Not So Crazy Eights! Season Eight Project Quilting

So excited for this year's Project Quilting challenges! I entered several projects last year during Season 7, and I found out 2 things about myself,
1. I love challenges! Not only does it make me complete a project since we have the week to finish the item and post,( I have so many UFOs around), but it appeals to my competitive side. Nothing like being challenged once in awhile.
2. By doing these challenges I tried new techniques that I probably would not have tried if I hadn't been part of the group. Last year I appliqued for the first time, tried some landscape quilting, and even designed my own patterns. Basically these projects have helped me become a more rounded quilter.

Well the first challenge this season is "Eight is great," in honor of this eighth season.

I immediately thought about one of my first quilts I made as part of a class: a stack and whack quilt. I remember taking the class as a new quilter thinking I could never do such a difficult quilt. With the help of a fantastic instructor and a great book, the quilt came out better than I even imagined.

A quilt I made for my daughter Caitlin for Christmas 2014

I always loved this method. The class was based on the book by Bethany S. Reynolds, "Magic Stack and Whack Quilts." A great book that has easy to follow instructions for several different types of stack and whack quilts.

I decided to do an Octagon stack and whack, so eight pieces. My design would be these Octagons on top of each other to make the number eight throughout the quilt.

To start I layered eight pieces of fabric matching precisely the prints.21 x 6 inches. My fabric had a 12 inch repeat.

My Fabric

 It is best to use fabric with a larger print, and over a 12 inch repeat. I did this using long straight pins, then placing a basting stitch to hold everything in place exactly. In the picture for example. I found the several identifiable marks that I could see easily and put a pin through each of these marks.8 times, on each layer.

I'm using the bird's eye as an exact mark for the eye layers.

Then I cut triangles out of these layers. each triangle will make an Octagon. I'm doing eight 6 inch blocks and eight 10 inch blocks.

I get so excited as I see the different Kaleidoscope like designs that appear as you put the different pieces together .

Corners added to make octagons square and easier to work with

Next I auditioned placement and background choices

                                                 

After picking my background fabric , I pieced the quilt and sandwiched it.

Time to quilt! I have just bought this new ruler foot from Bernina with these shape rulers. Included are circle shapes which I thought would be perfect as eight shapes! 

The ruler idea is very useful, but takes a lot of patience. It also takes upperbody strength since you have to hold the shapes down so the wide edged foot "rolls around" the shape (I was sore the next day!). If you move the ruler even a slight bit, it causes some imperfections.  I should have tried it on a smaller project to begin with, but no turning back now!!

So here is my finished project! It is 50 inches by 47 inches . 

Not So Crazy Eights!

There are eight pieces in each Octagon. They are stacked to look like the number eight, And the quilting on border and sashings are circles stacked to look like the number eight,

Thanks Kim and Trish for making this challenge possible!