Tutorial: Eight-Pointed Star Block Pattern

This quilt block will end up measuring 6"x6". I will be referring to the inner fabric as your "star" fabric, and the outer as your "square" fabric. Sew with a 1/4" seam. 

This is a great block for scraps! 

Steps:

1. Cut two 2 7/8" squares from your star fabric and then cut once diagonally across on each. I used more than one fabric for my star because I only had honey bun strips. You can use one fabric!

2. Cut one 3 1/4" square from your star fabric and then cut it diagonally twice to make four triangles.

3. Cut one 2 1/2" square from your star fabric.

4. Cut four 2 1/2" squares from your square fabric.

5. Cut one 3 1/4" square from your square fabric and cut it diagonally twice to create four triangles. 

6. Time to sew! Sew your star and square quarter triangles (from steps 2 & 4) on the top right side as shown in the picture below. Be sure to place your fabrics right sides together with the square fabric on top. If you don't do this correctly your star won't come out right! Don't worry though, I did some unstitching too... After sewing, open the triangles and iron open the seam. Repeat this step for all of your quarter triangles.

7. Take your triangle from step 6 and sew onto it a half triangle from your star fabric (from step 1). Sew with right sides together, on the long side of the triangle. Iron open. Repeat this step to make four star-point squares. 

8. Here are what your star-point squares will look like: 

9. Start sewing your rows together. First row: square fabric 2 1/2" square, star-point square, and a square fabric 2 1/2" square again. Iron.

10. Second row: star-point square, star fabric 2 1/2" square, and star-point square again. Iron.

11. Third row: 2 1/2" square fabric, star-point square, and 2 1/2" square fabric again. Iron.

12. Now you have three rows that, when you place them above and below one another, should look like this:

13. Sew each of your rows together, remembering to line up the seams so your star comes out as beautifully as possible! Iron and straighten out your edges (by cutting) to make the block exactly 6"x6". 

Quilt Block: Stack 'N Shuffle

Tracey wanted an idea for a quilt block, here's one that is never the same twice!

1. Take some freezer paper or butcher paper and cut it to the size you'd like to start out with for your block. Do remember, however, that because of seams and trimming the block will be smaller in the end.

          - My block started out as 21 1/4" x 16 3/4"

2. Create your own cut lines on the paper (number of pieces should equal number of fabrics used). Don't do more than ten cuts/fabrics, or less than three. 

         - I have five fabrics and will make five pieces to cut out.

3. Cut each piece of fabric the size of your block.

4. Stack fabrics - a trick to keeping the fabrics from shifting when cutting is to run an iron over each one before stacking. Also, make a note of which fabrics are where if you are concerned you'll lose track of what is where!

5. Secure the paper on top of all of your fabrics; yes, you'll cut the paper too when you cut your fabrics. I used pins but you can also use weights or whatever else you can think of!

6. Cut through your lines. Below is an example of my first cut:

7. Now, in piece #1, move the 1st piece of fabric to the bottom; 2nd to the bottom; repeat that pattern until the last piece where you DO NOT SHUFFLE it AT ALL! 

8. Sew all pieces together for each layer. A few things to remember: sew from the inside of the block towards the outside, & sew pieces together in descending order from your last cut. Ex: I made five pieces, so I sewed together 5 to 4, etc. 

9. Iron sewn-together blocks separately. 

10. Trim each square down to the smallest block size you have so they are all the same size.

11. Now you should have as many blocks as you did fabrics and they should all be different  with like fabrics! This is a fun block to do because you can make up your own pattern and nothing ever turns out the same. 

If you are interested in seeing more ideas on quilt blocks, I found this helpful website:

QuiltBus - Free Quilt Blocks

Good Luck!