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