It was great fun, but I would say it is not for beginners. It’s not difficult, but you must use your best organizational skills.

The inner border is made from Flying Geese blocks. A flying goose with a large light triangle always follows a flying goose with a large dark triangle. Each large triangle is the same color as the small triangles of the goose following. By doing that, the seam line disappears and it fools the eye into seeing chevrons.

We go to the design wall with triangles so we can arrange them with a good balance of colors. When you are pleased with the layout, you take down 2 triangles at a time and sew them into a square and put them back on the design wall so as not to mess up your design. when all the triangles are sewn into squares and back on the design wall, you begin again to take them down one at a time and square each one up and place back on the design wall. when everyone is square you can sew the blocks into rows and then join the rows. If you don’t have a design wall, a 60″ by 60″ flannel back table cloth will do. That way if you need to put it away you can pin the blocks onto the table cloth and roll it up so you don’t mess up your design.