christmas star help?

Hi, I'm starting on the Christmas Star quilt for my future DIL and
need some help. I got the pattern in Around the Block Again and in
101 Fabulous Rotary Cut Quilts. Also can be found here.
http://www.quilterscache.com/A_C/Chr...StarBlock.html
Now to the question. The pattern in the books calls for cutting the
triangles and individually piecing them, but quilters cache calls for
cutting squares and then sewing them into half square triangle
squares. I know I should try both methods but want to limit my time
on this thing but still do it right?? I've done the diagonal
stitching then cut between method and do like it, but my hesitation is
that there are more seams in this method. Has anyone done this quilt
pattern and which did you use???? I have all of the fabric, she
wants it in scrappy red, green and tan/golds, like in the rotary cut
book. Thanks for your advice and love all of you Kathy

I would do the HST (half square triangle) method. It does save a little bit of time,
and also, you're not sewing on the bias edges of the triangle after you've cut the
triangle out....therefore, minimal stretching. There are just as many seams in
either method, actually, since there are the same number of pieces.
--
Jalynne - Keeper of the Quilt for ME club list
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"theys" wrote in message
news:uxUBd.606953$wV.412755@attbi_s54...
Hi, I'm starting on the Christmas Star quilt for my future DIL and
need some help. I got the pattern in Around the Block Again and in
101 Fabulous Rotary Cut Quilts. Also can be found here.
http://www.quilterscache.com/A_C/Chr...StarBlock.html
Now to the question. The pattern in the books calls for cutting the
triangles and individually piecing them, but quilters cache calls for
cutting squares and then sewing them into half square triangle
squares. I know I should try both methods but want to limit my time
on this thing but still do it right?? I've done the diagonal
stitching then cut between method and do like it, but my hesitation is
that there are more seams in this method. Has anyone done this quilt
pattern and which did you use???? I have all of the fabric, she
wants it in scrappy red, green and tan/golds, like in the rotary cut
book. Thanks for your advice and love all of you Kathy

You could do the green/white HSTs as flying geese instead -is that what you
mean about reducing seams?. There's a method for doing 4 at once, IIRC it's
Eleanor Burns quilt in a day series, and that would take care of the star
points in the outermost round. You'd still have to do the
diagonal-stitching-cut-between nethod for the rest of the HSTs.
Roberta in D

"theys" wrote in message
news:uxUBd.606953$wV.412755@attbi_s54...
Hi, I'm starting on the Christmas Star quilt for my future DIL and
need some help. I got the pattern in Around the Block Again and in
101 Fabulous Rotary Cut Quilts. Also can be found here.
http://www.quilterscache.com/A_C/Chr...StarBlock.html
Now to the question. The pattern in the books calls for cutting the
triangles and individually piecing them, but quilters cache calls for
cutting squares and then sewing them into half square triangle
squares. I know I should try both methods but want to limit my time
on this thing but still do it right?? I've done the diagonal
stitching then cut between method and do like it, but my hesitation is
that there are more seams in this method. Has anyone done this quilt
pattern and which did you use???? I have all of the fabric, she
wants it in scrappy red, green and tan/golds, like in the rotary cut
book. Thanks for your advice and love all of you Kathy

The extra seams are the ones between the same color triangles. In the
rotary cut book they have you cut each color shape and piece them
together, even the center square is a larger piece where in the online
pattern calls for piecing this of four smaller squares. Not sure why
they would do this except to piece in rows. Anyway, the pattern I'm
using calls for the 9 inch star then you add larger triangles around
the square and place them on point. Since this is the one she wanted,
I'm going to do it that way. I think I'll have to make the HST
squares 2 3/8 inches before cutting apart, to make the individual
squares end up at 2 inches. Does this sound right????? Thanks for
the help. Kathy
"Roberta Zollner" wrote in message
...
You could do the green/white HSTs as flying geese instead -is that
what you
mean about reducing seams?. There's a method for doing 4 at once,
IIRC it's
Eleanor Burns quilt in a day series, and that would take care of the
star
points in the outermost round. You'd still have to do the
diagonal-stitching-cut-between nethod for the rest of the HSTs.
Roberta in D

"theys" wrote in message
news:uxUBd.606953$wV.412755@attbi_s54...
Hi, I'm starting on the Christmas Star quilt for my future DIL and
need some help. I got the pattern in Around the Block Again and
in
101 Fabulous Rotary Cut Quilts. Also can be found here.
http://www.quilterscache.com/A_C/Chr...StarBlock.html
Now to the question. The pattern in the books calls for cutting
the
triangles and individually piecing them, but quilters cache calls
for
cutting squares and then sewing them into half square triangle
squares. I know I should try both methods but want to limit my
time
on this thing but still do it right?? I've done the diagonal
stitching then cut between method and do like it, but my
hesitation is
that there are more seams in this method. Has anyone done this
quilt
pattern and which did you use???? I have all of the fabric, she
wants it in scrappy red, green and tan/golds, like in the rotary
cut
book. Thanks for your advice and love all of you Kathy

That does sound right, because when you're cutting squares to make HST's, you add an
addtional 3/8 to the seam allowance.
--
Jalynne - Keeper of the Quilt for ME club list
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"theys" wrote in message news:5m0Cd.14631$wu4.9446@attbi_s52...
The extra seams are the ones between the same color triangles. In the
rotary cut book they have you cut each color shape and piece them
together, even the center square is a larger piece where in the online
pattern calls for piecing this of four smaller squares. Not sure why
they would do this except to piece in rows. Anyway, the pattern I'm
using calls for the 9 inch star then you add larger triangles around
the square and place them on point. Since this is the one she wanted,
I'm going to do it that way. I think I'll have to make the HST
squares 2 3/8 inches before cutting apart, to make the individual
squares end up at 2 inches. Does this sound right????? Thanks for
the help. Kathy
"Roberta Zollner" wrote in message
...
You could do the green/white HSTs as flying geese instead -is that
what you
mean about reducing seams?. There's a method for doing 4 at once,
IIRC it's
Eleanor Burns quilt in a day series, and that would take care of the
star
points in the outermost round. You'd still have to do the
diagonal-stitching-cut-between nethod for the rest of the HSTs.
Roberta in D

"theys" wrote in message
news:uxUBd.606953$wV.412755@attbi_s54...
Hi, I'm starting on the Christmas Star quilt for my future DIL and
need some help. I got the pattern in Around the Block Again and
in
101 Fabulous Rotary Cut Quilts. Also can be found here.
http://www.quilterscache.com/A_C/Chr...StarBlock.html
Now to the question. The pattern in the books calls for cutting
the
triangles and individually piecing them, but quilters cache calls
for
cutting squares and then sewing them into half square triangle
squares. I know I should try both methods but want to limit my
time
on this thing but still do it right?? I've done the diagonal
stitching then cut between method and do like it, but my
hesitation is
that there are more seams in this method. Has anyone done this
quilt
pattern and which did you use???? I have all of the fabric, she
wants it in scrappy red, green and tan/golds, like in the rotary
cut
book. Thanks for your advice and love all of you Kathy

In article 5m0Cd.14631$wu4.9446@attbi_s52,
"theys" wrote:

The extra seams are the ones between the same color triangles. In the
rotary cut book they have you cut each color shape and piece them
together, even the center square is a larger piece where in the online
pattern calls for piecing this of four smaller squares. Not sure why
they would do this except to piece in rows. Anyway, the pattern I'm
using calls for the 9 inch star then you add larger triangles around
the square and place them on point. Since this is the one she wanted,
I'm going to do it that way. I think I'll have to make the HST
squares 2 3/8 inches before cutting apart, to make the individual
squares end up at 2 inches. Does this sound right????? Thanks for
the help. Kathy

After they are sewn you want them to be 2 inches? If so, you want to
add 7/8 to the measurement - 3/8 would be too small.

marcella

Oh dear, now I have conflicting answers. The entire block should be 9
inches square finished, so each individual square of HSQs should be 2
inches unfinished. Should I make the drawn squares on the fabric 2 3/8
inches or 2 7/8 inches???? I think its 2 3/8 inches because the
directions online for the larger square says 2 7/8 inches. That quilt
is made without the setting triangles added. Thanks
"Marcella Tracy Peek" wrote in message
...
In article 5m0Cd.14631$wu4.9446@attbi_s52,
"theys" wrote:


After they are sewn you want them to be 2 inches? If so, you want
to
add 7/8 to the measurement - 3/8 would be too small.

marcella

Check out this Web site: http://www.quilting-arts-forum.com/halfsquare.html

It sounds to me like 2 7/8 inches would be the correct size. I usually go
with 3 inches, though, and then trim to get the finished size. That gives
you a little "wiggle room" in case your finished square is a little wonky
(as mine usually are!).

--
Louise in Iowa
nieland4 at mchsi dot com
http://community.webshots.com/user/louiseiniowa

"theys" wrote in message
news:if1Cd.65758$k25.29770@attbi_s53...
Oh dear, now I have conflicting answers. The entire block should be 9
inches square finished, so each individual square of HSQs should be 2
inches unfinished. Should I make the drawn squares on the fabric 2 3/8
inches or 2 7/8 inches???? I think its 2 3/8 inches because the
directions online for the larger square says 2 7/8 inches. That quilt
is made without the setting triangles added. Thanks
"Marcella Tracy Peek" wrote in message
...
In article 5m0Cd.14631$wu4.9446@attbi_s52,
"theys" wrote:


After they are sewn you want them to be 2 inches? If so, you want
to
add 7/8 to the measurement - 3/8 would be too small.

marcella

Okay, I think I found the problem here. On the site it says that you
take your desired finished size and add 7/8 inch. Well, the size
block I need is 2 inches, before it is set in the larger block. I need
to allow 1/2 inch seam allowance. So, my finished size would really
be 1 1/2 inches, because the Christmas star I am making is 9 inches,
finished. So, if you add 7/8 inch to the 1 1/2 inches, you need to
cut your squares 2 3/8 inches before the diagonal stitching. I drew
the 2 7/8 inch sqare on a napkin and cut it out and folded on a
stitching line and ended up with a 2 1/2 inch square, 1/2 inch larger
than I need. Clear as mud, eh???? See, the 7/8 inch addition
includes the seam allowance, but I included the seam allowance when I
said I need a 2 inch square. So everybody was right, depending on
what you mean by the desired size square.
Tomorrow I will try to make my first block. Wish me luck, please
thanks again kathy
"Louise" wrote in message
news:WM1Cd.15231$wu4.3416@attbi_s52...
Check out this Web site:
http://www.quilting-arts-forum.com/halfsquare.html

It sounds to me like 2 7/8 inches would be the correct size. I
usually go
with 3 inches, though, and then trim to get the finished size. That
gives
you a little "wiggle room" in case your finished square is a little
wonky
(as mine usually are!).

--
Louise in Iowa
nieland4 at mchsi dot com
http://community.webshots.com/user/louiseiniowa

"theys" wrote in message
news:if1Cd.65758$k25.29770@attbi_s53...
Oh dear, now I have conflicting answers. The entire block should
be 9
inches square finished, so each individual square of HSQs should
be 2
inches unfinished. Should I make the drawn squares on the fabric 2
3/8
inches or 2 7/8 inches???? I think its 2 3/8 inches because the
directions online for the larger square says 2 7/8 inches. That
quilt
is made without the setting triangles added. Thanks
"Marcella Tracy Peek" wrote in message
...
In article 5m0Cd.14631$wu4.9446@attbi_s52,
"theys" wrote:


After they are sewn you want them to be 2 inches? If so, you
want
to
add 7/8 to the measurement - 3/8 would be too small.

marcella

That's exactly what I meant. No matter what your finished size will be, when you're
using squares to make half square triangles, you add 3/8" to the seam allowance
(which is always 1/2") of whatever size the HST is going to be.
--
Jalynne - Keeper of the Quilt for ME club list
Queen Gypsy (snail mail available upon request)
see what i've been up to at www.100megsfree4.com/jalynne

"theys" wrote in message
news:YG2Cd.610509$wV.23615@attbi_s54...
Okay, I think I found the problem here. On the site it says that you
take your desired finished size and add 7/8 inch. Well, the size
block I need is 2 inches, before it is set in the larger block. I need
to allow 1/2 inch seam allowance. So, my finished size would really
be 1 1/2 inches, because the Christmas star I am making is 9 inches,
finished. So, if you add 7/8 inch to the 1 1/2 inches, you need to
cut your squares 2 3/8 inches before the diagonal stitching. I drew
the 2 7/8 inch sqare on a napkin and cut it out and folded on a
stitching line and ended up with a 2 1/2 inch square, 1/2 inch larger
than I need. Clear as mud, eh???? See, the 7/8 inch addition
includes the seam allowance, but I included the seam allowance when I
said I need a 2 inch square. So everybody was right, depending on
what you mean by the desired size square.
Tomorrow I will try to make my first block. Wish me luck, please
thanks again kathy
"Louise" wrote in message
news:WM1Cd.15231$wu4.3416@attbi_s52...
Check out this Web site:
http://www.quilting-arts-forum.com/halfsquare.html

It sounds to me like 2 7/8 inches would be the correct size. I
usually go
with 3 inches, though, and then trim to get the finished size. That
gives
you a little "wiggle room" in case your finished square is a little
wonky
(as mine usually are!).

--
Louise in Iowa
nieland4 at mchsi dot com
http://community.webshots.com/user/louiseiniowa

"theys" wrote in message
news:if1Cd.65758$k25.29770@attbi_s53...
Oh dear, now I have conflicting answers. The entire block should
be 9
inches square finished, so each individual square of HSQs should
be 2
inches unfinished. Should I make the drawn squares on the fabric 2
3/8
inches or 2 7/8 inches???? I think its 2 3/8 inches because the
directions online for the larger square says 2 7/8 inches. That
quilt
is made without the setting triangles added. Thanks
"Marcella Tracy Peek" wrote in message
...
In article 5m0Cd.14631$wu4.9446@attbi_s52,
"theys" wrote:


After they are sewn you want them to be 2 inches? If so, you
want
to
add 7/8 to the measurement - 3/8 would be too small.

marcella