Lone Star Mini Quilt

Dies used: Diamonds, 2 1/2in (2 3/4in x 6 1/2in Unfinished)
                 Half-Square Triangles, 2 1/2in Finished Square


Hello again!

This new Sizzix project ticks off 2 entries on my 'want to make' list. I've never made a mini-quilt before and would really like one to hang on my bedroom wall and I love Lone Star piecing designs and had yet to have a go at making one. So I'm currently making a Lone Star mini-quilt and killing two birds with one stone! I've been wanting to use my long diamonds die and cutting mats for a while and before tackling a full-size quilt this was the perfect tester project to play around with print and pattern.

For the star, I selected 5 different fabrics and decided in which order they were to form the rings of the star. I then cut the following number of diamonds from each fabric on my Big Shot:

1st and 5th (central and outer) ring: 8
2nd and 4th ring: 16
3rd ring: 24

The diamonds were then divided up into 8 sets that would form each section of the star and then sewed together into rows and then the rows were joined to form a large diamond.

Matching the points when joining the rows together took a little getting used to. With right sides together, inserting a pin 1/4in down from the raw edge through the diagonal seam and through in the same position on the opposite side was the most convenient method for me.

Once the 8 star sections were completed I cut out the background pieces on my Big Shot. I chopped 144 solid white half-square triangles and 72 low volume white on white half-square triangles and joined them like this to make 24 larger half-square triangles.

These triangles will fit on either side of the outer points of the star to give a square mini-quilt top.

So the next job is to sew the star and background together and complete the top ready for quilting and binding and eventually hanging on the wall.

See you next time. Happy sewing!