Congratulations to Linda who will be working with eleven Tree blocks. Thanks Linda.
I am going to continue on the theme of blocks using HST’s and Flying Geese. This month’s block is a star which uses four Flying Geese. The Diary of a Quilter website has a downloadable chart with sizes to cut for several sizes of star. The Suzy Quilts website notes that the block dates to the 1880s and that it has been known by many names including Sawtooth Star, Variable Star, Evening Star, and North Star.
For our block this month the star is outlined by an uneven border in the background fabric. The RELEVANT WEBSITES include links from last month for help with the four geese and new ones for the star.
Please bring your blocks to the January meeting and enter them in the lotto. One ticket for each block.
MATERIALS
You will need very-light to light yellow star and dark blue background fabrics. The fabrics may be tone-on-tone, solid, or even gold trimmed for the star.
1 – 5 1/4″ square of blue for the “geese” or the background
4 – 3″ squares of yellow for the star points
1 – 4 1/2″ square of yellow for the centre
4 – 2 1/2″ squares of blue for the corners
1 – 1 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ of blue for border on one side
1 – 1 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ of blue for border on an adjacent side
1 – 2″ x 9 1/2″ strip of blue for border on the next side
1 – 2″ x 11″ strip of blue for border on the last side
ASSEMBLY
This picture show all but the border pieces. The pieces for the No Waste Flying Geese are on the top. The pieces for making the geese into a star block are on the bottom.
The four Flying Geese are assembled in the same manner as in the November Tree Block. I have included links to directions online in the Relevant Websites below.
Make the four Flying Geese. The only thing I did differently is that I pressed the seams toward the yellow so that the star would stand out.
Lay the pieces as shown.
Sew them together as you would a nine-patch to make the star.
The border is NOT the same all the way around. Two sides are with 1 1/2″ strips and the next two sides are with 2″ strips. Add the borders and press but do not trim. If there is a bit of variety in the sizes of the stars it is okay because the border will take care of any differences.
The recipient of the blocks can then trim them as desired.
RELEVANT WEBSITES
- Diary of a Quilter – Fast Flying Geese + Sawtooth Star Tutorial has excellent directions and different colour choices to see. Amy includes a downloadable chart of measurements for different sizes of stars.
- Suzy Quilts – Reverse Sawtooth Star Pattern. Suzy includes a bit of quilt block history.
- Connecting Threads – Flying Geese Variable Stars Tutorial gives directions for two ways to construct the geese and how to assemble the star.
- Beech Tree Lane Handmade – No Waste Flying Geese Blocks
- the spruce – No-Waste Flying Geese
Happy Quilting,
Marilyn C
Seymour Quilters Guild 