I store my fabric scraps and fat quarters in smaller plastic bins on open shelves in my sewing room. It’s not very fancy, but it’s efficient and I enjoy seeing what I have, at a glance, from my sewing station. I organize my fabric by color until a project idea begins to percolate. Then I grab an empty bin and group coordinating fabric together until I have something I like. I don’t necessarily begin cutting and sewing right away. Often, I let that project bin percolate weeks or even months before I get moving!
Case in point: I have been organizing and reorganizing some favorite blues, browns and taupes in my stash since late last fall. A few weekends ago, I decided that I was really annoyed with myself. I loved this fabric and wanted to sew with it, but I was stalled by indecision over which pattern I should use. In the end, I decided to sew up what is probably my easiest and most versatile pattern, Lakeside Star. I’m so glad I did! Here is my finished top:
Lakeside Star is fat quarter friendly and beginner friendly. My instructions encourage you to lay out the entire quilt center before sewing any units together. This gives you total flexibility on where you want to place colors, prints and values. I provide other tips as well. I’ve made Lakeside Star four times, and I’ve been so pleased with each finished quilt. I can’t wait to have this newest version quilted!
I first released Lakeside Star in 2019. My original quilt was inspired by the late autumn colors I witnessed around our home at that time: indigo water, peeling paper birches, cattails and lake reeds, as well as shrubs and trees in their subdued, post-peak fall color. Here is a photo of that original Lakeside Star.
My newest and oldest Lakeside Star quilts are similar but unique. Being flexible and creative with placement of lights and darks make this project a lot of fun! Even though both quilts feature a similar color scheme, I find that I am enjoying the soft, muted vibe of my newer version. It is also special to me because I mashed together prints from several different designers and different fabric companies. That always brings me a creative thrill!
If you’re feeling stuck and want to get moving with some fat quarters that have been percolating in your sewing room, might I suggest Lakeside Star? It finishes at 74” square and is a snap to sew together. Lakeside Star is available as a digital download on my Etsy Shop. I’ve extended my Mother’s Day sale for a few more days, so now would be a great time to pick it up!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
~Taunja
Other versions of Lakeside Star:
Lakeside Star: A Crimson version (quilt top)