Today I'm going to show you
how to make this vintage quilt block
that I am calling
"Grandma's Star"
But first...
stick with me while I tell you
a little about this block
and why it's so near and dear
to my quilty heart!!
The pattern for this block
was in the November 1950
edition of
The Workbasket Magazine
and several years ago my
grandma gave me her copy.
You know that I grew up in a
quilting family and spent many hours
first "under the quilt frames"
and then joining my mom...
my grandma and her sisters...
(my great aunts)
"around the quilt frames"
putting in a good share of stitches!
The quilting was always accompanied
by good company...
good stories...
good food...
and lots of laughter.
It was our way of life
and it was a good one:)
I love reading vintage patterns...
they are sew fun!
Grandma and her sisters made this quilt
and many others in a variety of colors
using fabric leftover from dress yardage
(grandma always bought 4 yards for one dress)
and used scraps of feed sack prints.
The block was originally called
Star of Bethlehem and if you are
a vintage quilt lover...
you know how popular
this block was back then.
There have been many variations
since over the years...
all with an additional
variety of names given.
I am choosing to call mine
"Grandma's Star"
in honor of my Grandma Mildred Crane...
affectionally known to all as Milly:)
She looks so serious in this photo
which doesn't surprise me at all
because she did not like having
her photo taken..
but she had a beautiful wide smile
and a contagious laugh!
She is my Mom's mother and
lived just down the road from me
and in the small town of
Herriman, Utah where I grew up
and was a big part of our everyday lives.
She has been gone for 7 years now
and I still miss her every day.
to read my post about her and our relationship.
Grandma's are sew important!
Okay...
so now onto more about the
Grandma's Star quilt block.
Of course a quilt pattern
in the year 1950 meant templates
and not rotary cutting like today ...
so of course I drafted it up
for you modern style!
I've saved this block tutorial
(and many others)
for a very long time...
waiting for the perfect fabric collection
that would go perfectly side by side
with my Grandma's Star Block
And here it is!!!
that has just been released this month.
YAY!!
I designed this collection with
visions of all scrappy happy blocks
and of my blocks from my
and also with visions of many many more
Farm Girl blocks to come!
To say the least...
I am beyond thrilled with
each and every print
(it's my largest collection so far)
and I have SEW many plans...
BIG PLANS
that will be happening with this collection:)
Todays tutorial is just the start.
If you choose to follow along...
all of the vintage block tutorials will eventually be a quilt!
As you know I like to make my
Farm Girl blocks in both 6" and 12" size.
I made the 6" Grandma's Star first.
Here is the 6" cutting:
Background
Cut 8 - 1 1/4" x 2"
Cut 24 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
Fabric One (mine is aqua)
Cut 8 - 2" x 2"
Cut 8 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
Fabric Two (mine is red)
Cut 24 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"
If you want to add 4 corners
like piece "E"
in the magazine photo...
cut 4 - 2"squares.
6" Grandma's Star Block
made with 3 of the prints from
Farm Girl Vintage
P.S. This block has a lot of pieces
(which makes it sew fabulous!)
and I always press my seams open
when that's the case.
6" Farm Girl Blocks
are so tiny and cute...
but if you are the
12" Farm Girl Block type...
Here you go!!
Isn't it amazing how different
blocks look in these 2 sizes...
and of course different prints too:)
I will be using the 12" size
for the quilt that I'll be making
and use the 6" size for something else:)
I've chosen the 12" size for the
step by step tutorial...
but keep in mind that I sew
the 6" size exactly
the same way as the 12"
I chose 3 more prints from
Farm Girl Vintage to make the 12" block.
I also cut squares for the
"E" corners just in case I wanted them...
from the fourth print
that you see (the text)
it's one of my new widleback prints ...
it's 108" wide and is called
"Farm Life" and is perfect for all your
Farm Girl quilt backing
and of course I use it for
piecing blocks as well!
It comes in 3 colors:)
I used just a little bit
larger scaled prints
for the 12" as opposed to the 6"
and the fun "tiny floral" print
from the collection for the background.
Cutting for 12" Grandma's Star:
Background
Cut 8 - 2" x 3 1/2"
Cut 24 - 2" x 2"
Fabric One (mine is coral)
Cut 8 - 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"
Cut 8 - 2" x 2"
Fabric Two (mine is green)
Cut 24 - 2" x 2"
If you are making the "E" corners
cut 4 - 3 1/2" squares.
First we are going to make a pinwheel
for the center out of 4
half square triangles.
Take 4 each of the 2" squares
and pair them up with right sides together.
Sew a straight line from corner to corner.
You can mark a line on the squares
but I like to spend my time sewing
and not marking so I use my
And simply follow the center line
as it's being fed through the
machine like this.
to see how and why to use it
with your machine:)
I also like to save time and thread
by chain stitching as much as I can:)
Trim an approximate 1/4" seam allowance
off of one side like this...
And press open!
Sew the 4 half square triangles together
and sew a cute pinwheel...
making sure to place each triangle
going the right direction
as needed for the block.
Open seams and set aside until later.
Now we are going to make the
remaining 8 half square triangles
in the block using 8 each of
these two 2" x 2" squares.
Sew them the same way as the others...
Trim and press open as well.
Set them aside for later.
Now grab these prints...
4 of the rectangles and
4 each of the squares.
We are going to make 4 flying geese
using the easy corner triangle method.
Sew the coral squares onto
one side like this...
marking a line or using the
Seams Sew Easy
to sew from corner to corner.
Take note that you will need to
trim and press
the coral triangles BEFORE
you can add the green triangles
to the other side.
Set these 4 aside for later.
Now grab 4 of the 3 1/2" squares
and 8 of the 2" background squares.
Sew an easy corner triangle
on each top corner of
the squares like this...
remembering that you have to complete
one side before adding the other.
Set these 4 segments aside.
Grab the 4 remaining 3 1/2" squares...
use 8 green squares and
4 background squares
for the next segments.
Sew a green easy corner triangle
onto each side of the
coral squares like this.
Now add a background easy corner triangle
onto the top of each one.
Set aside.
You are doing great!
We are getting closer to
having each block segment completed:)
Grab the 8 half square triangles
that you already made and
lay them like this
with the remaining 4 background
rectangles and 4 background squares.
Sew them together...
to look like this!
You should have 4 segments each.
Okay!
Great job.
Sewing this block takes time...
but is easy when you break it down
into smaller sections...
and now we can start sewing
those smaller sections together!
Sew these 2 sections together
like this for a total of 4...
Like this.
And these 2 sections
for a total of 4...
Like this.
Now add this section to the top...
like this.
You will have 4.
YaY!
Now you can lay the block out
into what is basically a nine patch:)
Sew into 3 rows like this.
And then sew the rows together
to complete your block.
Whew and Yeehaw!
Sewing this block is like
making one cute little quilt
all within it's self and I love it:)
Grandma's Star
12" x 12" finished.
Of course your block will measure
12 1/2" square at this point
which is unfinished size.
I haven't added the 4 - "E" corners yet
because I haven't quite decided yet
if I am going to.
(sew many possibilities!)
It may become a pillow...
or if it goes into a quilt
I will definitely add the corners
because when all of the rows are sewn together
it will make each star
look very circular and I love that:)
All you need to do when adding them is sew them diagonally across each corner of the block and trim.
They are just another Easy Corner Triangle that is optional!
Your 6" Grandma's Star
will measure 6 1/2" unfinished.
P.S. I made my pincushion
several years ago using a
cute little vintage toy tractor:)
Those are my vintagey sewing style
I super love this block.
I hope you have fun with this
very long but very fun tutorial...
and maybe you will try your hand
at making both sizes.
The 6" size is fiddly but fun
and is totally do-able.
And as you can see...
it's totally worth it!!
Thanks sew much for joining me
for my very first
"Vintage Block Along"
tutorial with my
favorite Farm Girl Vintage
fabric collection!!
There are plenty more
vintage block tutorials to come:)
Until next time...
Have a Quilty Kind of Day!!
xx
Lori
***UPDATE***
We are now finished making all of the blocks...
If you are just joining us...
click on each block
to go to the tutorial:
5. Rhinestone
6. Vintage Lily
7. Star Shine
8. Humble
9. Egg Money
10. Quilting Bee
11. Sunday Star
12. Sweet as Honey
13. Bear Hug Block
15. Memory
16. Farmers Daughter
19. Picnic
20. Sparklers
21. 4th of July Flag
22. Playing Card
23. Penny Candy
24. Mercantile
25. Family Reunion
26. Parade
27. Shade Tree
28. Wildflowers
29. Crossroads
30. Leftovers
31. Peony
32. September Star
34. Six Sisters
35. Twirl
36. Wash Day
37. Fall Flower
38. Fall Social
39. Holiday Lights
40. Winter Flower
41. Checkers