Getting Ready for the Solar Eclipse and FREE pattern

Are you ready? I won't be in the direct path, but I'm going to buy a pair of those funky sunglasses so I don't burn my eyeballs out.

Thinking about this event on August 21 made me realize that I have quite a few celestial quilts, four (yes 4) have the same name: Blast Off! What's with that? Can I share a few of those with you?

This quilt was made for Benartex Fabrics in 2009, to appear in a Fons and Porter magazine. I'll wait while you check your magazine stacks for this one. Are you back?

Blast Off! - 66" x 90"

This makes the most of the fabrics as they're centered in those Cobblestone Blocks. The alternating blocks are a traditional Job's Tears which I converted to paper piecing. The blocks are 12" x 12". I had fun making this and it's been gifted to some very happy child.

An earlier quilt that appeared in Miniature Quilt Ideas (2005) and also on the cover, I called (wait for it) - Blast Off! This has 8" Job's Tears blocks and is about 33" x 33". I gave this to my son in law's cousin in Spain in 2007. He loved it!

Blast Off, 2005

Now, let's see some more. This next quilt is the traditional Diadem block which I converted to paper piecing. The center squares are rotary cut 10" squares and the corners are paper pieced. The block measures 14". Four of them make an awesome child's quilt.

Now that I look at this, I wonder why I didn't alternate those blue and gold blocks!! Duh!!

Outer Space Kid's Quilt using the Diadem block

Let's see those blocks up close:

Blue pointed Diadem block

Gold pointed Diadem block

Now let me show you a digital quilt that first appeared in my 2010 Block a Day Calendar. The rocket ship dates from even before then (2004). It also is paper pieced:

Blast Off Quilt from my 2010 Block a Day Calendar

Hey! I thought this was supposed to be about the Solar Eclipse. The sun, right?

Last December I posted a happy little block I called the Winter Solstice. That has to do with the sun! I like December 20/21. That's because the days get longer by one minute from then on.

Winter Solstice Block

Click the links above and you can see my steps for making this block.

I have a FREE solar system themed pattern at the Windham Fabrics web site and - can you believe it - it's not called Blast Off! It uses their current Aliens Collection. I call the quilt My Outer Space Buddy. It uses simple raw edge applique and the pattern includes the full size templates.

This pattern hasn't been loaded yet at the Windham site as they are waiting for the fabric to ship to shops. Just hold onto that link, OK?

My Outer Space Buddy

Wherever you are in the path of the solar eclipse, I hope you take precautions with your eyeballs! You need them to see your seam allowances, pick out new fabrics and sew your next quilt!