• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Pieced Brain

All about quilting, knitting, crochet, embroidery, free tutorials, quilting and crafting book reviews.

  • Start Here
  • Design a Quilt
  • Featured
  • Patterns
    • Patterns
    • Pattern Updates
    • Free Patterns
  • Tutorials
  • Programs & Workshops
  • Contact
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Quilts with stars and over 50 one-block quilt patterns

By Denise Russell

I love quilts with stars, whether they are pieced, paper pieced, or appliqued. I have made them entirely with stars, such as this Christmas quilt, or mixed with alternating blocks. Here is my latest star quilt block, which is going into a sampler quilt.

Quilts with stars

Two of my friends and I are making star quilt blocks which will be later turned into a quilt. We were supposed to meet every month and exchange blocks, but life is getting in the way. I did make another block, though, and I think it came out so cool!

I was looking for 12-inch star quilt blocks and came into my office, grabbed the first book I saw on the shelf, and, as I always do, turned to the back and began flipping through the pages from there. What was my surprise when the last quilt of the book – the first one I saw – featured a star block! You have seen this star block before, I am sure, but I was attracted by its construction.

How to sew Quilts with stars

The most common star blocks have a square in the middle, four flying geese, and four corner squares. In this block, two rectangles replace the center square and the top and bottom flying-geese units – the latter are made by adding squares to the rectangles. Easy!

So, off I went to my studio, selected the fabrics from the Gretel fabric collection (the collection we chose for this quilt) by Riley Blake Designs for this star block, and began cutting. My next surprise: I had leftover half-square triangles from a previous block (I will show you two more I made below) – I only needed to trim them to size. This is getting better by the minute, I thought.

I lined up everything next to my sewing machine and began sewing.

I added the squares to both ends of each rectangle using the stitch and flip method. Yes, I drew a diagonal line on the wrong side of the squares first for good measure, even though they were not too large and I could have just aligned the corners with the blue tape you see on the acrylic extension table.

How to sew Quilts with stars

Usually, the flying geese have the same fabric but I ran out of the fabric used on the half-square triangles and used the pink fabric instead. The block will just look scrappier.

It is time to stitch together the half-square triangles. I am making three blocks so I pin the seams together and chain piece them.

How to sew Quilts with stars

Perfection! Notice how I pressed the seams open. I do this to make life easier for Melissa, the long-arm quilter and to prevent her from breaking a needle, which happens if we have bulky seams for her to quilt over.

Quilts with stars

Next, I stitched the red rectangles to the flying geese, the blue and pink squares, and the rectangle to the last units. Although we often assemble a quilt block in rows, I will assemble this one in columns.

The striped fabric is going in different directions depending on the corner, and that was by design. I like the texture it is adding to the star.

Quilts with stars

Again, I chain piece the first column of the three blocks using a 1/4″ seam.

Well, the seam did not come out right over the pinned area, so I redid it and will rip those stitches off.

How to sew Quilts with stars
Quilts with stars

Here is the completed block in all its glory. Fun construction, don’t you think? The middle rectangles stand in place of three patches, and I like it. It saves me from stitching a couple of seams, and that is good enough for me.

Now, let me tell you about the book where I found this block. It is called The Big Book of One-Block Quilts: 57 Single-Block Sensations, published by Martingale. I love their series of “Big Books” because you get so much inspiration in between the two covers! This one has 57 quilt patterns, one more interesting than the other! Quilts with stars? Yes, it has many!

Quilts with stars
Photographs by Brent Kane for Martingale. Used with permission.

The round-up of quilt designers is amazing and their creativity shows in the wide range of blocks, techniques, and colorways used. Modern or traditional, easy or more intricate, bright or neutral are some of the options you will find in this comprehensive collection of one-block quilt patterns.

What I like about single-block quilts is that I select the fabrics I will be working with, then figure out the block I will be using, practice by making one if I don’t already know how to put it together, and then I just chain-piece the whole bunch together.

Many of the patterns shown in the book have fun unexpected designs, others have fabulous fabric placement. Some remind us of old favorites, others are totally fresh and new.

Quilts with stars

And here is the very last one on the book, the one on the far right above, where I got that block I showed you above. Quilts with stars have a special attraction to me and on the photograph above alone you see three different patterns. You can expect another star quilt block tutorial coming to a blog post near you!

You do not have to make a very large quilt as any of the patterns in The Big Book of One-Block Quilts can be turned into wall hangings or small quilts. For instance, I designed this patriotic quilt and then made four blocks for a smaller version of it. Here is a mini quilt I made from another patriotic quilt pattern. When I like a quilt block a lot, it becomes a prime candidate for a small project.

Before I forget, here are two more of the star blocks I have made for our project. When we are done, I will photograph all the blocks together (including theirs and the ones I have not blogged about yet) for you to see.

I hope you like these ideas for quilts with stars, and that you have a weekend filled with entertainment of the sewing type!

Share This:

Share
Pin214
Post
Print
214Shares

Filed Under: quilt patterns Tagged With: 12 inch quilt blocks, block tutorial, flying geese, half square triangles, modern quilt patterns, one block quilt patterns, patriotic quilts, pattern for star block, quilt block, quilt block tutorial, quilt book, Quilts with stars, star quilt block, star quilts

Get free quilt patterns and tutorials, as well as blocks and quilts designed exclusively for subscribers.

Find out what is trending in the quilting world and learn new techniques to take your quilting to the next level!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debra Campbell says

    at

    Awesome tutorial! I too love star quilts! I like to take a star block and increase the size to make a one-block baby quilt.

    • Denise Russell says

      at

      That is a fantastic idea, Debra! I am so glad you liked the tutorial.

  2. Carol S. says

    at

    Great post and tutorial on stars! I don’t make stars very often but love them…I need that book. Thanks for sharing your beautiful star.

    • Denise Russell says

      at

      You’re welcome! I am so hooked on star blocks, and it is so fun to look for variations. Yes, this book is so cool…

  3. Angie in SoCal says

    at

    Thanks for the tutorial – I like to make blocks in different ways. And thanks for the book review. Must get that book. Just what I need for my bookshelf.

    • Denise Russell says

      at

      We can always be surprised by a block construction trick, right? I do love this book and I am sure you will like it, too!

Primary Sidebar

Denise Russell

Hello, I’m Denise and I love to design and make quilts. You can also find me knitting, crocheting, and making other crafts. Join me!
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Get free quilt patterns and tutorials, as well as blocks and quilts designed exclusively for subscribers.

Find out what is trending in the quilting world and learn new techniques to take your quilting to the next level!

My Patterns On ETSY!

Fantastic Sales! Click to Save!

Fat Quarter Shop Quilting Fabrics and Supplies
Lowest prices on the best yarn - guaranteed at knitpicks.com
Various Logos for Indygo Junction
300 X 250 banner

QuilterBlogs

Footer

Disclosure of Material Connection:

The links above and some of the links in my posts are affiliate links: if you click on the link and decide to purchase something, I may receive a commission. I often receive books from publishers so I can review them on my blog and, at times, I may receive products to use and write about my experience with them. Read my privacy policy.

Recent Posts

  • Scrappy quilt with stars
  • Flannel quilt for beginners
  • Black and White modern quilt
  • Free star quilt pattern
  • Free pattern for a panel quilt
  • Scrappy Quilt with Liberty of London

Search

Archives

Categories

Copyright © 2025 Pieced Brain Quilt Designs LLC. All rights reserved. · Designed by Wacky Jacqui's Designs