August: The Inverted Star

Hi ladies! It's August! I'm so excited! Fall is around the corner (right??) and school is starting (wahoo!!) and it's my month on 12squared!!!

I saw this on the common threads blog, and on Pinterest last week. (I downloaded a pdf file from craftsy.com that outlines the same steps that I'll put here!)  After making a whole tutorial for another block (it wasn't meant to be!), I realized I loved this one so much more!  And we desperately need a new quilt for our bed, so here we go!!

I will send you a fat eighth of kona white and a few color scraps to help with choosing colors.  (They are in the mail!)

From the white, you will need to cut:

(1) 4.5" square

(4) 2.5" squares

(12) 3" squares

I promise you can get all your squares from this piece.  I made a diagram if you need some help. This is how I cut it.  I started with the 4.5"square on the right and worked my way left. 

Then cut the (12) 3" squares down the diagonal to form 24 triangles.

Next, you will need red and blue scraps of at least 3" square size.  I am sending paint chips to give you an idea of what colors I'm looking for.  As you can see some of these have green leaves or pink accents.  That's okay. But when you squint looking at the fabric, I want you to see red or blue! :) You can see below some of the designs I like: polka dots, checks, geometrics, contemporary florals, etc.  are fabulous! 

From the printed fabric, cut

(4) 2.5" squares

(12) 3" squares

Again, cut the (12) 3" squares down the diagonal to create 24 triangles.

 Now lay out your squares and triangles.  Following this design for whites and colored triangles, you can lay out your colors however you think looks best (for example, you don't HAVE to have the reds where I put my reds and the blues where I put my blues-that's just how I liked mine) Start with the 4.5" white square.  Put a colored square at each corner.  Next lay out your triangles, and work outward.  Take a picture with your phone or camera so you can come back to know where things go.  Believe me, you'll look back at it often! :)

 Each colored triangle is adjacent to a white triangle.  You will start by connecting each colored triangle along the hypotenuse (the long side) to a white triangle.  

 Sew right sides together along the hypotenuse. I recommend chaining as you sew these and just keep sewing them and trim the strings at the end. It saves so much time! 

Be gentle with these little pieces as you sew down the diagonal, as you will be sewing along the bias and you don't want it to stretch and warp!

Press seams open. 

Here's the busy work.  To reduce bulk, trim the corners edges so they are square again.

Next square up each square back to 2.5".  When you're putting together your squares, you'll be so glad you did, and I will be ever so grateful!!

 thank you

 As I trimmed, I also put like colors together-it made laying it out again so much easier!

 Lay out your squares again.  Next we'll start creating rectangles.  

Start joining squares together to create two square rectangles. Match seams where applicable.

 Press seams open.

 Now join rectangles so that you end up with nine 4.5" squares.

Press seams open.  

 Now we have nine larger squares.  

Join squares together by rows, matching seams.  

Press seams. 

Join your three rows for one larger square. You're done! Do not trim edges or square up at the end.  I'll do that.

 Look at all those lovely seams. Again, thank you for your busy work!!

 But she's so pretty! And I'm so excited for my bright and lovely quilt!!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ladies!!