Spinning Stars Quilt

Inspired by Star Search from designer Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1/3 yard medium green print (blocks)
• 1/4 yard solid light green (blocks, border corners)
• 1/3 yard dark rose print (blocks, border corners)
• 1/8 yard solid light pink (blocks)
• 1/8 yard pink floral (blocks)
• 1/3 yard solid cream (blocks)
• 1/8 light pink toile (blocks)
• 1/4 yard dark green print (blocks, border corners)
• 1/8 yard cream floral (blocks)
• 1-1/4 yards green floral (border corners, outer border, binding)
• 1/3 yard brown print (inner border)
• 2-2/3 yards backing fabric
• 48" square batting

Finished quilt: 39-1/2" square

Finished block: 12" 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 medium green print, cut:

• 4--4-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 16 small triangles total
• 8--3-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 large triangles total

From solid light green, cut:

• 4--4-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 16 small triangles total
• 16--2-3/8" squares
• 16--2" squares

From dark rose print, cut:

• 8--4-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 32 small triangles total
• 8--2-3/8" squares

From solid light pink, cut:

• 4--4-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 16 small triangles total

From pink floral, cut:

• 4--4-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 16 small triangles total

From solid cream, cut:

• 8--4-1/4" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 32 small triangles total
• 16--2-3/8" squares
• 16--2" squares

From light pink toile, cut:

• 8--3-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 16 large triangles total

From dark green print, cut:

• 24--2-3/8" squares

From cream floral, cut:

• 16--2" squares

From green floral, cut:

• 4--6-1/2x27-1/2" outer border strips
• 5--2-1/2x42"binding strips
• 16--2" squares

From brown print, cut:

• 2--2x27-1/2" inner border strips
• 2--2x24-1/2" inner border strips

1. Referring to Diagram 1, lay out medium green print, solid light green, dark rose print, and solid light pink small triangles in pairs. Join triangles in pairs; press seams in opposite directions. Sew together pairs to make an hourglass unit. Press seam in one direction. The hourglass unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 hourglass units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 2, lay out four hourglass units in pairs. Sew together units in pairs; press seams in directions indicated on diagram. Join pairs to make block center. Press seam in one direction. The block center should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four block centers total.

3. Referring to Diagram 3, sew together a pink floral small triangle and a solid cream small triangle to make a triangle pair. Add a light pink toile large triangle to long edge of triangle pair to make Unit A (Diagram 4). Press seam toward large triangle. The unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 A units total.

4. Using dark rose print small triangle, a solid cream small triangle, and a medium green print large triangle, repeat Step 3 to make Unit B (Diagram 5). Repeat to make 16 B units total.

5. Join a Unit A and a Unit B to make a side unit (Diagram 6). Press seam toward Unit A. Repeat to make 16 side units total.

6. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of each solid cream and solid light green 23/8" square.

7. Place a marked solid cream square atop a dark green print 2-3/8" square. Sew 1/4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 7). Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam toward dark green print, to make two cream triangle-squares. Each should be 2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 32 cream triangle-squares total.

8. Referring to Diagram 8, sew together two cream triangle-squares, one solid cream 2" square, and one cream floral 2" square in pairs. Press seams away from triangle-squares. Join pairs to make Unit C. Press seam toward bottom pair. Unit C should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 16 C units total.

9. Using marked solid light green squares and remaining dark green print 2-3/8" squares, repeat Step 7 to make 16 green triangle-squares. Using remaining marked solid light green squares and dark rose print 2-3/8" squares, repeat Step 7 to make 16 rose triangle-squares.

10. Using a green triangle-square, a rose triangle-square, a solid light green 2" square, and a green floral 2" square, repeat Step 8 to make Unit D (Diagram 9). Repeat to make 16 D units total.

11. Referring to Diagram 10, sew together four C units, four side units, and one block center in three rows. Press seams toward side units. Join rows to make a block. Press seams away from center row. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together blocks in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions.

2. Join pairs to make quilt center. Press seam in one direction. The quilt center should be 24-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew brown print 2x24-1/2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add brown print 2x27-1/2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

2. Sew together four D units in pairs (Diagram 11). Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a border corner. Press seam in one direction. The border corner should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four border corners total.

3. Join green floral 6-1/2x27-1/2" outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Press seams toward outer border.

4. Sew a border corner to each end of remaining green floral 6-1/2x27-1/2" outer border strips to make two outer border units. Press seams toward outer border strips. Add outer border units to remaining edges of quilt center to complete quilt top. Press seams toward outer border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with green floral binding strips.