Hey everyone – happy Hump Day! How are all your projects coming along? Considering the number of active quilt and sew-alongs going on right now, I can’t imagine that too many of you are without something to work on. Between the Twilight Stars Quilt-Along, the Joyful Gatherings Quilt-Along, and Moda Blockheads 5, there are currently QAL block releases on Wednesdays, Thursdays, AND, Fridays every week. That’s not to mention an additional monthly block release from the Black Star Flower Farm Stitch-Along, which comes out on the 10th day of each month. If you’re not already involved in these projects and are looking for something to do, I highly recommend them all! Having trouble deciding which one to tackle? You can read more about them by clicking HERE! Already participating in all four, but still need more? Be sure to check out all the quilt and sew-alongs I’m currently involved in at http://www.lisabongean.com under the “Quilt-Alongs“ tab.

In case you didn’t know, Wednesday is the designated Moda Blockheads 5 day, which means we have a bit of work to do! Today’s featured MBH5 block pattern was contributed by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. A true fan of star blocks, Joanna has an appreciation for all types, ranging from classic to the most intricate feathered stars. Joanna describes the “Galaxy Star“ block as one of her favorites because despite the fact that it only uses a few techniques, it still creates a fabulous secondary pattern when used on its own. For an explanation on what exactly she means by that, the FREE pattern download, plus a few fun tips on how to use Galaxy Star, please visit Joanna’s blog by clicking the button below!

For my blocks, I’ve decided to keep it simple and go with a soft, muted collection of Bella Solids that I’m calling “Sundown,“ which I will be adding additional colors to this winter. If you’d like to follow along with me and do the same, I made things easy for you by putting together some One-Yard, Half-Yard, and Fat-Quarter Bundle options for your convenience. You can find them for purchase on our website by clicking the button below!

I hope things are going smoothly for you so far with Blockheads 5. One thing I have noticed is that there seems to be a lot of different and strong opinions flying back and forth on how blocks should be put together. I think that’s interesting considering nine times out of ten, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. The bottom line is, there are many methods to putting a block together and how you choose to go about it should be up to what works best for you. Personally, I like to use the method that produces the least amount of seams as possible. Like… I don’t bother to make all half-square triangles if I can get away with making flying geese, for example. That’s just me. I also like things to be the correct size. I hate having to trim each unit because they are oversized. Efficiency is key. I will sacrifice absolute perfection to save time. I can compensate if something isn’t lining up, it’s not that big of a big deal. That being said, last week I mentioned that if enough people feel they would find it helpful, I am be happy to post my block piecing technique for each block going forward so you can see exactly how I roll. Unsurprisingly, I got an overwhelming number of YES! responses so here goes… And like I said – do what works for you. If that’s the block designer’s way – great! If my way is different and just so happens to make the most sense for you, please – be my guest! As promised, here is my method of piecing Galaxy Star:

If you have any questions regarding this block (or anything else for that matter) feel free to leave me a comment here on the blog! You can also visit the Blockheads 5 Main Page for more information on Moda Blockheads 5 and how it all works by clicking HERE. I also recommend hooking up with the virtual Blockheads community for even more support by checking out their Official Moda Blockheads Facebook Group.

I will see you all tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. central standard time for STITCH with Lisa Bongean on YouTube where I’ll be talking more about my progress on Blockheads 5, showing off a few quilt samples, introducing a new Bernina event, AND giving you the details on our CommetSold Flannel episode that will be coming up directly after the LIVE show. Tune in by clicking the STITCH icon at the end of the post! I do have to say that if you’re a sucker for flannel, this is one CommentSold you don’t want to miss! You can watch through the Primitive CommentSold app or via our Facebook page “LIVE” area by clicking HERE (please remember to refresh your browser if the LIVE does not automatically start)! H an awesome evening, everyone! ~Lisa