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Double Star Block Instructions, continued...
From our Free Quilt Block Pattern Library
This post contains affiliate links for which I receive compensation.
The basic patches for our Double Star block are complete. It's on to stitching up the main units.
And finally.
Assembling the block.
To complete the tutorial, you'll find variations on this design that are more complicated to construct.
While y-seams aren't that big a deal to piece, they do take more time.
I don't know about you, but there's more quilts in my head than I'll ever have time to finish.
To provide a bit of inspiration ten sample layouts are shared so you can get a feel for what a quilt made with Double Stars will look like!
Let's get 'er done!
Looking for another Double Star design?
It's a popular name—there's several blocks called 'Double Star'. Check out this version of the block.
General Instructions
Double Star designSeveral abbreviations are used on this page. They are:
- SA - seam allowance
- RST - right sides together
- FG - Flying Geese
- 3P-QST - 3 patch quarter square triangle
1/4" SA are used through this tutorial.
When instructed to press, first press the patches in the closed position just as they came off your sewing machine.
This sets the seam, melding the fibers of the threads into the fibers of the fabric.
Then press the SA to the dark unless otherwise noted.
Try my favorite pressing technique if you feel your patches are lumpy. It's simple. No special tools. Your blocks will be hollering 'Uncle!' in no time. :D
Tired of decorating your tree the same old way
Add a quilting vibe with these hand-blown glass ornaments from Old World Christmas.
Step 3: Assemble the Double Star units
Center
Make 1
Arrange two long borders, two FG and #6 center square as shown below.
With RST, stitch a FG to opposite sides of #6.
Press with SA toward the center.
With RST, stitch the rows together. Follow the pressing directions indicated by the arrows below.
Use the table below to check the accuracy of your stitching. Make any needed adjustments.
| Finished Block is... | Center measures... (from edge-to-edge) |
|---|---|
| 10" | 4½" x 4½" |
| 15" | 6½" x 6½" |
| 20" | 8½" x 8½" |
Set aside for Step 4.
Partial Stars
Make 4Make 4
Each partial star requires a long border, two FG units and a 3P-QST.
To begin, with RST sew a FG to the opposite, non-background sides of the 3P-QST.
Repeat 4 timesWith RST and seams nesting, add a long border to the non-background side of the 3P-QST. Pin as needed.
Press in the direction of the blue arrow.
Check for accuracy using the table below.
| Finished Block is... | Partial Stars measure... (from edge-to-edge) |
|---|---|
| 10" | 4½" x 3½" |
| 15" | 6½" x 5" |
| 20" | 8½" x 6½" |
Step 4: Assemble the Double Star block
Arrange your sewn units and cut patches into the Double Star design shown below. The background side of the 3P-QST is toward the center.
With RST, sew the units in each row together.
There's one particularly great benefit to paperpiecing.
If you stayed on the sewing line, there's little worry about chopping off the points of the Flying Geese with your stitching line in either the top and/or bottom rows.
I encourage you to pin match the points in the middle row where the FG and 3P-QST points meet using this technique.
My favorite pins for this technique are here.
After stitching the patches into rows, press the SA in the direction of the arrows in the photo below.
Finally, with RST, stitch the rows together using the same pin-matching technique.
One final session at the ironing board and our Double Star block looks like this...
Perfect. Pointy. Perfection.Variations on a Double Star design
You can never have too much of a good thing, right?
Other quilters thought so, too, because you'll find other patchwork designs similar to our Double Star.
County Fair or County Farm
In this first variation, two-fabric quarter square triangles have been used in place of our 3P-QST. The center Sawtooth Star is gone.
A nice design with lots of movement.
Comparable piecing time.
Stars and Cube
This patchwork designs ups the piecing time.
Y-seams are not my favorite. Not because they're hard, but because I don't make them regularly (i.e. I don't practice them).
Lack of practice slows down the sewing.
What's next?
Why turning your Double Star blocks into a quilt, that's what!
Click here to see TEN different ways to set your blocks.
Which will you choose?
If you need a different size block...
For a list of all the quilt block patterns on this site, start here.
If you know the name of the block, you can shorten your search by using these alphabetical links:
Click here if you're looking for blocks with at least some paper piecing.
Click here if you're looking for the basic building blocks of quilting, i.e. Flying Geese, half square triangles, quarter square triangles, etc., along with several techniques to make each.
And finally, use these links to find blocks in these finished sizes:
For even more blocks to make...
For you, are quilt block patterns like potato chips?
You can't have just one?!!
Check the fantastic resources I rely on for the majority of the quilt block designs you see on this website.
To see if they're worthy of a spot in YOUR quilting library, read about them HERE.
NOTE: All the attribution and alternate names shared in the Free Quilt Block Patterns Library came from these four resources.
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