Americana Lone Star

Inspired by "Reach for the Stars" from designer Laurie Simpson

Quiltmaker: Laura Boehnke

Fabric letter designations are listed for ease in cutting and piecing the Lone Star.

• 1/3 yard red star print (middle border, fabric A for Lone Star)
• 1/4 yard blue print (fabric B for Lone Star)
• 1/4 yard cream print (fabric C for Lone Star)
• 1/3 yard navy-and-gold print (fabric D for Lone Star)
• 1/2 yard gold print (inner border, fabric E for Lone Star)
• 1/4 yard red print (fabric F for Lone Star)
• 1/8 yard paisley print (fabric G for Lone Star)
• 1/2 yard blue star print (LeMoyne Star blocks)
• 5/8 yard red-and-cream print (LeMoyne Star blocks)
• 7/8 yard navy blue print (outer border, binding)
• 1-3/8 yards backing fabric
• 49" square batting
• Spray starch (optional)

Finished quilt: 43" square

Finished corner block: 10" 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 order that follows.

To help keep fabrics stable, consider spraying them with starch and pressing before cutting out pieces.

To cut the blue star print diamonds, trim the right-hand edge of a 2-1/2"-wide strip at a 45˚ angle. Rotate the strip 180˚. Cutting parallel to trimmed left-hand edge, cut strip into eight 2-1/2"-wide sections to make diamonds (Diagram 1). Repeat with remaining blue star print strips.

From red star print (fabric A), cut:

• 1--2-1/4x42" strip
• 2--1-1/2x38" middle border strips
• 2--1-1/2x36" middle border strips

From blue print (fabric B), cut:

• 2--2-1/4x42" strips

From (fabric C), cut:

• 3--2-1/4x42" strips

From navy-and-gold print (fabric D), cut:

• 4--2-1/4x42" strips

From gold print (fabric E), cut:

• 3--2-1/4x42" strips
• 2--1-1/4x36" inner border strips
• 2--1-1/4x34-1/2" inner border strips

From red print (fabric F), cut:

• 2--2-1/4x42" strips

From paisley print (fabric G), cut:

• 1--2-1/4x42" strip

From blue star print, cut:

• 6--2-1/2x42" strips, cutting each strip into eight 2-1/2" diamonds

From red-and-cream print, cut:

• 8--5-5/8" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 32 triangles total
• 20--3-1/2" squares

From navy blue print, cut:

• 5--3x42" strips for outer border
• 5--2-1/2x42" binding strips

1. Referring to Diagram 2, arrange 2-1/4x42" strips in four units as shown, offsetting strips by 1-3/4". Letters indicate which fabrics to use.

2. Sew together strips in each unit. Press seams away from bottom strip, pressing after each seam is sewn. Take care to sew accurate 1/4" seams to avoid a distorted or wavy star. Check width of strips in completed units. Inside strips should be exactly 1-3/4" from seam line to seam line, and outer strips should be 2" wide.

3. Rotate each unit 180˚, then trim the right-hand edge at a 45˚ angle (Diagram 3). To easily trim at this angle, first align the 45˚ line of a square acrylic ruler with a seam on the unit. Abut the edge of a 6x24" acrylic ruler with the square ruler; trim.

4. Again rotate each unit 180˚. Cutting parallel to trimmed left-hand edge, cut each unit into eight 2-1/4"-wide sections to make diamond rows (Diagram 4). Check every two or three rows to ensure you're still cutting at a perfect 45˚ angle. Repeat Step 3 to correct the angle, if needed. Keep diamond rows stacked and labeled by unit.

5. Lay out one diamond row from each unit (Diagram 5). Layer diamond rows from units 1 and 2 with right sides together. Pin rows together, inserting pins into 1/4" seams and being careful to intersect seam lines. A small amount of fabric will extend at top and bottom. Slowly sew together rows, removing each pin just before you reach it. Join diamond rows from units 3 and 4 in the same manner. Join paired rows to make a diamond point. Press seams in one direction; do not press seams open.

6. Mark a dot in each corner of the diamond point where 1/4" seam allowances intersect (Diagram 6). The dots indicate where seams should stop and start when the diamond is joined to another. In order to set in the LeMoyne Star blocks and setting units, do not sew into seam allowances beyond these dots.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to make and mark eight diamond points total.

1. Sew together two blue star print diamonds, without sewing into 1/4" seam allowance, to make an angled unit. Finger-press seam open. Referring to Diagram 7, set a red-and-cream print triangle into angled unit to make a star point unit; the red-and-cream print triangle will extend slightly beyond edges of star point unit. Press seams toward red-and-cream print triangle. Repeat to make 24 star point units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 8 and without sewing into 1/4" seam allowance, join two star point units. Set a red-and-cream print 3-1/2" square into corner between star point units to make a star half; the red-and-cream print square will extend slightly beyond edges of star half. Press seams toward red-and-cream print square. Repeat to make 12 star halves total.

3. Sew together two star halves without sewing into 1/4" seam allowance. Press seam open. Set red-and-cream print 3-1/2" squares into open corners (Diagram 9) to make a LeMoyne Star block. Press seams toward red-and-cream print squares. The block should be 10-1/2" square including seam allowances. (The star should "float" slightly within red-and-cream print pieces.) Repeat to make four LeMoyne Star blocks total.

4. Sew red-and-cream print triangles to opposite edges of a star half to make a LeMoyne Star setting unit (Diagram 10). Press seams toward red-and-cream print triangles. Repeat to make four LeMoyne Star setting units total.

1. Stitching from dot to dot, sew together two diamond points to make an angled unit. Press seam open. Set a LeMoyne Star setting unit into angled unit to make a diamond pair; the setting unit will extend slightly beyond edges. Repeat to make four diamond pairs total.

2. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out diamond pairs and LeMoyne Star blocks. Join diamond pairs into star halves and set in LeMoyne Star blocks; press seams toward LeMoyne Star blocks.

3. Sew together star halves and set in LeMoyne Star blocks to make quilt center; press seams toward LeMoyne Star blocks. If necessary, trim quilt center to 34-1/2" square including seam allowances. (The Lone Star might "float" slightly within the quilt center.)

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

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

3. Cut and piece navy blue print 3x42" strips to make:

• 2--3x43" outer border strips
• 2--3x38" outer border strips

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

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

6. Bind with navy blue print binding strips.