Quilt block · Stars · Advanced
Crossroads quilt block
An eight-pointed star whose points are each three parallelogram strips, turning round the center between plain 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
4 corner squares and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
12 parallelograms
- C8 parallelograms 2¼″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 2¼″ along the edge
- C4 parallelograms 2¼″reversed, the 45° the other way: trim the end, then cut every 2¼″ along the edge
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 parallelograms
- C4 parallelograms 2¼″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 2¼″ along the edge
- C8 parallelograms 2¼″reversed, the 45° the other way: trim the end, then cut every 2¼″ along the edge
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
4 corner squares and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 2¾″
Dark · Navy in the picture
12 parallelograms
- C8 parallelograms 3″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 3″ along the edge
- C4 parallelograms 3″reversed, the 45° the other way: trim the end, then cut every 3″ along the edge
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 parallelograms
- C4 parallelograms 3″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 3″ along the edge
- C8 parallelograms 3″reversed, the 45° the other way: trim the end, then cut every 3″ along the edge
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
4 corner squares and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 3½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
12 parallelograms
- C8 parallelograms 3¾″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 3¾″ along the edge
- C4 parallelograms 3¾″reversed, the 45° the other way: trim the end, then cut every 3¾″ along the edge
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 parallelograms
- C4 parallelograms 3¾″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 3¾″ along the edge
- C8 parallelograms 3¾″reversed, the 45° the other way: trim the end, then cut every 3¾″ along the edge
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.
- Sew the set-in seams, 4 times
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- 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.
- 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 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the set-in seams, 4 times
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- 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.
- 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 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the set-in seams, 4 times
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- 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.
- 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
Northumberland StarFour-patch · Stars
Pine BurrFour-patch · Stars
Duck TracksFour-patch · Stars
Crystal StarFour-patch · Stars
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 24 × 24 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 15″ 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?
Not as drawn: it has set-in (Y) seams, where three seams meet and none runs straight through. Piece it with a rotary cutter and templates instead, as the cutting list above does.
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an advanced block: 36 pieces in 3 different shapes, set-in (Y) seams and 33 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.