Quilt block · Stars · Beginner
Liberty Star quilt block
Four long slim triangles spin round the middle as a pinwheel star, each beside a background square and a half-square triangle with its dark half toward the star.
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 squares, 4 small triangles and 4 long triangles
- A2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 3⅝″ × 2⅛″then cut with template C
- B4 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 small triangles
- A2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 long triangles
- C4 rectangles 3⅝″ × 2⅛″then cut with template C
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 Liberty 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 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 squares, 4 small triangles and 4 long triangles
- A2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 5⅛″ × 2⅞″then cut with template C
- B4 squares 2¾″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 small triangles
- A2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 long triangles
- C4 rectangles 5⅛″ × 2⅞″then cut with template C
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 Liberty 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
4 squares, 4 small triangles and 4 long triangles
- A2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 6⅝″ × 3⅝″then cut with template C
- B4 squares 3½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 small triangles
- A2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 long triangles
- C4 rectangles 6⅝″ × 3⅝″then cut with template C
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 Liberty 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
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background A triangle to a Dark A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2″ × 3½″ (1½″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2″ × 3½″
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Background B square together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2″ × 3½″ (1½″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. 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.
- Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background A triangle to a Dark A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2¾″ × 5″ (2¼″ × 4½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2¾″ × 5″
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Background B square together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2¾″ × 5″ (2¼″ × 4½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 5″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. 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.
- Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background A triangle to a Dark A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ × 6½″ (3″ × 6″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″ × 6½″
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Background B square together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 6½″ (3″ × 6″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 6½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. 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
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StarflowerFour-patch · Stars
See SawFour-patch · Pinwheels
Dutchman’s PuzzleFour-patch · Pinwheels
More like this: Star quilt blocks · Pinwheel 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 4 × 4 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 4 sections (A, B, C and D), 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 a good block for a beginner: 20 pieces in 3 different shapes and 4 points to match. Nothing in it curves or has to be set in. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.