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Quilt block · Stars · Intermediate

Autumn Star quilt block

A medium star of small squares in the center, dark squares stepping out to each side, light squares and rectangles between, and triangles round a light square in each corner.

FamilyFour-patch
Grid8 × 8
Shapes4
Pieces54
Design with Autumn StarCutting at 6″, 9″, 12″

What to cut for one block

A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.

Background · Snow in the picture

12 squares, 10 rectangles and 4 large triangles

  • A2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
  • D10 rectangles 3½″ × 2″
  • C12 squares 2″
⅜ yd

Dark · Navy in the picture

8 squares and 8 triangles

  • B4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
  • C8 squares 2″
¼ yd

Medium · Denim in the picture

12 squares

  • C12 squares 2″
¼ yd

Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name

How it’s sewn

For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.

  1. Add 4 corner triangles

    Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.

  2. Make 2 sections, 3½″ × 2″

    Sew a Background C square and a Dark C square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).

  3. Make 2 sections, 2″ × 5″

    Sew a Dark C square and a Background D rectangle together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 5″ (1½″ × 4½″ finished).

  4. Make 2 sections, 2″ × 5″

    Sew a Background D rectangle and a Medium C square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 5″ (1½″ × 4½″ finished).

  5. Make 2 sections, 2″ × 6½″

    Sew a Background C square, a Dark C square and a Background D rectangle together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 6½″ (1½″ × 6″ finished).

  6. Make 2 sections, 2″ × 6½″

    Sew a Dark C square, a Background D rectangle and a Medium C square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 6½″ (1½″ × 6″ finished).

  7. Make 2 sections, 2″ × 3½″

    Sew a Background C square and a Medium C square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 3½″ (1½″ × 3″ finished).

  8. Make 1 section, 6½″ × 2″

    Sew a Background C square, a Medium C square and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ × 2″ (6″ × 1½″ finished).

  9. Add 4 corner triangles

    Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.

  10. Make 2 sections, 3½″ × 5″

    Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 5″ (3″ × 4½″ finished).

  11. Make 1 section, 6½″ × 2″

    Sew 2 Medium C squares and a section together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 2″ (6″ × 1½″ finished).

  12. Make 2 sections, 9½″ × 2″

    Sew a Medium C square, a Background C square and a section together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 9½″ × 2″ (9″ × 1½″ finished).

  13. Add 4 corner triangles

    Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).

  14. Make 2 sections, 3½″ × 9½″

    Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 9½″ (3″ × 9″ finished).

  15. Make 1 section, 6½″ × 3½″

    Sew a Background D rectangle and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 3½″ (6″ × 3″ finished).

  16. Make 1 section, 6½″

    Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).

  17. Make 1 section, 9½″ × 6½″

    Sew 3 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 9½″ × 6½″ (9″ × 6″ finished).

  18. Make 1 section, 9½″

    Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 9½″ (9″ finished).

  19. Sew the units into 2 rows

    Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.

  20. Join the rows

    Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).

Blocks like it

More like this: Star quilt blocks · Four-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks

Questions

Short answers.

Something else? A real person replies.

hello@quarterinch.app

What size should I make it?

Its 8 × 8 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.

Can I paper piece it?

Yes. It splits into 15 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).

Is it a good block for a beginner?

It’s an intermediate block: 54 pieces in 4 different shapes and 4 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.

Design with Autumn Star, free

Open it in Quarter Inch at any size, in a layout of your own and in your own colors.

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