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Friendship Star Block
Using the Quilt as You Piece Method
This is the 9th quilt block tutorial in a series on how to make quilt blocks using the Quilt as You Piece Method. This particular block, as with most blocks, cannot be made purely with the Quilt as You Piece method but can be adapted. Parts of the block are pieced in the traditional way, then sandwiched in the QAYP method. This is a good block to do some chain stitching!
This tutorial is not about making a quilt, it is about making the "Quilt as You Piece" block that you can add to the type of quilt where the blocks are joined after they are made, quilted then joined to other blocks. Like a Quilt as You Go Quilt. The size of the block I am making for this tutorial is a 10" x 10" block.
Materials NeededIn the list below, I have made some of the pieces slightly bigger in order to make it easier to be accurate at trimming, after each section is added.
For each block, you will need:
- Piece A - Fabrics
- 2 Squares 4.5" x 4.5" - 1 each of 2 Fabrics for center, you will cut them down after they are sandwiched
- 8 Squares 3-7/8" x 3-7/8" - 4 each of 2 fabrics for corners
- Piece B: Fabrics
- 8 Squares Fabric, 4-1/8" x 4-1/8" 2 each of 4 prints. Piece B for Half Square triangles
- 2 Rectangles Cotton Batting, 4" x 11" Strip 2 & 3
- 1 Square Cotton Batting 4.5" for center of Strip 1
- 2 Squares Cotton Batting, 4-1/8" x 4-1/8" For Half Square Triangles Strip 1
- Cotton Sewing thread in neutral color, 50wt preferred.
- Washable Liquid Glue
- Washable Glue Stick
These are the tools I used. Use what you have.
- Rotary Cutter & Cutting Mat
- Pair of Fabric Scissors
- Temporary Marking Device
- 18"x3" quilt ruler
- 10.5"x10.5" Square Ruler
- Dry Iron & Pressing Board
This block is made differently than the earlier blocks in this series. Instead of each fabric having it's own piece of batting, this block is assembled in strips starting with the center strip horizontally. The top strip is 2nd and the bottom strip is added last. The top and bottom strip's fabrics are pieced before they are added to the center strip and layered with the batting. Please note, the batting pieces for the top and bottom strips, are rectangles for the whole width of the block.
Note about Quilting: You can add quilting any time you like.
Strip 1: This strip is made in the quilt as you piece method.- Step 1: Start by making a sandwich of the 2 center square fabrics and the center square piece of batting. These squares are oversized so you can quilt it then cut it down to the actual size of 3-7/8" x 3-7/8".
- Step 2: Add the first 2 half square triangles to either side of the center square in the QAYP method. Make sure to use the same color as your center square and make sure it is oriented the same way as in the diagram.
- Step 3: Add the 2nd 2 half square triangles to the first half square triangles in QAYP method.
- Step 4: Trim this strip on the long edges so you end up with a strip that is 3-7/8" wide by at least 10-1/2" long.
- Step 1: Stitch the half square triangles together as you normally would in regular quilt piecing. Press Seams Open to reduce bulk!!
- Step 2: Stitch the corner squares to the ends of each of the 2 squares made of half square triangles. Make sure your triangle squares are oriented correctly to make the star as shown. Press the strips 2 and 3 you just made.
- Step 3: Attach strip 2 and 3 to strip 1 using the QAYP method in the order indicated.
To Finish Block: Trim whole block to 10-1/2"x 10-1/2".
This pattern sheet just provides what materials you need and what size pieces you need to make a 10" block and in what order to sew the pieces of the block together. It does not go into complete detail how I put them together in the Quilt as You Piece manner, please refer to our tutorial of the Five Strip Rail Fence Block for the basic concept and instructions on how to do Quilt as You Piece for this block and all other blocks in this series.
