Triangle Star Quilt

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 2 1/2yds of white or beige fabric for the background
• 1/3yd each of (5) medium-size print fabrics
• 1/3yd each of (4) solid fabrics
• 1yd of solid fabric to be used for stars and binding
• (Note: Half of the fabric choices should be dark to medium dark shades, and the other half should be bright medium light shades)
• 3 1/2yds small print or tone-on-tone light color for backing
• Twin-sized packaged cotton batting
• White or beige thread for piecing & quilting
• Rotary cutter
• 6 1/2"x 24" Omni-grid ruler
• Straight pins
• Pencil
• Water soluble marker
• Iron & ironing board or mat
• 505 Quilt basting spray or quilter’s safety pins

DIRECTIONS:

1. Press all fabric with an iron before cutting.
2. From background fabric:
Cut (4) 7 1/4" wide x WOF strips. Sub-cut into (20) 7 1/4" squares.
Cut (8) 3 1/2" WOF strips. Sub-cut into (80) 3 1/2" squares.
Cut (6) 3 3/4" WOF strips to be used for the border.

3. From 1 yard piece of solid fabric to be used for stars and binding:
Cut (7) 2 1/2" WOF strips for binding
Cut (1) 3 7/8" WOF strips. Sub-cut into (8) 3 7/8" squares.
Cut (1) 6 1/2" WOF strip. Sub-cut into (2) 6 1/2" squares.

4. For each of the (9) 1/3yd pieces of fabric for stars:
5. Cut each 1/3yd piece in half so that instead of having 1 piece that measures 12"x WOF of each fabric, you’ll have 2 half pieces that measure 12" x approximately 22".
6. This will yield 2 half cut pieces from each of the 9 star fabrics.
7. When cutting strips, they will be about 22" long instead of 42-44".
8. From one half cut piece, cut (2) 3 7/8" strips. Sub-cut into (8) 3 7/8" squares.
9. From the remaining half cut piece of the same fabric cut (1) 6 1/2" strip. Sub-cut into (2) 6 1/2" squares.
10. Repeat with each of the half cut pieces of fabric to yield (8) 3 7/8" squares and (2) 6 1/2" squares from each of the star fabrics.
11. Use a pencil and ruler to draw a straight line from corner to corner on the back of each 3 7/8" star fabric squares.
12. Study each of your star fabrics to decide which colors and prints make the best pairs. Each pair will make 1 star.
13. It’s best to pair a solid fabric with a printed (fancy) fabric. One of the fabrics should be noticeably darker than its mate. This will make the stars pop.
14. Example: Solid gold fabric paired with dark fancy fabric.
15. From the fabric pieces cut, you should be able to make a total of (4) pairs with the same color combination (as in example below).
16. 2 stars with a gold center and dark fancy star points.
17. 2 stars with a dark fancy center and gold star points.
18. Make 10 stacks with the following pieces to sew 10 Solid Center Stars:
(1) 6 1/2" solid fabric square for star center.
(4) 3 7/8" fancy fabric squares for star points.
(1) 7 1/4" background fabric square.
(4) 3 1/2" background fabric squares.

19. Put aside.
20. Make 10 stacks with the following pieces to sew 10 Fancy Center Stars:
(1) 6 1/2" fancy fabric square for the star center.
(4) 3 7/8" solid fabric squares for star points.
(1) 7 1/4" background fabric square.
(4) 3 1/2" background fabric squares.
NOTE: Sew with 1/4" seam allowance throughout project.

21. Gather stacks for the 10 Solid Center Stars .
22. Make Fancy Flying Geese units for star points by carefully following instructions below.
23. Staring with one of the stacks, lay 2 fancy 3 7/8" squares over opposite corners of the 7 1/4" background fabric square (RST) so that the drawn diagonal lines will connect (overlapping slightly). Pin in place. Sew 1/4" from both sides of the line. Cut along the drawn line. Press seam allowances toward the fancy fabric.
24. This will make 2 units. Each unit will have 1 large background fabric triangle with 2 small fancy fabric triangles along the long side of the background fabric. The unit will resemble a pointy heart.
25. Place a fancy fabric 3 7/8" square over the background fabric corner of the unit (RST). The diagonal line should go from the corner of the background fabric triangle to where the fancy fabric triangles meet. The unit will resemble a pointy heart with a line down the middle.
26. Pin in place. Sew 1/4" from both sides of the line. Cut along the drawn line and press seam allowances toward the fancy fabric.
27. This will make 2 Flying Geese units. Repeat to make 2 more.
28. These 4 Flying Geese units will be the star points for a Solid Center Star. Place the 4 units in their original stack to be sewn into blocks later.
29. Sew the remaining Fancy Flying Geese units in the same manner and return them to their original stacks.
30. Gather stacks for the 10 Fancy Center Stars.
31. Make Solid Flying Geese units in the same manner as sewing the Fancy Flying Geese units.
32. Return Solid Flying Geese units to their original stacks.
33. Gather stacks for the 10 Solid Center Stars to complete 10 quilt blocks.
34. Beginning with one stack to make one quilt block, lay out the units in 3 rows of 3 units. Refer to photo of quilt to see how to position star points (Flying Geese units). Pin and sew units together in order shown below. Follow arrows to see which direction seam allowances should be pressed.
35. Row 1: 3 1/2" Bkgd. Square <— Flying Geese Unit —> 3 1/2" Bkgd. Square
36. Row 2: Flying Geese Unit —> Center 6 1/2" Square <— Flying Geese Unit
37. Row 3: 3 1/2" Bkgd. Square <— Flying Geese Unit —> 3 1/2" Bkgd. Square
38. Pin and sew rows together. Press seam allowances toward the center row.
39. Gather stacks for the 10 Fancy Center Stars to complete 10 quilt blocks. Sew and press in the same in the same manner as with the Solid Center Star quilt blocks.
40. Once all 20 star blocks have been sewn, arrange the blocks in 5 rows of 4 blocks. Alternate Solid Center blocks and Fancy Center blocks.
41. Lay out your blocks on a bed or large surface—It may take a while to arrange them just right. Sometimes it helps to take a picture of your arrangement to get a better view of what works and what doesn’t.
42. Once you have your blocks laid out just right, position blocks so that seam allowances are pressed in opposite directions. This will help to eliminate bulk and make it easier to pin for perfect star points.
43. Pin and sew blocks into rows and press seam allowances toward the Solid Center blocks.
44. Sew rows together. Press all seam allowances in the same direction.
45. Cut (2) of the 3 3/4" background fabric border strips in half to make (4) half size border strips.
46. Trim off selvages from the remaining (4) WOF border strips.
47. Sew a half size strip to a WOF strip end to end.
48. Repeat using remaining strips to make (4) border strips that are approximately 63" long.
49. Press seam allowances open on each border strip.
50. Measure the length of the quilt by measuring top to bottom, down the left, right and center.
51. Find the average of the 3 measurements.
52. The measurement should be approximately 60 1/2" but yours may vary.
53. Trim (2) of border strips to YOUR average measurement.
54. Pin and sew borders to the sides of the quilt. Press seam allowances toward borders.
55. Measure and sew top and bottom borders in the same manner.
56. Sandwich backing, batting and quilt top.
57. Baste by pinning using quilters safety pins or spray baste.
58. Quilt as desired.
59. Bind the quilt.

JOANN HACKS:

• Quilt the easy way. Stitch in the ditch along vertical and horizontal seams in the quilt.
• Quilt more if desired. Use a water soluble marker if quilting between seams. But be sure to test the marker first by drawing on scrap fabric from the quilt, then spray lightly with water to make sure the ink disappears.