Big Star Quilt - Free Pattern

Fabric and Cutting:

40" usable fabric width assumed.

Fabric	Amount Needed	Cutting
Star fabric -- scrappy look	Color Family A: 4 different scraps, each at least 10" square.	Cut one 9-7/8" square from each of the 4 fabrics. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.
Color Family B: 4 different scraps each at least 10" square.	Cut one 9-7/8" square from each of the 4 fabrics. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.
Background fabric - should contrast with all star fabrics	5/8 yard.	Cut four 9-7/8" squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles. Cut four 9½" squares.
Border fabric - should contrast with the background fabric	½ yard.	Cut four strips that are 3½" wide by the width of the fabric.
Backing fabric	1 5/8 yard.	Cut backing fabric on the diagonal from corner to corner. Shift the 2 triangles along the diagonal, moving the 2 wide ends closer together, until the width is about 48" and the length is about 47". Sew together on the diagonal and trim the small triangle off each end. For more detailed directions see The Story of the Diagonal Seamed Back.
Binding fabric	3/8 yard.	Cut five strips 2½" wide by the width of the fabric.
For a more planned look, substitute one of the following for the star fabric
Star fabric -- 4 fabrics	Color Family A: 2 different fat quarters.	Cut two 9-7/8" squares from each fat quarter. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.
Color Family B: 2 different fat quarters.	Cut two 9-7/8" squares from each fat quarter. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.
Star fabric -- 2 fabrics	Color A: 3/8 yard.	Cut four 9-7/8" squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.
Color B: 3/8 yard.	Cut four 9-7/8" squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Fabric

Amount Needed

Cutting

Star fabric
-- scrappy look

Color Family A: 4 different scraps, each at least 10" square.

Cut one 9-7/8" square from each of the 4 fabrics. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Color Family B: 4 different scraps each at least 10" square.

Cut one 9-7/8" square from each of the 4 fabrics. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Background fabric - should contrast with all star fabrics

5/8 yard.

Cut four 9-7/8" squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Cut four 9½" squares.

Border fabric - should contrast with the background fabric

½ yard.

Cut four strips that are 3½" wide by the width of the fabric.

Backing fabric

1 5/8 yard.

Cut backing fabric on the diagonal from corner to corner. Shift the 2 triangles along the diagonal, moving the 2 wide ends closer together, until the width is about 48" and the length is about 47". Sew together on the diagonal and trim the small triangle off each end. For more detailed directions see The Story of the Diagonal Seamed Back.

Binding fabric

3/8 yard.

Cut five strips 2½" wide by the width of the fabric.

For a more planned look, substitute one of the following for the star fabric

Star fabric
-- 4 fabrics

Color Family A: 2 different fat quarters.

Cut two 9-7/8" squares from each fat quarter. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Color Family B: 2 different fat quarters.

Cut two 9-7/8" squares from each fat quarter. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Star fabric
-- 2 fabrics

Color A: 3/8 yard.

Cut four 9-7/8" squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Color B: 3/8 yard.

Cut four 9-7/8" squares. Cut each square in half on the diagonal once to make 8 triangles.

Instructions:

All seams are ¼" wide.
Refer to the assembly diagram. If you are using 4 fabrics for the star, arrange your triangles so that the star points from the same fabric have 3 other star points between them.
Use half the triangles from each star fabric to make the 4 squares in the center of the quilt. Match each triangle from color family A with a triangle from color family B and sew the long sides together to make a square. Be careful to not stretch the long bias edges.
Sew each remaining star triangle to a background triangle to make 8 squares.
Arrange your squares as shown in the assembly diagram. Sew together in rows, then sew the rows together.

attaching first border

Attach the first border strip. -- Position one end of the border strip just beyond an edge of the quilt. Start stitching at that edge and end stitching before you reach the opposite edge. Trim the border even with the edge of the quilt where you started stitching. Leave the other end loose. It will be longer than the quilt top.

attaching second border

Attach the second border strip. -- The second border strip is attached to the edge that has the end of the first border strip attached and trimmed even with the edge. It is sewn across the end of the first border strip and the edge of the quilt top. After stitching, trim the ends even with the edge of the previous border on one end and the edge of the quilt top on the other end.
Continuing around the sides of the quilt, attach the remaining 2 border strips the same way the second border strip is attached.
Sew the free end of the first border strip to the rest of the first edge of the quilt top and the end of the fourth border strip. Trim the edge even with the edge of the fourth border strip. Your top is done.

Finishing

Option 1 - Layer the backing, batting and top and baste. Quilt or tie as desired. Bind your quilt and you are done.

Option 2 - finish with the pillowcase method and skip the binding. Layer the batting, backing (right side up) and top (wrong side up). Sew through all 3 layers around the outside of the quilt top using a ¼" seam. Leave about 8" unsewn along one edge. Trim the back and batting even with the edge of the top. Turn the quilt right side out. Sew the opening shut and top stitch about ¼" from the outer edge all the way around. Quilt or tie as desired.

Page design by SusanB in metro KC ().

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Last modified September 6, 2006.

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