Flying Stars

Designer: Jerry Stube of the Quilter's Quarters

• 3--1-1⁄4-yard pieces assorted tan prints (blocks, middle border)
• 1-3⁄4 yards blue dot (blocks, outer border, binding)
• 5⁄8 yard blue tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 5--3⁄4-yard pieces assorted red prints  (blocks, inner border)
• 4-1⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 75×83" batting

Finished quilt: 68-1⁄2 ×76-1⁄2"

Finished block: 8" square

Quantities are for 44⁄45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From one tan print, cut:

• 3--1-1⁄2 ×42" strips for middle border
• 4--8-7⁄8" squares
• 12--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 18--3-1⁄4" squares
• 6--2-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total
• 60--2-1⁄2" squares

From each remaining tan print, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄2×42" strips for middle border
• 5--8-7⁄8" squares
• 12--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 16--3-1⁄4" squares
• 6--2-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total
• 52--2-1⁄2" squares

From blue dot, cut:

• 8--3-1⁄2  ×42" strips for outer border
• 8--2-1⁄2  ×42" binding strips
• 1--8-7⁄8" square
• 8--2-1⁄2  ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--3-1⁄4" squares
• 4--2-7⁄8"squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 triangles total
• 8--2-1⁄2" squares

From blue tone-on-tone, cut:

• 1--8-7⁄8" square
• 6--3-1⁄4" squares
• 12--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 6--2-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total
• 12--2-1⁄2" squares

From one red print, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2 ×30" strips for inner border
• 12--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 6--3-1⁄4" squares
• 6--2-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 triangles total
• 12--2-1⁄2" squares

From each remaining red print, cut:

• 2--2-1⁄2 ×30" strips for inner border
• 3--8-7⁄8" squares
• 8--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 4--3-1⁄4" squares
• 4--2-7⁄8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 8 triangles total
• 8--2-1⁄2" squares

1.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each tan print 8-7⁄8" square.

2.    Layer a marked tan print square atop blue dot 8-7⁄8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1).

3.    Cut apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seams toward blue dot triangle, to make two blue dot large triangle-squares. Each large triangle-square should be 8-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4.    Using blue tone-on-tone instead of blue dot, repeat steps 2 and 3 to make two blue tone-on-tone large triangle-squares.

5.    Using assorted red prints instead of blue dot, repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 24 red large triangle–squares.

1.    For one blue dot Martha Washington Star block, gather a set of matching blue dot pieces (two 3-1⁄4" squares, four 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles, two triangles, and four 2-1⁄2" squares) and a set of matching tan pieces (two 3-1⁄4" squares and eight 2-1⁄2"squares).

2.    Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each tan print 3-1⁄4" square and 2-1⁄2" square.

3.    Referring to Diagram 2 and steps 2 and 3 of Assemble Large Triangle-Squares, use marked tan print 3-1⁄4" squares and the blue dot 3-1⁄4" squares to make four small triangle-squares. Each small triangle-square should be 2-7⁄8" square including seam allowances.

4.    Cut each small triangle-square in half diagonally (Diagram 3) to make four triangle pairs total.

5.    Referring to Diagram 4, add a blue dot triangle to each triangle pair; press seam toward blue triangle. Each unit should be 2-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

6.    Referring to Diagram 5, sew together four Step 5 units in pairs. Press seams toward blue dot large triangles. Join pairs to make a blue dot Pinwheel unit. Press seam in one direction. The Pinwheel unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

7.    Align a marked tan print 2-1⁄2" square with one end of a blue dot 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 6; note direction of drawn line). Sew on marked line, then trim seam allowances to 1⁄4". Press open attached triangle. Repeat to add a second tan print marked square to opposite end of rectangle. Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a blue dot Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four blue dot Flying Geese units total.

8.    Referring to Diagram 7, sew together one blue dot Pinwheel unit, four blue dot Flying Geese units, and four blue dot 2-1⁄2" squares in three rows. Press seams away from Flying Geese units. Join rows to make a blue dot Martha Washington Star block. Press seams in one direction. The block should be 8-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

9.    Repeat steps 1-8 to make a second blue dot Martha Washington Star block.

10.    Using blue tone-on-tone instead of blue dot, repeat steps 1–8 to make three blue tone-on-tone Martha Washington Star blocks.

11.    Using assorted red prints instead of blue prints, repeat steps 1–8 to make 11 red Martha Washington Star blocks (Diagram 8).

12.    Using assorted tan prints instead of blue prints and red prints instead of tan prints, repeat steps 1–8 to make 12 tan Martha Washington Star blocks (Diagram 9).

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out large triangle-squares and Martha Washington Star blocks in rows.

2.    Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

3.    Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 56-1⁄2 ×64-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1.    Cut assorted red print 2-1⁄2 ×30" strips into lengths varying from 16" to 30". Using diagonal seams and referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, piece red print strips to make:

• 2--2-1⁄2 ×68-1⁄2" inner border strips
• 2--2-1⁄2 ×56-1⁄2" inner border strips

2.    Sew short inner border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add long inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

3.    Cut tan print 1-1⁄2 ×42" strips into lengths varying from 18" to 28". Using diagonal seams, piece tan print strips to make:

• 2--1-1⁄2 ×70-1⁄2" middle border strips
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×60-1⁄2" middle border strips

4.    Sew short middle border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add long middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

5.    Cut and piece blue dot print 3-1⁄2 ×42" strips to make:

• 2--3-1⁄2 ×76-1⁄2" outer border strips
• 2--3-1⁄2 ×62-1⁄2" outer border strips

6.    Sew short outer border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add long outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

1.    Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2.    Quilt as desired. Jerry machine-quilted looping tendrils in the blocks, diagonal rows of feathers with looping tendrils in the large triangle-squares, and a feather design in the borders.

3.    Bind with blue dot binding strips.