- Background (muslin)
- Light (faded chambray)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 74 · star
Nine Patch Star Quilt Block
Part of: Star Quilt Blocks
Nine Patch Star sets four long dark diamonds around a background center, with light squares marking the corners of a nine-patch. The diamonds are pieced from half-rectangle triangles, a straight-seam replacement for the template diamond in older patterns.
Version note: Version note: the reference cuts each diamond with a template; this version pieces it from four half-rectangle triangles with straight seams only.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Grid
- 5 × 5
- Pieces
- 45
Chart
Cutting for a 10" block
5 × 5 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 10 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Square | 5 | 2 1/2" square | Use as cut | 5 |
| Background | Rectangle | 4 | 2 1/2" × 4 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Background | Half-rectangle triangle | 8 | 2" × 4" | Oversize rectangles: cut diagonally as shown; trim sewn HRTs in steps | 16 |
| Light | Square | 4 | 2 1/2" square | Use as cut | 4 |
| Dark | Half-rectangle triangle | 8 | 2" × 4" | Oversize rectangles: cut diagonally as shown; trim sewn HRTs in steps | 16 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Make sixteen half-rectangle triangle units with dark and background fabric, trimming each to 1 1/2" by 2 1/2". Keep the mirror-image pairs separate: the diamond needs both slants.
Step 2: Sew four HRTs into each diamond unit, matching the dark tips at the outer edges and center. Each unit measures 2 1/2" by 4 1/2".
Step 3: Make four corner units from a background rectangle, a background square and a light square, with the light square toward the center.
Step 4: Row 1: corner unit, vertical diamond, corner unit. Row 2: horizontal diamond, background center, horizontal diamond. Row 3: corner unit, vertical diamond, corner unit.
Step 5: Join the rows with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, matching each seam intersection. Press and check the unfinished block measures 10 1/2" square.