MISSION TO MARS QUILT 🚀

The "Mission to Mars Quilt" is a whimsical space quilt that I chose to make for my great-nephew whose name is Marshall and whose nickname is Mars! How could I resist making a quilt that shared his name!

This quilt is made up of a delightful line of fabric from Lily and Loom called "Space Camp".  The entire center of the quilt is paper-pieced. This is the first quilt that I've done with paper piecing and it went really well. Paper piecing is actually quite fun.  It's more like doing an art project than sewing.

Paper Pieced Star Block

Making the Sputnik Block

On the Longarm

This quilt is made up of blocks, each with a different name.  I really got a kick out of the one called the Sputnik Block because the Sputnik was launched by the Russians into Outer Space in 1957, the same year that I was born.  It was the first Earth satellite. My Mom told me that I used to scoot around the house like crazy in a round contraption, similar to the baby walkers of today, that was shaped like the Sputnik and because of this my nickname growing up was Little Sputnik.  In a recent conversation with my oldest brother, however, he said that he gave me the nickname because I was completely bald and resembled the pictures of the Sputnik that they saw on the TV.  This means that this quilt has both my nickname and Marshall's nickname in it along with a little bit of space history in-between.

The Sputnik Block

The rest of the quilt surrounding the paper-pieced center blocks is made up of borders and traditionally pieced blocks.  I had fun putting it all together while my husband and son went off to Daytona for the big race, leaving me with five days all to myself.  Once pieced I put it on the longarm.  On this quilt I used mostly ruler work, stitch in the ditch and some stippling. 

I used Glitter thread throughout the entire quilt.  Working with Glitter Thread by Superior Threads was a joy! It wasn't fussy like metallic thread.  It just required a low tension setting, a slower speed and a 90/14 Topstitch needle.  The Glitter Thread is a hologram thread and it sPaRkLeS! 

I couldn't get the glitter thread to show up in the pictures the way it does in person.  Trust me, it's really shiny!  

Silver Glitter Thread

Peacock and Gucci Gold Glitter Thread

Glitter Thread

This quilt finishes at 68" X 80" ... which means with the side leaders on it JUST fit on my nine foot longarm.  I'm so glad that I didn't get the twelve foot longarm.  I haven't made a quilt yet that hasn't fit the nine foot and getting the shorter longarm meant I didn't have to take part of a wall down to fit it into the room.

I love this little whimsical space quilt and I had fun watching it all come together.  I hope Mars enjoys his quilt 🚀

Remember to pick up a needle and thread and stitch some love into your world ❣️