Part 4 -- Dresden Star Tutorials

 How is piecing the Dresden Star blocks going for you? 

 It's very quiet out there so I'm assuming I'm doing such a great job on the tutorials that there is no need for questions or you are all just watching me do this??

Whichever it is, I'm having a good time and making steady progress.  I have 13 finished star blocks and 4 half-blocks in preparation for today's post.

Today, I'll cover making the half-blocks and cutting the setting triangles in preparation for 

Part 5 to discuss the setting of this quilt.

As you recall, I'm using a layer cake for my blocks.  I used a total of 26 squares from the layer cake for the stars.  To make the half-blocks, I'm using the leftover pieces of 8 layer cake squares which measure about 3" by 10".  

Both the crib version (in the pattern) and the laprobe size I'm making use 4 half-blocks.  Each half-block uses 3 pairs of blades, 4 kite points and 3 background diamonds.

Cutting these pieces from jelly roll (2 1/2" ) strips isn't a problem but I had to fiddle around a bit with the layer cake leftovers to get my 3 pair of blades. 

Thank goodness for my rotating rotary mat!!

 I actually found it easier to cut the blades out with the template I made for the last tutorial!?!

In the photo below, I've assembled two of the blade units with a kite point.  The remaining two blades are separated and positioned as shown.

This photo illustrates the order of assembly.

If you look back up at the first picture, you'll see this half-star on my design wall.

Now let's look at cutting the setting triangles.  Of course, as a retired Marti Michell educator, I'm using one of the 60 degree triangle rulers.***  There are two and I have both, but if I were buying them today, I'd get the large one.  

If you don't have one of these rulers or a different brand, I'll go over cutting the triangles without one of them.

For the crib size setting, you need 16 full triangles and 4 half triangles.

For the lap robe size, I need 24 full triangles and 12 half triangles.

Before starting my blocks, I set aside all the light background prints from my layer cake to use for my setting triangles.    If you are working with a jelly roll, you'll need a 1/2 yard of a print with a light background that blends/coordinates with your fabric assortment for the setting triangles.

Layer two squares right sides together on the cutting mat and trim to a 9 3/4" square -- this is mostly to eliminate those pinked edges.  The reason for layering the squares right sides together is to get right and left half triangles without having to think about it.

No need to experiment with that idea -- just do it.

(I already messed it up by not doing it.)

Lay one edge of the small triangle or the 6" line of the large triangle along one edge of the squares and snugged up into a corner as below.  Cut the triangles making sure to trim the points as directed with the ruler.

To cut the half triangles, twist the ruler around 180 degrees and align the purple lines down the center of tool as shown.  ALL three lines need to be on the fabric because this creates the seam allowance needed on that edge of the piece.

Here's one of my squares after cutting -- two full triangles, two half triangles, and three scraps -- upper left corner, center piece, and lower right corner.  

With careful cutting, I was able to get 20 full triangles and 20 half triangles.

If you go back to the number of full triangles needed, you'll see that I'm 4 short for the laprobe.  But happily my brain realized that since I only need 12 of the half triangles, I can stitch the extra 8 half triangles together to make 4 more full triangles and I'm golden!!

In the next tutorial, I will explain how to make these blend right into the setting and everyone will think I planned it that way?!?

To use a different brand of ruler or a basic rotary ruler, start by cutting 6" strips across the width of the fabric -- two for the crib size, three for the lap robe size -- from the yardage of your setting fabric.  Layer two of the strips right sides together on your cutting mat (because you need left and right facing half-triangles) and square off the end.

Align the 60 degree line with the lower edge of the strip as below.  This first cut will make two of the half triangles but DON'T align it with the lower left corner as I have in the picture below.  My mistake meant I didn't have a seam allowance on that edge of the piece.

Instead, make a mark 1/4" in from the corner and align the ruler with that mark -- seam allowance.

(I made the mistake so you don't have to!?!)

This first cut will give you a pair of half triangles.

Then work your way across the strips rotating the ruler to line up along the 60 degree line on the lower edge of the strip.

You should get at least 10 triangles from each strip.

Before you take the triangles off the rotary mat, twist a 6" wide ruler so the 5  3/4" line matches each side of the triangle.  See that little corner peeking out at the upper right corner?  

Trim it off to mimic the trimmed corners of Marti's tool.  If you've not worked with trimmed corners, it's a game changer increasing my matching accuracy.

Do this for all three corners of the triangles.

As you near the opposite end of the strip, you can maximize fabric by cutting another set of half-triangles.  To do this, line up the 1/4" line of your straight ruler (adding seam allowance) and cut.

If you have Marti's 60 degree Triangle Ruler***, align the tool with the edge of the strip, cut the diagonal and trim the 3 corners.

For other brands of 60 (equilateral) triangles, the horizontal lines may not match the fabric edge on a 6" strip, but this is the correct strip size -- so align the tool as straight as possible and don't worry about matching a line.  You will also need to use the trick for trimming the triangle corners that I shared above.

  One of the unique aspects of Marti's tool is that the sizes noted along the outer edges of the tool are the finished size of the triangles making it easier for you to determine what size is needed for your blocks.  In looking at other brands, their measurements seem to be based on the "height" of the tool and that is absolutely no help -- all it tells you is what size to cut the strip and not the size of the finished triangle. 

Here's a bonus idea I pondered when I realized I was running out of fabric for the triangles.  Cut four scrappy 3" sixty-degree triangles and stitch them together for a 6" triangle.

Just an idea to keep in your back pocket?

And it would be a good solution for a scrappy version!

I've reviewed this tutorial several times and hope I've anticipated everything you need to know about cutting the setting triangles, but if not -- ask away!!

THIS WEEK'S ACTION STEPS:

1.  Finish piecing your blocks and make four half-blocks.

2.  Cut the setting triangles as described above.

3.  Clear off your design wall so you will be ready to play next week -- tutorial 5 will come out Wednesday, July 26.

4.  And of course, leave your questions in the comments.  I bet someone else has the same question and will be relieved they aren't the only one asking it!!

Just for fun, if you are on Instagram, remember to post your blocks as you finish them -- use the hashtag, #dresdenstarquilt and tag me @hueymary

Mary

P.S.  Did you notice I've added six blocks to the UFO?!? 

 Progress!!!

***EDIT April 2025

Marti Michel closed her business in late in 2024 and while some shops may still have a stock of her templates, you can also find them on Ebay and Etsy. 

Part 3 -- Dresden Stars Tutorials

Are you ready to give this block a try?  Today's tutorial is long but full of pictures which I hope will make it easy to follow.  Read all the way through it first, then sew through it slowly.  If you don't "get it", just do it and it will make sense as you finish the first block.  If you didn't pull out a UFO for "leaders/enders" (I know you have at least one), do that before you start to sew.  Not only will it make the rhythm of the process smoother, it will be a win-win because you will finally make a bit of progress on that UFO!?!

Step 1 is to sew the six pairs of blades together -- start at the narrow end, 1/4" seams.

Stitch up to or just short of the dot -- it's okay to stop less than a stitch from the dot!

 I've learned "short of the dot" works as well as "on the dot" -- but don't stitch past the dot. 

 If your 1/4" seam is accurate, your needle will be aimed directly at the dot.

Now for the "trick" that makes it possible to chain-piece while stitching set-in seams!

With the needle down, lift the presser foot and pivot the fabric clockwise until the left edge of the presser foot aligns with the edge of the patchwork.

Next, stitch onto the second pair of blades and repeat the process until you have all six pairs stitched together.

I leave every blade attached to the chain as you see here.

Clip off the first five pairs and leave the last pair under your needle.   Don't press anything yet -- it's not helpful!!   Grab the six kite points.

Open up a blade pair and position the kite point as below.

Flip the kite point right side down onto the left blade being sure to match the corners of the pieces.

Stitch off the last blade pair that is still under the machine needle and onto the first kite.

Stop at or just before the dot and pivot clockwise as before.  Now you can clip off the last blade pair and continue to add kite points to all six blade pairs.

Once you have the kites attached to one side of all the blade pairs,

Cut off five of the blade units, align the second side of the kite to the other side of the blade unit and continue on -- chain-piecing all the way until all six blade units are finished.

This is where I grab something from my UFO "leaders/enders" stack -- once I've sewn onto this little strip set, I can clip off all the blade units and head to the ironing station!

Press the seams of the blade units with the long seam going towards the darker fabric and the end seams going towards the kites.  Do not press the seams open!!  Not only is this unnecessarily time consuming (in my opinion) but it weakens the patchwork.

Time for the second sewing round!  Make three pairs of blade units -- match the seams as shown below.

Since I'm going to applique a 1" hexagon at the center of the star when I'm finished with the piecing, I trim 1/2" off the tips before stitching them together to reduce bulk.

Here we go!  Sewing off the little strip set from my UFO onto the blade joining seam.

All the way to the dot (or just short of it -- less than a stitch), pivot clockwise.

Before pressing, let's add a background diamond to each unit.

More of the same -- align the background diamond right side down on the left side of the blade unit.

Stitch to the dot and pivot clockwise.

Keep chain-piecing!  There is a rhythm to this process and it may feel awkward for the first few blocks you piece.  Stay with it -- do one every day instead of trying to do all of the blocks in one long session.  Practice makes the process smoother and your brain will find the rhythm better with a daily session.

Once the background diamonds are attached to one side of the blades, flip it around and attach the second side.  Still chain-piecing!!

All three units are finished and it's time to sew onto another UFO unit.

Before I press the blade units, take a look at this close-up of where the seams "meet" -- in other set-in piecing techniques, the "gap" you see between the ends of the seams would be a problem because it would be weak and leave a hole.  But with the "set-in piecing simplified" technique, the "sew-off" stitches secure the end of each seam with no apparent hole on the right side.

Those "sew-off" stitches are the reason you can stop a bit short of the dot and there is no "back-stitching" which doesn't work well anyway.

Looks perfect!!

Press the seams between the blade units in the same direction as the first seams -- this way the seams will swirl around the finished star in one direction.  Press the outer edges of the blade units towards the background diamonds -- this makes for crisp points when we start to set the blocks together.

All that is left to do is set the three blade units together and add in the last three background diamonds.

I stitch the three blade units together first, starting at the center of the star so I can pivot at the dots.  I need nine "leader/ender" units at this point, so the short seams of these 3" 9-patch blocks were perfect.

Once the three blades units are assembled, start setting in the background diamonds -- one block seam, one UFO seam, one block seam, one UFO seam, and so on.

Ready to press and half the 9-patch blocks are done!!

Press the remaining seams to match what is already pressed.

The last step is to prepare an applique center -- I like using a 1" hexagon but the few pictures I've seen of vintage Dresden Stars use a circle.  Your choice!

For a circle, try a 1 1/2" finished diameter circle and see if you like that size -- you can always go smaller.

I prep the hexagon like English paper piecing, folding the seam allowances over a paper hexagon and pressing (or basting) them in place.  If you don't have a friend who can give you a few 1" EPP hexagon papers, "google" it -- there are quite a few free printable sources for them.

Take out the paper, position the hexagon -- look how beautifully it lines up with the seams of the blades.

Hand or machine stitch in place.

Here's the back side and the reason I trimmed off the tips -- no bulk and a nice flat center.

My finished sample block -- it's destined for the potholder pile.  I should have picked a stronger yellow as the points fade into the background more than I'd like.

Now onto the blocks for my new version of Dresden Stars.

If you are making the pattern size quilt, you'll need to piece seven star blocks.  I'm making a laprobe size and will need thirteen star blocks.  There are also some half-star blocks which I'll cover in Part 4 along with an introduction to the setting of this quilt.

My UFO project is waiting for my return to the machine!  In a couple weeks, I'll have all the Dresden Star blocks ready (one a day) and a few more blocks finished for the UFO.

I have nine finished of the thirty (or thirty-five) I need for this UFO, a lap size quilt top -- we'll see how many I finish.  Another nine would put me over the halfway mark!!

THIS WEEK'S ACTION STEPS:

 

1. Sew, sew, sew!!

If you have questions, put them in the comments.  I'm checking everyday to see if answers are needed!

I'll post Part 4 in two weeks -- July 19 -- with the half blocks and cutting for the setting triangles.

Just for fun, if you are on Instagram, post your blocks as you finish them -- use the hashtag, #dresdenstarquilt and tag me @hueymary

Mary

 

Accountability -- Second Quarter 2023 Review

 Saturday morning -- July 1 -- I've started a batch of sourdough ciabatti bread which means hanging out near the kitchen for the next hour to do a series of "stretch and folds".  Since my office is adjacent, I'll interrupt the Dresden Stars tutorial series to write this second quarter "accountability" post.

Reading this is optional for you!?!

1.  Finish six more UFO's from the leftover 2022 list.  Mmmm, no finishes here but a wee bit of progress.  This wallhanging which is my last Circle Play teaching sample is at the quilting stage - stalled out on the borders but have an idea now -- just dealing with the trepidation of actually doing it -- you know, it's the old "I'll ruin it with the quilting" fear.

I have finished piecing the three that are left from the 2022 list and am ready to organize  backings and do some quilting!

2.  Quilt the new tops I made in 2022. Good progress here.  I finished my Homage to Grandmothers Flower Garden in mid-April.  It's going to hang in the guest room sometime this summer after a couple decor updates!

My version of Jennifer Sampou's Polygon quilt was finished mid-May.  I haven't talked much about this quilt here on the blog -- lots of little struggles with the making.  While I like the finished quilt, some of the construction techniques probably pushed me outside my box more often than not if I'm honest.  It's on the giveaway list -- first offer to my girls and grand-girls.  I used a "new to me" batting -- Hobbs Tuscany Cotton/Wool Blend.  I'm pleased with the final look and feel of the quilt -- it has a nice loft, is soft, and washed up well.

3.  Deal with all the antique/vintage quilt tops I own.   Oh, boy -- no progress here!  I offered one of the tops to one of the large quilt museums back in January as a study piece but they just got back to me this week and politely declined -- so new plan needed.  

This pink and green applique is a family quilt and happily will stay in the family, but I've been waffling about the quilting process -- time to bite the bullet and go for it!!

4. If/when I start new projects, chose from a list of seven.    The cutting, piecing and applique work is progressing well on the two I started at the beginning of the year.  The Flourishes applique blocks are up-to-date -- block number six of twelve finished.  

The Hexatravaganza wreaths are finished -- twelve of twelve so I'm ready to chose background fabrics and start appliqueing the wreaths in place.  Note: the pattern calls for 20 blocks but I've started to scale down most of my work these days since quilting really big pieces is hard on my body.

And as might be expected, I've found a couple other new projects . . . . okay, okay . . .  four new quilt projects that I have launched this quarter that weren't on the list.  In my defense, I didn't know about them at the beginning of the year?!?

The (not-on-the-list) Whirly Weeds sew-along that I caved to in March wrapped up the end of May and I have a finished top and the backing prepped so it's in the quilting queue!

Another sew-along I didn't resist was in American Patchwork and Quilting magazine -- scrappy, simple blocks, just what I love -- but I fell behind so now it has become my "leaders and enders" project for the Dresden Star tutorial series work.  I've downsized my version of this quilt, too -- it will be a large lap robe and an easy one to give away.  I've pulled out my 1800's reproduction print stash for this one!

I love this K K Drama sew-along hosted by Celeste at @meerkatshweshwe Six blocks, one a month and make six versions of the blocks -- we just got the third block and so far, they've been quick makes.   And it's all stash fabric!!

In addition, I've started cutting two projects -- I'm using lots of florals for both and the quilts will be very scrappy so it's just easier to cut for two while a fabric is ironed and on the cutting table!   I don't think the two quilts will look the same since the florals will be paired with modern brights in one quilt and pretty prints in the other.  (I'm so good at rationalizing?!?  Gold Star!!)  Plus I'm "not allowed" to start piecing them until two other piecing projects are done???  (Who makes these rules?)

5. Rehome twelve finished quilts.  So my original intent is setting this goal was to reduce the current in-house stock and while I have given away 4 finished quilts and 3 tops this quarter, they haven't exactly met that initial criteria.  The three quilt tops were UFO's that I finished, made backings, and donated (with binding fabric) to folks for charitable work -- so that's good -- three less UFO's!!  But only one of the four quilts I gave away existed at the end of 2022.  These two little quilts made with African prints from my stash brought the quarter's "give away" total for 2023 to eleven!!  

Better luck next quarter on letting go of quilts, Mary!! 

Berry season is in full swing in my backyard -- the strawberries just finished and the currants and the raspberries are in full swing.  There aren't lots of raspberries and frankly I eat most of them on the way in from the garden.  But the red currants are another story -- I have two large bushes and try to freeze as many as I can.  Needless to say, the local robins are loving my garden right now!!

Onward into summer!

Mary

If you are in the northern United States or Canada, be cautious with the smoke situation from the northern wildfires.  I'm having to be stern with myself about masking but the other day, I read the impact is like smoking cigarettes.  Hopefully, this isn't a new normal for us!

Although, it is a good reason to stay indoors and sew!?!