Skipping over to Month 7...

I'm able to get the hand sewing done now, but boy I sure found out yesterday that freezer paper piecing IS the thing that sent my arms over the edge with pain! Yikes these blocks killed me yesterday! But they look good!! I'm jumping around a lot because I got behind so these aren't going in perfect order and I'm also doing sections as I can get them done too. So when I get a whole piece done, I'll post again with the complete picture too. I sewed the fish just last night as will show him later, but I spent my time yesterday afternoon making funky stars!

Cheri's pattern is the template pieces so you can do them any way you feel comfortable. I use the freezer paper piecing (FPP) method I showed before many times. I tried my best to not have to cut, but no chance...had to be done. These are the cuts I made.

The top and bottom can be done in one row, starting at either end you want and working across. But then the center has to be cut into 2 pieces. Doesn't matter which place you cut just make sure to add the center section to one of the sides. I started on the side with the background, did the two star tips, then added the center. Do the second center section and then seam them together. Here's me getting ready to sew the last seam...

I've done the bottom and top and just lined up the center with the star tips and sewn together each section. It doesn't have to be lined up perfectly with the paper seams...the center fits with the star tips and it's funky enough that if they don't it's okay too!

A finished star! Oh watch your colors if you don't want the same color next to each other like me! I did the sections and didn't pay attention until I was sewing together and realized I had the same red next to each other!

The whole row completed but not sewn together yet...Note that Cheri turns the last one sideways and adds a strip! I haven't trimmed that either yet.
I'll wait to sew them together until after I add the star parts to the center star. I made the center muslin and I'll add the blue field, and then red strips over the muslin and that will make the star! I think that's how Cheri did hers, although the pattern calls for making white and red strips...I like this idea better.

***EDITED TO ADD:My pattern didn't include this part. The star has strips placed around the edges...1 1/4" strips around 4 sides. ALSO the strip on the bottom edge of the 3rd star says 1 1/2" but I cut a wide piece and trimmed after I attached them all together to be safe!