Quilt block · Stars · Intermediate
Virginia quilt block
A star whose points are two flying geese on each side, pointing in to a big dark center square, with a dark L of two bars round each background corner square.
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 4 geese
- A1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B4 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
The center square, 4 bars, 4 short bars, 4 geese and 8 small triangles
- A1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 2½″
- A4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 2½″ × 1″
- C4 rectangles 2″ × 1″
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 small triangles
- A4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
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 4 geese
- A1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B4 squares 2¾″
Dark · Navy in the picture
The center square, 4 bars, 4 short bars, 4 geese and 8 small triangles
- A1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 3½″
- A4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 3½″ × 1¼″
- C4 rectangles 2¾″ × 1¼″
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 small triangles
- A4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
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 4 geese
- A1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B4 squares 3½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
The center square, 4 bars, 4 short bars, 4 geese and 8 small triangles
- A1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 4½″
- A4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 4½″ × 1½″
- C4 rectangles 3½″ × 1½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 small triangles
- A4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
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 sections, 2″ × 2½″
Sew a Background B square and a Dark C rectangle together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 2½″ (1½″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Dark and Medium
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew a section and a Dark D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew 2 flying geese units 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 4 sections, 2¾″ × 3½″
Sew a Background B square and a Dark C rectangle together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2¾″ × 3½″ (2¼″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Dark and Medium
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew a section and a Dark D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 flying geese units 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 4 sections, 3½″ × 4½″
Sew a Background B square and a Dark C rectangle together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 4½″ (3″ × 4″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Dark and Medium
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew a section and a Dark D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew 2 flying geese units 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).
Blocks like it
Swing in the CenterNine-patch · Stars
Union SquaresNine-patch · Stars
State of ArizonaNine-patch · Stars
Friendship StarNine-patch · Stars
More like this: Star quilt blocks · Nine-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 12 × 12 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?
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: 37 pieces in 6 different shapes and 16 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.