Construction of star blocks : 5 total

Five center squares, cut at 4 3/4 inches square; make these from one of your designer fabrics.

Larger point of the star- five squares, cut at 5 1/4 inches square; make these from the second of your designer fabrics. Put one of the squares on a small rotary mat, and using your ruler, subcut this square along the diagonal (Be accurate! Use a ruler!!). Turn your mat and cut the other diagonal, leaving you with a total of four smaller triangles. Repeat this for the other four squares. You will have a total of twenty larger points.

Smaller point of the star - ten squares, cut at 3 7/8 inches square; make these from the lighter of your solid fabrics. Put one of the squares on a small rotary mat, and using your ruler, subcut this square along the diagonal. Repeat this for the other nine squares. You will have a total of twenty smaller points.

Now you will take each of the smaller points and make an additional cut. Line your rotary ruler up on the longest side of the triangle - this would also be known as the hypoteneuse. Measure from an end point up 3 and 7/8 inches. Cut off the top part of the triangle at a right angle.

Diagram :

Background pieces - four squares and four triangles for each star block. Cut these from your medium purple fabric. Cut four 3 1/2 inch squares for each background block; you will need 20 squares. Cut one square 5 1/2 inches and then subcut along both diagonals for four small triangles; you will need 20 triangles.

Putting the star square together:

Lay out your completed star on a flannel board in from of you so that you can see how the pieces go together.

Click here for a larger image

Diagram :

The key to sewing these together is to put pieces into larger units until you have the block complete. Your first two pieces are a purple triangle and one of the smaller star points. To this you will add a purple square. Second unit you will sew together is a larger star point with a purple triangle.

Diagram :

Now sew these two units together. (See here)

Now sew a purple square to a small point. Then attach the larger point.

Diagram :

Sew this to the center square. Sew another unit of a small point to a purple square and then add a large point. Sew this to the opposite end of the center square. (See here)

You now have two completed larger units. To make the third unit, sew a purple triangle to a large point. Sew a small point to a purple triangle and then add a purple square. (See here)

You now have three completed units. Sew the first unit to the center unit, matching seams at the center square. Then attach the third unit to the middle, again matching seams at the center square. The whole square should finish at 10 1/4 inches. (See here)

Next : Construction of pinwheel block [Page : 1 2 3 4 5 6]