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Last week, I shared how to make diamond and turn them into stars. Now, we are going to fill those stars so that we have a beautiful square block for a quilt. If you look at the star, I mean the fabric one, not the one in the sky, you will notice two different shapes are needed – square and triangle. On the other hand, the stars in the sky, which are a lovely distraction, only need a clear night to enjoy.
Ok, I have my head out of the clouds and back to quilting. I recommend filling in the triangular spaces first. In this case, match the points of your triangle with the points in the star. Make sure you have the short side of the triangle and not the long side of the triangle. I have made that mistake more than once, when not paying attention. Sew from the point to the seam between the points of the star. Stop at the seam. If you overshoot, you can back (not rip) the stitches out. It is best to fold the adjacent point backward to avoid catching it in the seam. Then, line the remaining triangle point up with the adjacent star point. Again, sew from the point to the seam between the points of the star. Press (not iron) the seams away from the triangle (toward the star points). Next, trim the dog-ears. One step down, two more to go…
The next step is to add the squares to the corners. This is like the triangle addition. Line up the corner of the square to one of the points of the star. Sew from the point to the seam between the points of the star. Then, match the opposite corner of the square to the adjacent point of the star. Sew from the point of the star to the seam between the points of the star. Press the seams toward the corner. This pressing direction is important as it leaves the points of the star exposed on the backside, which allows you to sew other blocks to this star block, while ensuring the points stay sharp.
The last step is to press the whole block and trim it to size. Congratulations! The star block is finished. Practice does make prefect (or permanent). The Never Forget Quilt has sixty-four stars. I should be a pro by the time I finish it. Ok – I am a professional, but I will be proficient at making them.
Happy Quilting! ????
Laureen