Christmas Stars

INSPIRED BY: Friendship Gathering from quilt collector Jody Sanders

QUILT TESTER: Diane Tomlinson

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 9—10" squares assorted green prints (blocks)
• 9—18×21" pieces (fat quarters) assorted red prints (blocks)
• 1/2 yard solid white (blocks)
• 1/4 yard tan print (blocks)
• 1/3 yard mottled green (sashing)
• 1 yard total assorted white prints (sashing)
• 1/2 yard mottled red (binding)
• 3-1/4 yards backing fabric
• 57"-square batting

FINISHED QUILT: 48-1/2" square

FINISHED BLOCK: 12" square

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for patterns.

From each assorted green print, cut:

• 2—4-7/8" squares

From each assorted red print, cut:

• 2—4-7/8" squares
• 4 of Pattern B

From solid white, cut:

• 36 each of patterns A and A reversed

From tan print, cut:

• 9—4-1/2" squares

From assorted white prints, cut:

• 24—3-1/2×12-1/2" sashing rectangles

From mottled green, cut:

• 16—3-1/2" sashing squares

From mottled red, cut:

• 5—2-1/2×42" binding strips

These measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each assorted green print 4-7/8" square.

2. Layer a marked green print square atop an assorted red print 4-7/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two matching triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 36 triangle-squares total (nine sets of four matching triangle-squares).

3. Referring to Diagram 2, sew a solid white A triangle to left-hand edge of an assorted red print B triangle. Add a solid white A reversed triangle to right-hand edge to make a side unit. The unit should be 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make 36 side units total (nine sets of four matching side units).

4. Lay out one tan print 4-1/2" square and four triangle-squares and four side units that use the same red print in three rows (Diagram 3). Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make nine blocks total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks, assorted white print 3-1/2×12-1/2" sashing rectangles, and mottled green 3-1/2" sashing squares in seven rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Press seams toward sashing rectangles.

2. Join rows to make quilt top. Press seams away from block rows. The quilt top should be 48-1/2" square including seam allowances.

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

2. Quilt as desired. Handi Quilter Studio Educator Kim Sandberg used two layers of batting—wool on top of 80/20 cotton—to make the quilting stand out. She used thread from the Superior Threads The Bottom Line collection in three colors: silver, green, and red. She chose holly motifs from the Pro-Stitcher library to fill in the sashing and used rulerwork to highlight the piecing in the center of the blocks (Quilting Diagram).

3. Bind with mottled red binding strips.