an eight pointed star

Hey Everyone, welcome back to Technique Tuesday.

Last week I demonstrated how to cut diamonds from a strip of fabric using a regular 6 ½″ x 24″ ruler. This week I am going show you how to sew those diamonds together to create an eight pointed star.

Adding in the setting triangles and corner squares is a lot like sewing a mitred corner. I personally have never been a fan of mitred corners but I will give it a go. Rarely do I have mitred borders on a quilt or set in pieces.

Sewing the Star Together

Note: try not to manipulate the pieces too much as they have been cut on the bias and will stretch out of shape very easily.

1. Mark dots in a ¼″ from the corner on the wide angles of the diamonds, the right angle of the triangles and one corner of each square. This will help for sewing the pieces together in knowing where to start and stop with the stitching lines.

¼″ inch points marked at corners with pink dot

Pink dots mark a ¼″

2. Sew the diamonds together in pairs – make 4. Sew from the inner point to the dot – make sure to stop at the dot which is a ¼″ in from the corner. Press seam in one direction.

stop stitching a ¼″ away from corner

Stitch to a ¼″ from the corner at pink line

diamonds stitched together in a pair

Two diamonds stitched together

3. Stitch two of the units together from step 2 in the same manner to make one side of the star. Stop a ¼″ from the end. Repeat with the other two pairs. Press the seam in the opposite direction as step 2.

2 half sections of the star

Two pairs equal a half

4. Sew the two halves together from step 3. Press seam in either direction.

completed star

Star sewn together

Adding the Set In Pieces

5. Sew setting triangles into star. Align the dot at the 90 degree corner of the triangle with the inner point of the star and corner of triangle with corner of star, pin together.

triangle pinned in place

Pin triangle in place.

6. Sew from outside point into centre stopping at the dot. Do not press at this time.

sew to star stopping a ¼″ from end of triangle

Sew from point to centre stopping a ¼″ from edge of triangle

close up view of stitching

Close up view

7. Sew the other side of triangle to the star in the same manner. Pin so there is no slipping of pieces. Press both seams towards the star.

sew triangle in place on other side

Place triangle in position on other side and sew in place

8. Repeat with remaining triangles.

triangles sewn in place

All 4 triangles in place

9. Sew the squares to the corners of the stars in the same manner as the triangles. Press the seams towards the star.

square sewn in one corner

Square added

One 12 inch eight pointed star finished.

an eight pointed star

Completed 12 inch star

All right after this little exercise my dislike of setting in pieces and mitred corners has been re-confirmed. I don’t think I will be making another one of these any time soon.

I always seem to get a pucker where the piece is set in. Does anyone have any tips on how to prevent this? If you do please share in the comments section.

Happy Quilting!

Jen Transparent Signature

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