Rising Stars: The Next Chapter Begins
Interest in The Kansas City Star patterns never faltered after the feature ended. The Star’s quilting community kept the legacy alive by indexing and reprinting the patterns kept in various private collections.
In 1990, the Central Oklahoma Quilters Guild created an index, acknowledging The Kansas City Star patterns as the “premium patterns to collect” world-wide. Over the years, The Star received many inquiries for these classic patterns and as a result, published several books of re-drafted patterns starting with Star Quilts (1999) and Star Quilts II (1000). Working with several talented local designers, The Star began to publish books that contained not only the redrafted patterns, but also new designs. In 2001, The Star resumed publishing quilt patterns in The Star Magazine for the enjoyment of a whole new generation of quilt enthusiasts.
Quilt patterns in The Star Magazine are published monthly in a themed series format. Each of the twelve patterns in the series is designed around a central theme so they may be pieced together to make a complete quilt. These quilt projects are republished by The Star in a book at the end of the year. The quilt feature continues in the spirit of the classic Star patterns with the full pattern published in a ready-to-use arrangement.
These patterns are often accompanied by a related article, tying the inspiration for the pattern to a personal story or historical event. This year the series titled Women of Grace and Charm, designed by Barb Adams and Alma Allen, features patterns honoring women’s efforts during World War II. Cleared for Takeoff, Braking the Code and Until War’s End are among several patterns designed to pay tribute to women who served and supported their country and families during wartime.
Deeply intertwined with the artistry and beauty of the new designs are the meaningful connections with various communities and historical events. These new designs published by The Star will undoubtedly add to the enduring tradition of The Kansas City Star quilts for future generations.
--ALBUM vol. 17, no. (winter 2004)