Quilt block · Stars · Advanced
Chicago Star quilt block
A square-in-a-square in the middle, with an arm on each side of half-square triangles, a bar and an hourglass, and big background squares in the corners.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ 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
The center square, 4 corner squares, 4 bars, 8 squares and 24 triangles
- F1 square 2¾″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 2½″
- E4 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template E
- B16 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- C8 squares 1¼″then cut with template C
- D8 rectangles 1⅜″ × 1″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 corner triangles and 24 triangles
- G2 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B16 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- D8 rectangles 1⅜″ × 1″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Chicago Star cuts cleanly at 4½″ or 9″. At 6″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ⅔″, so they need templates.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ 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
The center square, 4 corner squares, 4 bars, 8 squares and 24 triangles
- F1 square 3¾″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 3½″
- D2 squares 2¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B8 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- E4 rectangles 2½″ × 1½″
- C8 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 corner triangles and 24 triangles
- G2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- D2 squares 2¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B8 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Chicago Star’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
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
The center square, 4 corner squares, 4 bars, 8 squares and 24 triangles
- F1 square 4¾″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 4½″
- B16 squares 2″then cut with template B
- E4 rectangles 3¼″ × 1⅞″then cut with template E
- C8 squares 1⅞″then cut with template C
- D8 rectangles 2″ × 1⅜″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 corner triangles and 24 triangles
- G2 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B16 squares 2″then cut with template B
- D8 rectangles 2″ × 1⅜″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Chicago Star cuts cleanly at 9″ or 13½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1⅓″, so they need templates.
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 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 16 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Background D and Dark D triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 square-in-a-square unit
Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 8 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Background C pieces and a quarter-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections and a Background E piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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.
- Join the rows
Join the 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 16 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Background D and Dark D triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 1 square-in-a-square unit
Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 1½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1½″ × 2½″ (1″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 Background C squares and a quarter-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 1½″ (3″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 sections and a Background E rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 2½″ (3″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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.
- Join the rows
Join the 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 16 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Background D and Dark D triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 square-in-a-square unit
Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 8 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 Background C pieces and a quarter-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections and a Background E piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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.
- Join the rows
Join the 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
At 9″ every piece measures with a ruler. On its 18 × 18 grid, 6″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 9″ or 13½″.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 14 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M and N), 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 advanced block: 69 pieces in 7 different shapes and 40 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.