Purple star blocks progress

I am making some progress on my purple stars quilt.  I've had a productive couple of days with these and other things.  I like watching each of these stars come together.  These three blocks are blocks number 2, 3, & 4.  I haven't put the black sashing and green corner stone on yet.  For that I need to cut up more fabric and I was more in the mood to sew than cut.

This next star block is part of a memory for me.  The purple fabric, is the border fabric my daughter used, for her very first grown-up quilt, that she made for her own bed.  Every time I look at this block I am reminded of her.

This next block is also a memory block.  This purple fabric comes from a friend of mine, from our Bee group.  She gave me this purple fabric amongst other bits and pieces of fabric and fat quarters.  

There is a story to this quilt and why I started it in Dec/2012, but still have not finished it.  Yes, you read that correctly, 2012.  I started the quilt and was enjoying making it, until I came across the perfect fabric to use as a border.  I loved the border fabric and thought it would be great for this quilt.  It was spunky with its cloudy black background and multi purple daisy type flowers on it.  It was more of a younger fabric, not too serious, and I wanted it for this quilt.

By the time I got home from that particular road trip, I had already designed the entire quilt around this one border fabric.  Well........imagine my shock, when I get home and put it up on the design wall with my blocks that were already made, and find out that the border fabric does not play nicely with the blocks.

I was so set on having this border and was upset that I couldn't use it, that I completely lost interest in this quilt and the blocks.  For a few more months I tried to find another border to go with the blocks, but they were all flat looking.  I wanted animated.

By this time, I had all the corner blocks of neutral and apple green done, but that is where it stayed.  I could not muster up any enthusiasm to go forward with is quilt.......until...... Carol gave me this piece of fabric.  This fabric was the missing link to the border.

I realized at that moment, why I did not like the border with the blocks.  The blocks I had made were more along the blue purple and some of them were so light they were washed out.  This purple is more spunky, like some of the flowers in the border fabric.  This purple is more of a red purple and is more animated.

So, I pulled out all the pieces of the quilt.  I kept the bluish blocks that were made there, but started adding in this fabric and some others heading in the red purple direction and colours in between. What a difference!!!

My enthusiasm for this quilt was renewed!  With this one piece of fabric.  My original design plan is now back up and running.  This quilt will be prim and proper with it's fancy coordinated straight lined stars lining up across the quilt, but it will also have a bit of spunk and animation, with the multi coloured variety of purples.  This fabric is my zinger in the quilt.

Thanks, Carol!