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Thursday, June 4, 2015

Spangled Stars QAL Star Block Unit B and C

Welcome back to the Spangled Stars Quiltalong! Today is the last of the block instructions before the final assembly next week. We're almost there!





The schedule is into it's final weeks, and if you're just joining in, click on the pink links to find the instructions for the previous blocks.
Star Block, Unit B - June 4, 2015
Quilt assembly - June 11, 2015
Completed Top Linky - June 18, 2015
 Completed Quilt, Grand Parade - July 2, 2015

Now let's finish up those Star blocks!

Below is the cutting chart for Unit B, the double HST's (half square triangles).






# Star Blocks
# B Units
Dark Blue
squares
White, bkgrnd
squares
Medium Blue
40” WOF
Wall
5
20
(2)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
(2)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
3 7/8” x 1 WOF
Throw
7
28
(2)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
(2)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
3 7/8” x 2 WOF
Twin
15
60
(4)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
(4)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
3 7/8” x 3 WOF
Double
18
72
(5)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
(5)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
3 7/8” x 4 WOF
Queen
18
72
(5)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
(5)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
3 7/8” x 4 WOF
King
24
96
(6)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
(6)  8 ½” x 8 ½”
3 7/8” x 5 WOF


The first HST's are made with the dark blue and white background squares, cut 8 1/2" x 8 1/2". Some quilt sizes will have extra HST's. I'm making the twin size, which has 15 star blocks, each one needing 4 Unit B's, 60 units in all. 



With right sides together,  pair up a dark blue square with a white background square, and mark two diagonal lines from each corner.




Pin them together, and using a scant 1/4" seam allowance, sew along each side of the diagonal line.


It should look like this when it's done.


Time for cutting! A rotating mat works wonderfully for the next step, otherwise do your best to keep all parts together until all the cutting is done. Cut along the diagonal marked lines, then cut lengthwise through the middle, and then horizontally through the middle.


Once all four cuts are made, the HST's can be separated.













Press each HST seam to the dark.

Referring to the chart again, cut the required number of 
3 7/8" strips, then subcut each strip 3 7/8".

















The chart below lists how many squares to subcut for each size.


# of first HST’s
(dk blue/white)
# of  3 7/8” med blue squares to cut
Wall
   10
    10
Throw
   14
    14
Twin
   30
    30
Double
   36
    36
Queen
   36
    36
King
   48
    48

Mark one diagonal line, corner to corner, on the wrong side of each square. Pair these up with an HST from the previous step, making sure the diagonal line is perpendicular to the HST seam line.


Once again, using a scant 1/4" seam, stitch on both sides of the marked line.



Cut on the drawn line, and press to the medium blue.


Be sure to trim up these little units to 3 1/2" x 3 1/2", aligning the diagonal seams with the diagonal on the ruler.

Unit B first trim
Unit B second trim
After trimming, sort the units into two piles, one with the medium blue on the left, the other with it on the right.


Done with Unit B! The next part, Unit C, is to cut the correct number of 3 1/2" strips per the chart below, subcutting each 3 1/2", for the centers of the stars.


# Star Blocks
White bkgrnd
40” WOF
Wall
5
(1) 3 ½”  x  1 WOF
Throw
7
(1) 3 ½”  x  1 WOF
Twin
15
(2) 3 ½”  x  1 WOF
Double
18
(2) 3 ½”  x  1 WOF
Queen
18
(2) 3 ½”  x  1 WOF
King
24
(3) 3 ½”  x  1 WOF

Gathering all units, A,B, and C, follow the diagram to lay out the stars for sewing. Use all pieces from one stack of the Unit B's before moving on to the second stack.




This way, there is no confusion because the stars have different rotations. 



If that isn't pleasing, another set of the first dk blue/white HST can be made, or the originals can be torn apart and the dk blue/white positions switched. Personally, it doesn't bother me, so I'm leaving it!

Following my tutorial on Efficiently Sewing a Nine Patch, sew all the stars together, and give them a good press. It's your choice which way the seams go, because they don't have to nest with anything in the final assembly. These blocks measure 9 1/2" x 9 1/2".

Now stand back and admire your work! You did it! Next week I'll go over assembly.

Happy Quilting!




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