tutorial: how to make a star for a quilt

because i keep getting people excitedly showing me their first quilts due to my how to make a pinwheel tutorial and then my nine patch tutorial, i've decided that there are a lot of us out there that learn the same way. through step by step pictures.
and while quilting in general looks like a scary thing...it's not really. now, i don't think of myself as an awesome quilter...nope, i pretty much still think of myself as an average quilter still needing to learn a lot. but at least this way i can help out those of you that have been putting quilting on the side burner because you don't really have anyone to teach you.
well here you go.
another basic block, one of my favorites.
the quilt star.
what you will need for this block (which will measure 10 1/2" by 10 1/2" finished 10 by 10)
*1 main square measured at 5 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches
*4 white squares measured at 3 by 3 inches
*8 color squares (for this project i used the same color and fabric as my main square but you could do whatever color of fabric you like) measured at 3 by 3 inches
*4 white rectangles measured at 3 by 5 1/2 inches
*** use a 1/4 inch seam allowance for this project.
first thing we are going to do is draw a line down the the middle of your square from one point to the other point on the wrong side of your fabric.
do this for all your colored squares.
next we are getting the white rectangles and placing colored squares right sides together (with your drawn line facing you.) on one side of each of your white triangles
sew on your drawn line
and then continue onto the next block and the next block and so forth. leaving them "chained" together by the thread. this saves time and saves thread in your bobbin!
once all your squares are sewn on your rectangles, you can then cut the thread in between them.
next cut your excess off the square you just sewed on. just like the picture above.
open up and press with an iron
press your seams towards the colored block. (so they won't show through in the white of your quilt) now the first half of your rectangle is done.
next you need to gather up the last four colored blocks and do exactly the same as you did on the first side. (make sure you're sewing makes a point in the middle of your rectangle)
and once again cut off the excess of the square and press your seams to the color part of your block.
now you have your four points of the star.
next we are going to take the four white squares and two of your finished rectangles.
right sides together place on your rectangle the square. sew your first side, then repeat this for the other side.
open and press your seams with an iron (towards the colored part of your block )
you've just finished your top and bottom of your star block.
can you see it coming along?
get your middle square now.
place right sides together and and sew your left and right side rectangles (the ones withOUT the white squares attached.) to the main square.
press seams, now onto the top and bottom
right sides together sew your top and bottom on to the main square and rectangles.
uh, you just made it my friend. how do you feel?
yield one 10 1/2 by 10 1/2 inch block.
now keep making them till you have enough for a quilt top! how ever big you want it.

you betcha i'm working on making this into a quilt, with a little twist...we'll see how it turns out and how fast i get it done. we're in for some yucky weather...so i may just get some sewing done. we shall see!
come back monday for a link me up party #2. i want to see what you've been working on!
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