Starburst

 

This one, I was really tempted to keep. But I've been wanting to make a quilt for this particular friend for quite a number of years. Finally, her 60th birthday gave me the impetus to get it done.
I originally started an alternate quilt for her. But then Kim Caskey shared Ricky Tim's Kool Kaleidoscope (videos can also be found on YouTube) and I decided to try that instead. I bought the requisite 20 fabrics for the kaleidoscope part, which then just sat there while other projects took priority. Eventually, I was also able to find the book somewhere, either at a thrift store or among the used books being sold at a local quilt shop. Finally, I was invited to share this friend's 60th birthday celebrations, and that was the motivation I needed. 
I ended up using 19 of the original 20 fabrics in my kaleidoscope, and then had to decide what to do to make it into a throw-sized quilt. Because the centre looks like a star, I decided to make it a supernova, with a "night sky" background, and adding a few extra stars on the bottom. I ordered an appropriate background and border fabric online and prayed it would arrive on time. It did, actually several days before the expected arrival date, thank God. I considered adding rays or "arms" made from the remnants of the strata (the fabric strips sewn together to make the kaleidoscope), but when I put them on the design wall, it just didn't look good. So, I decided instead to just square off the kaleidoscope with background fabric. 

I made the stars for the bottom part of the quilt out of leftovers from the fabrics used in the kaleidoscope.
In spite of the fact that Ricky Tims says in his video that many people say they're not happy with their results, I've been happy with mine from the start. But when I was ready for the border fabric - a blue and purple batik with gold metallic stars printed on it, I cut a couple of strips and put them on the design wall beside the quilt top and it did not make me happy. I felt that the stars were too busy and distracted from the kaleidoscope. So, I chose instead to just complete the remainder of the quilt top with the background fabric, especially since I had ordered enough. And I'm very happy with that decision. I also chose to use the same fabric for the binding. 
For the quilting, I continued the star theme and used Becker's Shooting Star. 

The backing is actually a much deeper, richer brown than this. And it's minky dot, of course, so it will be nice and snuggly for her. And I called it Starburst.
The final quilt ended up about 50" by 70", so a good sized throw.