Hot Star

It's time to get out those bright, hot colors in your stash! Use our ideas of colors or choose from your own stash. Either way, this is one hot block! You can use marbles, solids, hand dyes or other fabrics that look solid for a great look.

June 2012  Hot Star

12 1/2” unfinished block

Fabrics to make this block:

#1 Fabric: Kona Solid Black Cut 4 3 1/2" X 3 1/2" Cut 2 4 1/2” X 4 1/2"	#4 Fabric: Hot Pink Cut 4 2 1/2” X 2 1/2”
#2 Fabric: Bright Yellow: Cut 1 7 1/4" X 7 1/4"	#5 Fabric: Hot Teal Cut 1 4 3/4” X 4 3/4”
#3 Fabric: Hot Purple Cut 1 5 1/2" X 5 1/2"

Star Point Units:

1.     Cut Purple Fabric #3   (5  1/2 inch) square on both diagonals to make four quarter-triangles. 

2.    Sew one Kona Black Fabric #4  (3 1/2 inch) square to one step 1 quarter-triangles using a scant 1/4 inch seam as shown below.  The purple triangle should extend 1/4 inch beyond the black square.  Press to the black and trim excess.

Repeat three more times for a total of four units.

3.      Cut Bright Yellow Fabric #2  (7  1/4 inch) square on both diagonals to make four quarter-triangles.

4.     Assemble one of the yellow quarter-triangle from step 3 with one of the units made in step 2 as shown below and sew with a scant 1/4 inch seam.  Hint:  Match the triangle tips and begin your seam at the triangle tips.  The yellow triangle should extend beyond the black square 1/4 inch.  Press to the black/purple unit and trim excess yellow tail.

  

Repeat three more times for a total of four units.

Square/Triangle Units:

1.     Cut Fabric #1  Kona Black  (4  1/2 inch) square on both diagonals to make four quarter-triangles.  Repeat for the second square.

    

2.     Sew Hot PInk Fabric #4  (2 ½ inch) squares to one of these quarter-triangles  as shown below, using a scant 1/4 inch seam.  The #1 Black quarter-triangle will extend 1/2” beyond the #4 square.  Press toward the black fabric. 

3.  Sew a second quarter-triangle to this unit.  This triangle will extend beyond the unit 1/4".  Press toward the black fabric and trim all tails.  When completed, the #4 fabric will appear to “float” between the black triangles and there will be 1/2” between the corner of the square and the edge of the unit. 

 

Repeat three more times to get a total of 4 units.

Finishing:

1.     Using your completed units and the remaining Hot Teal #4   (4  3/4") square, assemble the block as shown below.  Use a scant 1/4 inch seam.  The Square/Triangle units will extend 1/4" beyond the Star Point units by 1/4”.  After sewing, trim these tails.

Here is a doll quilt I made using 6 inch blocks. It's not quilted yet, but you get an idea how to arrange the blocks!

And here's one done in different fabrics:

I hope you enjoy this block. It can be a bit of a challenge to new quilters, but it will be worth it!