Star Sampler Block #8

We're back with the second-last star tutorial for our Star Sampler, created by Tammy of Tamarinis. This star shines on a dark blue background! Tammy calls it the "woven ribbon" star, and you'll see how some careful cutting creates "ribbons" that really do seem to weave in and out of the star.

This sampler series of nine star blocks began last week and concludes tomorrow. The star blocks are made using Ro Gregg's Marblehead Venetian Glass fabrics. If you missed blocks #1-7, you'll find links for them at the bottom of this post. Plus, don't miss the chance to enter a giveaway to win a bundle of these gorgeous prints! 

Tammy: I was thrilled to be asked to participate in Fabri-Quilt’s Star Block promotion.  Ro Gregg’s Venetian Glass line is truly spectacular, and any excuse to play with those luscious fabrics is a good excuse, right?

Here’s my block – a woven ribbon star:

Now, before I begin – a funny (short) story.  I was trying to hurry – and we all know what a BAD idea that usually is.  Yep – no different for me.  I pulled up the wrong rendering – and made the wrong block.  Urgh!  I’ll share that one at the end – just so you can see what a different color placement can make!

To begin:

I started with these four beauties – fat quarters of navy with gold, paisley print, mottled blue, and cream with gold.  Strips are cut along the 22” side of the fat quarter.

Cutting:

Navy: (1) 3 ¾” strip

            (1) 4 ½” strip; subcut (4) 4 ½” squares

Paisley: (2) 1 7/8” strips

                        Cut (2) 1 7/8” x 3 3/8” rectangles from one strip

Mottled: (1) 1 7/8” strip

                        Cut (2) 1 7/8” x 3 3/8” rectangles from strip

                (1) 2” strip

Cream: (1) 3 ¾” strip

                        Cut (1) 3 3/8” square from strip

             (1) 2 ½” strip

             (1) 2” strip

             (1) 1 7/8” strip; subcut (4) 1 7/8” squares

Sew the Paisley 1 7/8” x 3 3/8” rectangles to the left and right sides of the 3 3/8” Cream square.  Press to the Paisley rectangles.

Sew the Cream 1 7/8” squares to the left and right side of the Mottled 1 7/8” x 3 3/8” rectangle.  Press to the Mottled rectangle. Repeat to make (2) sets. 

Sew to the top and bottom of the Paisley/Cream unit created above.

Create a strip set by sewing the Cream 2 ½” strip to the Paisley 1 7/8” strip.  Press to the Paisley.  Sew the Navy 3 ¾” strip to the Paisley strip.  Press to the Paisley.

Using your 6 ½” square, place the 45 degree line on the seam line between the Paisley and the Navy strip. 

Cut along the right side, cutting along the navy up to the paisley, then making the second side cut along the Paisley/Cream side.  Now turn that around and square it up, cutting a 4 7/8” square.  It will look like this.

          

Cut this square in half once, corner to corner.

                        

Repeat with remainder of strip set to create (2) additional HSTs (half square triangles).  Set aside – we’ll come back to these, plus the center block, in just a moment.

Sew the 2” Cream strip to the 2” Mottled strip.  Press to the Mottled strip.

Cut (4) 3 ½” squares from the strip set.  You will be cutting these in half – but not corner to corner (gesh – that would be TOO easy, huh?).  Measure ¼” down from the top corner, ¼” in from the bottom corner, and cut along that line.  Using the picture as a guide, cut (2) squares in half from top left to bottom right, (2) from top right to bottom left.

It sounds odd – but it works.  (And I know because I had to do this twice – to get it right!).  You’ll be using the larger (non-pointed) HST units in your star block construction.

Ready to start putting all these pieces together?  You should have all the pieces as shown:

The Cream/Mottled HSTs  will be paired up with (2) of the 4 ½” Navy squares.

Note the Cream portions meet at the corner.

Fold the Navy square in half, right sides together, to mark the center point.  Fold the Mottled/Cream HST in half along the long side, wrong sides together, to mark the center point.  Match up these finger creases, and sew the first HST to the marked side of the Navy 4 ½” square.  Press to the Navy square.               

Repeat with the second Mottled/Cream HST to complete one corner, pressing to the HST.  Repeat to make the second corner unit.

Remaining (2) corner blocks:

Note that again the cream corners meet at the center.

Lining up the corner, flip one HST unit onto the Navy 4 ½” square and stitch along the strip set side (the side with the two seams).  Press to the Navy square.

Now repeat with the second HST unit, ensure that placement is correct (cream points are meeting in the middle).  Press to the HST.

   

Repeat with the remaining corner.

Now you should have all sections to create your star.  The block is stitched together on the diagonal.  Lay your sections out in three rows as shown:

Begin by stitching the Mottled corner units to the Paisley sides of the center unit.  Press to the center unit.

Final step (woohoo!) – matching up seam lines, sew the last (2) corner units to the center block unit.  Press away from the center.

And you are done!

And what about that “oops” block, you ask?  Well, here you go.  See what a difference color placement makes?  I forgot about the Navy background when piecing the HSTs, and suddenly the star point is lost.  Oops!!!

Happy Stitching!

Tammy

      For a chance to win one of 3 fat quarter bundles of Marblehead Venetian Glass, sign up to follow Inspired by Fabric (using the "follow" button or the "follow by email" button in the right hand side bar) and leave an email letting us know you did, as well as telling us--what size quilt do you make most (lap, bed, wall hanging, table runners, etc.)? You can leave a comment to enter once for each post during the Star Sampler hop (9 entries total). The giveaway will be open through Monday, March 17th at 11:59 EST, and we'll randomly pick 3 winners on Wednesday of that week. 

     Make sure you catch the tutorials for all the blocks in the sampler!

     Star #1: Connie of Free Motion by the River

     Star #2: Joanne

     Star #3: Fabri-Quilt blog team

     Star #4: Dawn from Spring Water Designs

     Star #5: Heidi from The Whimsical Workshop 

     Star #6: Fabri-Quilt blog team

     Star #7: Shanna from Fiber of All Sorts
     Star #9: Monica from Diary of a Quilt Maven