Seeing Stars - the scrap saga continues

This is another quilt top from my scrappy summer.  But this one is still a work in progress.

When my friend Maggie showed me this pattern, Starstruck by Amy Barickman I knew right away I'd be making it as part of my scrap reduction quest.  After reading the directions I decided I'd constuct my version just a little differently in order to accomodate using random scraps rather than yardage.

The pattern is made from all 4.5" squares and 4.5" half square triangle units.  So I pulled all the fabric pieces I had that were at least 4.5" wide and cut everything into 4.5" by however long I could get strips.  Using my half square triangle tool I cut both triangles and squares from each strip.  I let the length of the strip determine how many of each I could get out of any one strip.  I didn't really have a plan.  I just knew how many of each I needed and kept track of my totals as I went along.

Then I cut some 4.5" strips from my background fabric and again used the HST tool to make background triangles for all of the HST units.  I did not yet cut any squares from the background fabric, just the triangles.  After sewing and trimming all the HST units I brought those and my 4.5" squares of print fabric to my design wall and started playing with color positions within the star layout.

I was very surpised and pleased to find I had exactly the right number of HSTs and squares to create the two inner stars out of the orange, red and yellow fabrics, with the blues, greens and purples creating the outer rings.  After getting the center star and concentric rings in position on the design wall, I was able to determine the size of background strips I needed to fill in the space between.  For instance, instead of cutting three 4.5" squares and then sewing them together for a section of background, I simply cut a piece that was 4.5" x 12.5"

The only drawback to using larger pieces of background rather than all individual squares is that the quilt top could not be constructed with the simple rows and columns grid we quilters are most used to.  I had to sew it in sections to make larger panels that could then act as very large blocks to form a grid for final construction.

After I got the quilt top sewn together I just loved it!  My plan was to donate all of these scrap quilts to a couple of different charities, but I think I may have to keep this one.  So I will probably be more ambitious with the quilting.

Not sure when I'll get around to that though, so there's still time for me to think about it.