Lone Star Quilt Block Tutorial

Hi there! Welcome to the first block of the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild Block of Every Other Month. For our first block we will begin with a classic. The 30 inch Lone Star Quilt Block. I have always loved a Lone Star quilt. They look so complicated and for ages I was intimidated by all the perfectly pieced diamonds. Well, folks they really aren't so hard! Let me show you some strip piecing magic and you can knock out a pile of these blocks too! I made a video tutorial on how to piece this block and to highlight the tricky bits. I know there are some sound issues, but bear with me and the next one will be better. Ask questions or make comments so I know how to improve. If you prefer to watch the tutorial on Youtube, my channel is Tia Curtis Quilts. I used to have quite a few videos, but I deleted them all because they were pretty cruddy. Next up will be wonky flying geese and a shopping bag.

Supplies:

(9) 2.5 inch WOF (Width of Fabric) strips of fabric
(4) 9.5 x 9.5 inch squares of back ground fabric.
(4) 6 7/8 x 6 7/8 inch squares of back ground fabric

Cut each square in half diagonally to equal 8 large triangles and 8 smaller triangles.

There are several ways to make these blocks. Two color blocks, 5 color blocks and 9 color blocks. Set up the strip sets as follows. I go over this in the video, but a picture helps heaps I think.

For a 2 color block choose a good contrasting pair. You will need 5 darks and 4 lights Set up the three strip sets like the picture above.
dark light dark
light dark light
dark light dark

For the 5 color block choose light, medium and dark fabrics.  You will need 2 mediums, 4 lights (2  different prints) and 3 darks. For this one the pink/lavender fabric are my lights and the aqua/periwinkle are my mediums. If this is the type block you would like to make set the strip sets up as follows.

medium light dark
light dark light
dark light medium

Finally the 9 color star. Choose nine different colors. Sort them into light, medium and dark. You will need 4 lights, 2 mediums and 3 darks. Set them up like above with the mediums as the center and star tips.

Medium light dark
light dark light
dark light medium

This is another picture that may be helpful. Sort your 8 star points into two sets of 4. Set up both right and left pointing star points. You need both directions to make an eight pointed star.

Watch the video for answers to your questions and feel free to ask questions either here or on youtube. I will answer as I can.

Good Luck with your blocks and have fun!

xo,
Tia

Ft Leavenworth Quilt Club BOM #1 - Simple Star

OK, I know this was supposed to go up last week, but too much is happening around here with Quilt Market sewing and quilting to make this a good post. Forgive me. Lots of pictures and they are worth more than words anyway right?

Background 1 (7.25 inch square)
                    4  (3.5 inch squares)
Star Center  1  (6.5 inch square)
Star Points   1 (7.75 inch square) or 4 (4 inch squares)

Draw diagonal lines on the backs of the star point square(s). One line diagonally, then two lines 1/4 inch on either side of the center line. The center line will be the cutting line after you have stitched on the 1/4 inch lines. Does that make sense?

After you have sewn down each of the sew lines cut down the center lines and press the blocks

DO the same thing with the remaining 2 star point squares

Lay your block out and sew it together

Nest your seams

pin seam in place

All I did different for the fancy block is a pieced the center until I got a 6 1/2 inch block. This is an option for you. If there is interest please state in the comment section and I will do up a tutorial.

Yay! First Blocks!

I know this was quick and dirty, but I am too busy to make it pretty. Please ask questions if you have any.

Tanya's Quilt

Being an army wife (even though my husband is retired) friends sail in and out of my life. Tanya is one of the friends that will stay dear to my heart forever. She has been such a blessing to know. Tanya was part of our Quilt Posse here on Ft Leavenworth. We had a blast. This quilt was one we did as a block of the month 2 years ago? Maybe it was last year. All the blocks were based on blocks from the Kansas City Star Newspaper. It was really fun to make blocks that were very simple and then we could drink tea and chat the rest of the meeting or blocks that were hilariously difficult and there was no chatter at all as we stitched away.

Tanya is one of the most precise piecers I have ever encountered. I am very fly by the seat of my pants, so her input is invaluable before launching a pattern. She let me custom quilt her quilt and told me to do whatever I wanted.

So this quilt is filled with feathers and swirls and so much love. I posted several videos on my Instagram showing the machine quilting the point to point function. I used a combination of free hand quilting and digitized designs.

I love the little stars she put in the sashing.

Tanya already had the label put on the back....it was a wonky star!

I will miss you Tanya! Come back soon!

xo,
Tia