Quilt block · Stars · Intermediate
Twisting Star quilt block
Four large triangles twist round the center of a square, their tips breaking out into the light border, with a second fabric in the triangles between them.
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
8 trapezoids
- A8 rectangles 4¼″ × 1¼″trim both ends at 45°, from the corners of one long side
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 large triangles and 4 small triangles
- C1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B2 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 large triangles and 4 small triangles
- D2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- E1 square 2¾″cut twice on the diagonals
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
8 trapezoids
- A8 rectangles 5¾″ × 1⅝″trim both ends at 45°, from the corners of one long side
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 large triangles and 4 small triangles
- C1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- B2 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 large triangles and 4 small triangles
- D2 squares 4¼″cut once on the diagonal
- E1 square 3½″cut twice on the diagonals
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
8 trapezoids
- A8 rectangles 7¼″ × 2″trim both ends at 45°, from the corners of one long side
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 large triangles and 4 small triangles
- C1 square 7¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 large triangles and 4 small triangles
- D2 squares 5⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- E1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections, 5″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections, 6½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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).
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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 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 8 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H), 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: 24 pieces in 5 different shapes and 17 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.