Jeff's "Trailing Stars" top

I have been trying to make the most of these days when we've been stuck inside due to inclement weather.  I cut into all the light fabrics that I bought at the secondhand store, and I cut out squares from my old red, green, and blue fabrics.

I designed this quilt on graph paper, because it's construction didn't allow me to use a regular block formation in EQ4.  There is a way to do it there, but it isn't worth the trouble it takes, to me.  I guess I'll always be a graph paper girl at heart.  In order to stagger the star placement, it was constructed in rows, rather than individual blocks.

Anyway, I cut two corners off of 5 inch squares and added back 3 1/4 inch triangles.  Then I trimmed these down to 4 3/4 inches, and mixed them with lots of other light and dark 4 3/4 inch squares to form light and dark stars, and light and dark background.  The "trailing" design is easy to see from a distance, but gets lost when you're observing the quilt up close.

This is the first time that I have really observed my body getting sore from piecing a top.  My left arm developed an ache in the upper muscle from holding the ruler down while trimming the squares.  And now, I have an ache in my right side from hours of sitting and turning in my sewing chair.   Ah, the wonders of getting old !
Not complaining, mind you, just commenting !

So, when Spring eventually gets here, I should have more than one top to get basted outside underneath my carport........if the wind will cooperate.    I always wonder why I don't do more piecing and quilting throughout the cold weather season, but I realize now that 1.  I forget to baste up plenty to quilt while I have ample opportunity and good weather., and 2.  I shut off the sewing room to keep from having to heat more rooms than necessary.

But, praise the LORD, life goes on, and it all gets done, right?