Emery’s Stars: Free Pattern.

A certain baby quilt has been sent off to my sister Joy who is due with baby Emery Elizabeth any day now.

I got the message that it has been well received and she is thrilled.  Whew!  That’s another deadline crossed off my list with not much to spare!

I’ve had so many requests for the pattern for this one that I’ve decided to post it here and keep it in the free patterns section for you since it is such a great baby quilt.  It will stay here forever and will work for little boys as well as little girls..just change the colors!

Now, I did start with bonus half square triangles for this quilt…there were a gazillion purple ones left from the border of my Lazy Sunday quilt from MORE Adventures with Leaders & Enders:

Yes, from THESE purple borders!

And there were over 300 bonus triangles of the SAME SIZE left from my Sister’s Choice redo, and they were ALL the same size as each other – because I purposely make them so they are a uniform usable size.  Click HERE to see my method of making bonus triangles that are automatically the right size!  I do this with any sew and flip method that starts with a 2-1/2” square that is being sewn on the diagonal. 

Purples and Pinks and Neutrals, Oh My!

And I also keep neutral 2” scrap squares on hand..because this is a size I use so often.  I like this scale of block.  The stars in this quilt finish at 6”.

For this quilt you will need 100 pink/neutral triangles and 200 purple/neutral triangles that measure 2” unfinished and finish at 1-1/2” in the quilt.  However you get them!  You can sew big and sliver trim down.  And if this is your preferred method, click HERE for my Triangle Trim Up tutorial on how to sliver trim half square triangles down with ONE CUT instead of two or four!  

Oh, and you'll also need 100 2" neutral squares for block corners.

You can use thangles, triangles on a roll, trangulations if you like to sew through paper and remove the paper before sewing your block together.  

Just remember that your stitch length needs to be very small to remove that paper – a stitch length of 1.5 on a digital machine, for instance.  

And another hint..that drawn seam line on the paper?  It’s NOT the seam line.  That’s the pressing line.  If you want your units to come out the right size, stitch right next to the line into the seam allowance.  You’ll get a better measurement.  

If you sew ON the line, your folding will have to come from inside of your triangle making the unit just a hair too small.  Trust me.

 

If you are a machine piecer or a hand piecer who likes to have their lines printed on their fabric shapes – click the image and link above!  

You can print your cutting and sewing lines directly onto your fabric with a simple ink jet printer – no paper removal required!  ((Tell Linda and Monkey that Bonnie sent you!))

Or, if you don’t have bonus triangles on hand, and you DO have 2” strips like me…..cut your fabric into already matched triangle pairs using the  Easy Angle ruler.

Cutting 2” unfinished triangle pairs with 2” strips and the 2” line on the ruler!

If you’ve never used the Easy Angle before, check my video tab at the top of the blog for how to use it.  Once you learn to use it correctly, it will become your favorite tool!

A couple things I've learned….Just like when piecing through  paper as in thangles – see that drawn 1/4” line on the diagonal side of the ruler?  That’s the 1/4” FOLD line, NOT the STITCHING LINE!  You want to sew just NEXT to that line, a bit scant of it, into the seam allowance side.

Just a bit shy!

See how my stitching is just to the RIGHT of that upper corner?  If I sewed directy in that corner, my seam would be too wide, and my triangle would open up and be too small.  That corner is where the fold should happen, just off of my thread.

 

Just had to remove one dog ear!

So you can make your triangles with any method that you choose, just as long as you have 100 pink/neutral, and 200 purple/neutral  half square triangle units and they all measure 2” unfinished so they finish at 1-1/2” in the block.  Got it?

 

Make 100 Block Quarters!

I know we all want to see stars, and you will – but first, the easiest way to construct this block is by making 4 block quarters in 4-patch format just like this.  WHY?  So that you can spin the seams on the back of each block quarter so that they are all going ONE direction.  This way they will all nest each other when you rotate the block quarters into the block layout and stitch them together. 

You’ll be sewing 4 patch block quarters into one bigger 4 patch star.

Stitch the block quarter into rows, and join the rows to complete each block quarter.  Pressing hint –Press the top purple triangle toward the corner neutral square.  The pink triangle in the second row will be pressed toward the neutral/purple triangle unit. 

When you join the halves, you will be able to spin the seams as shown in the second image.  Click HERE to find out more about spinning seams.

Rotate 4 units to form the spinning star!

Make 25!  Stars will measure 6-1/2" and finish at 6" in the quilt.

You may find yourself spinning THESE seams too!  You can if you want, but it isn't crucial, these blocks are framed by sashing so we are done needing seams to nest.

Layout:

5 rows of 5 blocks plus sashing and cornerstones!

I love sashings and cornerstones.  I love how they frame the blocks and give your eye a bit of a place to rest, and…seams don’t have to be matched to anything but the cornerstones!

Counting is always a bit of a headache – so if you want to know where to go to calculate sashings and cornerstones by number of blocks in the quilt..click HERE for my Straight Set Sashing Chart.  And for future reference, you can also find it in the Tips & Techniques tab at the top of the blog.  There is a chart for on-point sashings and cornerstones too.  HANDY!

From periwinkle print cut 60 sashings 2-1/2” X 6-1/2”.

From assorted pinks cut 36 2-1/2” cornerstone squares.

Lay out the blocks in 5 rows of 5 blocks each, placing cornerstones and sashings between the rows as shown.

Assemble the quilt into rows, and join the rows to complete the quilt center, pressing block seams toward sashings.

Inner border:

From neutral/pink stripe, cut 5 1-1/2” strips across the width of the fabric from selvage to selvage.  Join the strips end to end on the straight of grain to make a strip approximately 200” long.  Press the seams open.

Lay the quilt center out on the floor, smoothing it gently. Do not tug or pull. Measure the quilt through the center from top to bottom. Cut two inner borders this length. Sew the inner side borders to the quilt sides with right sides together, pinning to match centers and ends. Ease where necessary to fit. Press seams toward the borders.

Repeat for top and bottom inner borders, measuring across the quilt center, including the borders just added in the measurement. Cut top and bottom borders this length. Stitch the top and bottom borders to the quilt center, pinning to match centers and ends, easing where necessary to fit. Press seams toward borders.

Outer Border:

From Fuscia/Purple print  cut 6 4” strips across the width of the fabric from selvage to selvage. Join the border strips end to end on the straight of grain to make a border length approximately 240” long. Press seams open.

Lay the quilt center out on the floor, smoothing it gently. Do not tug or pull. Measure the quilt through the center from top to bottom. Cut 2 outer side borders this length. Sew the outer side borders to the quilt sides with right sides together, pinning to match centers and ends. Ease where necessary to fit. Press seams toward the outer borders.

Repeat for top and bottom borders, measuring across the quilt center, including the borders just added in the measurement. Cut top and bottom borders this length. Stitch the top and bottom borders to the quilt center, pinning to match centers and ends, easing where necessary to fit. Press seams toward outer borders.  Need more border info?  Click HERE for my Border Helps!
 

 

Emery’s Star, approximately 51” X 51”.

 

Quilt and bind as desired!

 

Check out my Binding Tutorial for more hints and helps!

 

 

I quilted Emery’s Stars with lilac thread in an edge to edge design called Lavish by Hermione Agee of Lorien Quilting, Australia.

 

 

My nieces and nephew with their quilts from Auntie Bonnie!

 

Clockwise from my nephew Mike with his hands on his baby quilt in the bottom right…Kellie is holding the sonogram of Baby Emery with her knees on her quilt, above her in the green shirt is Taylor on her Scrappy Trips quilt, and next to her is Addie on her sampler quilt –Each child is kneeling on their own baby quilt.  A lifetime of love – they are growing up so fast, and the quilts remind me of when they were so tiny!

Kellie seems to be saying "Hurry up and get here, Emery, we are excited for you to join our family!"

The photo came with this message:

Guess what I found on my doorstep when I got home!!! A cute package from my sis!!! It's beautiful! The girls were so excited they brought down all their quilts to compare & play. ;o) I'll have to take a pic of them & send it to you! Thank you so much! We have had a blast searching for favorite fabrics... kitties, puppies, bees, chicken wire... :oD So fun! I also love that you signed it in your own writing! The girls started comparing labels & reading poems... So sweet.

 It makes it all worth it, doesn't it?

I’ll work at getting a printer friendly version for this at a later date.  I’m packing for leaving for Oregon, and am trying to write this ahead and my time is running short!

 

Happy Quilting, everyone!

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